Born on August 28, 1938, in Scotia, Clara May Voigt was the fifth child of ten born to her parents Warren G. and Clara M. Voigt of Shively. She was the fourth girl of 7 in the family in addition to three brothers. Life in Shively in the 1940s and early fifties was rather dull. Clara, maybe more than any of her other siblings, was a girl of adventure. A city girl trapped in a country setting. How she loved the trips to Eureka on the train with her grandmother as a young child. The big city had so much to offer a young country girl. She would always behave her very best hoping to coax a nickel out of her favorite grandmother for some special “shopping” in Eureka. Come to think of it, shopping was always her favorite pastime to the very end.

Coming out of the Great Depression, life was very simple in her youth. Father Warren worked for the railroad and as was common in those days, her mother Clara was home with all the children. With nine mouths to feed (brother Willard died a few days after birth) the family did not have any extra money to meet the dreams young Clara visualized in her mind. She was always into fashion even as a young girl. Oh, how she longed to live in the big city and wear all those fancy clothes.

Little Shively had a two-room schoolhouse. Clara and her sisters would walk the railroad tracks to school and back each day. Summers were spent at the river playing with friends or maybe helping around the house. Winters in Shively were a problem. As the Eel River would rise, the summer bridge would wash out. This would require the kids from Shively to use a motorboat to cross the river at sometimes flood stage to get to high school each day and again to get home in the evening. Clara had a big problem with the boat thing. It could perhaps have been that she did not trust the boatmanship of her older brother Warren, but when Clara was only fourteen years old, she decided she would move in with her Aunt Carrie, who lived a few blocks from Fortuna High, and solve the fear of crossing that river all together.

Being on your own at fourteen, to come and go as you please, was not a great recipe for getting through high school without any hitches. Unfortunately, Clara found that out the hard way. In 1955, while working and not attending school, she happened to meet the man of her dreams. His name was Tom Demello, he was five years her senior and was driving a cattle truck for his brother Babe. Let’s just say” it was love at first sight.” It was not long before the two were inseparable. Tom was very encouraging to Clara to go back, graduate and get her diploma. The following school year she re-enrolled and was able to graduate that following June. Not having had the opportunity to do the same, Tom was very proud of her for sticking with it and walking across that stage. Tom and Clara were married in a very small ceremony in Sacramento in December of 1957.

Nine months later, in September of 1958, the young couple had their first child. A boy they would name Keith Glenn. In a little less than three years, in August of 1961, the family was complete with the birth of a daughter, Tamra Lynn. For the next eleven years the Demello family lived in a small house on Loop Road in Fortuna, CA. Most of those years Dad was working long hours, six days a week, driving a log truck and Mom was busy caring for us. She kept busy teaching Sunday School at the Presbyterian Church on Ross Hill Road, in addition to being a “Welcome Wagon” host to newcomers in the Fortuna area. In 1969, they started building their forever home on Nelson Lane in the foothills of Fortuna above Newburg Park. She lived there the rest of her life.

In the early 1970s, with both kids well into school, Mom decided to go back to work. She first took a job at Payless, then one at a small grocery store (Cannam’s) near Eureka High. It was there that she became a retail clerk and after a few other jobs eventually settled at Safeway in Fortuna. She was very proud to be part of the union and would remind us that our braces were possible because of the great health insurance they offered. She took her work very seriously and seemed to love her job. I’m sure many people remember her warm welcome and friendly smile at the “big red S.”

Unfortunately, tragedy struck our life on March 22, 1990 when dad unexpectedly passed away prior to a scheduled shoulder surgery. Mom’s world was rocked!! Only someone who has lost a spouse in such a sudden and unexpected way can really relate. Thank the Lord, Mom had grandchildren to love on and help take her away from the constant feeling of loss that takes hold of you during these times. She also had a great support network of friends and family to see her through the rough times. The next seven or so years were a new and different adventure for her. She spent time watching grandchildren, burying herself in work, even buying a few rentals and fixing them up. Never one to miss a good garage sale, her and her kid sister Sharon would often scour the telephone poles or newspapers hoping to not miss the next “big” one. Another individual who was very important to Mom in these trying times was her very good friend Hanalore Klinger. The two of them worked together at Safeway and would spend many hours away from work, walking, shopping or just having coffee. Their friendship was very strong. Perhaps Mom’s longest friendship, and someone very special in her life was Pat Munson. It is believed they had known each other for more than eighty years.

The late 1990s were an exciting time for Mom. Someone gave her a heads up about this cute guy giving dance lessons and who was doing an exhibition at Redwood Village in Fortuna. Living on her own for the past seven or so years must have given Mom extra courage. She marched right up to the instructor and introduced herself. Next thing you know she was receiving “Private Dance Lessons.” Howard (Kip) Wandler was his name, and he swept Mom right off her feet. The two were married in January of 2000. Mom and Kip loved to travel. She had not traveled much with Dad in their 32 years of marriage. She and Kip made up for lost time. They cruised to Alaska, around New Zealand, many times in the Caribbean, other trips by plane to Hawaii, Cancun, Canada and much of the United States. Mom and Kip were married for over 24 years. She felt like she had been blessed with two incredible husbands who were very different from one another yet shared a special love for her that many women are lucky to ever get.

Mom’s health had been an issue the past seven years. A severe sinus infection required brain surgery in September of 2017. She was 79 then but, by the way she looked and acted, you would have thought she was 15 years younger. The brain surgery significantly changed things. A series of additional health issues followed. Kip did his absolute best those final years to care for Mom in a most amazing way. She finally went to be with the Lord on August 20, 2024. At the time of her death, she was only eight days shy of her 86th birthday. In her last few months, she would reflect often on her life. She felt very blessed to have lived the life she had. She was thankful for two amazing husbands, two wonderful children, two caring stepdaughters and five grandchildren in addition to six step-grandchildren and finally in January of 2024 her very first great-granddaughter.

Mom had no idea how important she was to so many people. Those who knew her were always taken by her constant smile, positive attitude and unique way of making you feel so special. She was always quick with words of encouragement, remembering special details of your life or just a kind, warm touch on the arm when she was speaking with you. She was security to some, friendship for others, a shoulder to cry on, or a home to take shelter. There is no doubt she will be greatly missed.

Mom and Kip attended Hydesville Church for many years prior to her passing. She loved to garden, dance, travel and of course shop.

Clara May Demello Wandler was preceded in death by her parents Warren & Clara Voigt. Brothers Warren, Willard & John Voigt. Sisters Leotta McCrigler, Loretta Kalford, & Judy Kiesel. Her late husband Thomas Glenn Demello and her loving grandson Tyler Gilreath. She is survived by her remaining three sisters, Helen Zigan, Bonnie Swift and Sharon Johnson (Bill) in addition to her husband Howard (Kip) Wandler, children Tamra Demello, Keith Demello (Danette) and grandsons Alex Eddy, Shane Demello (Adrienne), Cole Demello (Valarie), Ryan Demello (Aryanna) and great grand-daughter Reese. In addition, Kip’s daughters Darcy Baber (Sean) and Denise Robinson (Joe), and step-grandchildren Erin and Adam Baber; Alex Furtado, and Cole, Evan & Jake Robinson.

A private graveside service will be held for family at Sunrise Cemetery on Newburg Road in Fortuna at 11 a.m. on Saturday October 26, 2024. All friends and family are invited to please join us for a celebration of life that same day from 1-4 p.m. at the Monday Club (610 Main Street) in Fortuna. In lieu of flowers please consider donations in Clara’s memory to Hospice of Humboldt. They were amazing help in Mom’s final days.

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

The KEET/League of Women Voters candidate forums are one of the main highlights of any Humboldt County election cycle. Tonight, at 7 p.m., we got the main event — an hour with all four candidates for Eureka City Council.

Let’s check it out together! If you’re reading this between the hours of 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. tonight — Monday, October 14 — press play on the big YouTube button above and record your thoughts in the comments. 

The only other KEET forum this cycle is on Wednesday at the same time. It’s with the candidates for state assembly. With all respect and much love for KEET and the League: Snore.

This is the main event, right here! The Eureka City Council candidates’ forum! Let’s goooo!

As it does every election session, the Humboldt Organized for Peace and the Environment (HOPE) Coalition has released its round-up of who is recommending what vote on each of the 11 propositions on the state ballot this Nov. 5.

Why is this useful? Well, ballot measures can be confusing! It takes time to get to the bottom of them! So sometimes you just want to look to people you trust, who have put the work in, to figure out how you might want to lean on any given yay-or-nay ballot proposition vote.

Conversely, you might want to look to an organization you loathe and vote the opposite of the way it recommends. That works too!

In any case: The HOPE Coalition goes and rounds up the recommendations from a wide variety of sources and shares them with the community, for this purpose. They’re sort of the 538 of ballot prop recommendations.

Looking for more info on those propositions? You can’t do better than the Voter Guide published by our friends at CalMatters. They’ve got the text of all the measures, concise video explainers and more pro- and con- takes from across the spectrum

You can get the HOPE Coalition’s rundown in easy, printable PDF form at this link. If you’re an HTML native, you can find the relevant table translated into that format below. If you’re on your phone, maybe turn it sideways and scroll back and forth with your thumb.

The Outpost just got a call from Humboldt Friends for Life, a nonprofit that works with the Humboldt County Animal Shelter to provide care for the pets who wind up there, and to facilitate their adoption.

Friends for Life tells us that there are currently a number of animals in the shelter — such as Sophie, above — who need immediate medical attention. And that means that Friends for Life needs donations, stat.

Here’s Sophie’s story: From the Humboldt County Animal Shelter’s Facebook page:

Sophie and her other shelter friends need your HELP! Sophie was turned over to our animal control department after being found injured on Highway 299 due to falling out of/from a vehicle. Sophie has a fractured jaw, the gingiva of her upper palate (roof of the mouth) has separated exposing the nasal cavity to the mouth. In addition to these injuries, she has suffered a life of neglect. The condition of her ears suggest long-term chronic ear infections resulting in polyps. She has some significant dental disease, she is unspayed and has a mammary mass. She is somewhere between 10 and 12 years old and has a lot of life, spunk and love to give.

Donations are needed to help fund her path to recovery. Donations can be made to the Shelter’s Emergency Medical Fund (SEMF) which is managed by Friends for Life Animal Rescue via mail at PO Box 962, Eureka, CA 95502; online at www.dogrescuers.org via PayPal @friendsforlife707. Please specify donations are for the SEMF.

Any funds collected during this campaign that are not spent treating Sophie will be used to treat her other shelter companions who are in need of medical procedures such as heartworm treatment, orthopedic surgeries, and other procedures that exceed the $300 maximum allowed by the county budget.

PREVIOUSLY: CHILD ABDUCTION: Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help Locating 4-Year-Old Hoopa Girl Missing Under ‘Suspicious Circumstances’

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Thompson Thompson, age 4 of Hoopa | Photo provided by family

Previously missing child Thompson Thompson, age 4, was located safe on Oct. 12 after detectives worked with the suspect to ultimately reveal the child’s location. 

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office detectives worked with in-custody suspect Peter Thompson to identify the location where Thompson Thompson was being cared for. Peter Thompson had previously refused to disclose information about the child’s whereabouts to law enforcement. However, a conversation with Detective Danielle Vickman led to a determination of the child’s location. 

Deputies responded to the location on Oct. 12 and received the child without incident. Thompson Thompson was ultimately turned over to the care of her legal guardians. Decisions regarding the future of the child’s placement will be made through Child Welfare Services (CWS) and Family Law Court.

Peter Thompson remains in custody currently for child abduction (PC 278).

For more details, see the Oct. 10 press release regarding Thompson Thompson’s missing person report.

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.

As a bill attempting to remedy California’s ongoing gas price spikes nears a final vote, questions about whether it could jeopardize worker safety have risen to the forefront.

The bill – Assembly Bill X2-1 – would require refineries to keep a to-be-determined minimum amount of gas supply on hand to help smooth out price spikes the state said happen when refineries go down for routine maintenance. The measure cleared the state Assembly earlier this month and the state Senate in a special legislative session last week, passing 23-9. A final vote on the bill, signing off on Senate changes, is expected in the Assembly today.

Those representing unionized workers in refineries argue that the legislation would jeopardize worker safety, and if storage requirements are untenable for refiners, closures and large job loss could follow. At issue is a provision in the bill that would give the California Energy Commission the ability to approve scheduled maintenance for refiners. State officials said this is meant to push refiners to be proactive in their maintenance planning, which, paired with higher reserves of gas supply on hand, would tamp down price spikes for Golden State drivers.

The state and the bill’s authors said current laws governing worker safety are not affected by the bill.

“Let me be clear, ABX2-1 does not prohibit a refinery from conducting important maintenance. Refiners can and should perform the maintenance they need to to keep their workers and facilities safe,” Assemblymember Gregg Hart, a Santa Barbara Democrat and one of the bill’s authors, said at an Oct. 7 state Senate hearing.

The bill’s latest version requires protecting the safety and health of “employees, local communities, and the public” in the process.

The State Building and Construction Trades Council represents many unionized workers employed in refineries. Jeremy Smith, chief of staff for the group, expressed concern that this plan could come at the expense of worker safety. If the state denies a refinery’s planned maintenance, he said, it could lead to “catastrophic breakdowns.”

“Maintenance must be done on a schedule based only on the condition of metals and infrastructure and the lifecycle of equipment such as vessels, pipes and valves,” he said at the hearing.

A worst-case scenario could be an explosion at a refinery, trades council president Chris Hannan told CalMatters. An explosion in 2015 at a Torrance refinery owned by ExxonMobil injured two workers and led to higher gas prices.

State energy commission vice chair Siva Gunda — who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, convener of the special session and key backer of the legislation — pushed back on such concerns. Not all refineries plan for maintenance the same way, he said, resulting in some having adequate supply for the market while others don’t “because there is no incentive” to keep a higher level of supply. The energy commission identified a 15-day supply of gas as a key point at which gas prices begin to shift.

The finer details of how the state’s plan would work are to be determined through a rulemaking process if the bill is passed. Gunda said the state would examine refiners’ current maintenance protocols during that process to understand if they are working.

“If existing protocols currently work, we will not touch them,” he said.

The state also pointed out that the legislation does not supersede other labor laws, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.

“I continue to raise those same concerns that the decisions regarding scheduling of refinery and maintenance should not be left up to bureaucrats.”
— State Sen. Steven Bradford, Democrat from Inglewood

Prior legislation gave the state access to refiners’ data it is currently using to support its argument that the state’s price spikes are driven primarily by short supply during refinery maintenance. State Sen. Steven Bradford, an Inglewood Democrat and chairperson of the Senate special session committee, said he was “encouraged” by provisions in that earlier legislation that require meeting annually with labor representatives through an advisory committee, but noted that the six-person committee has yet to convene because Newsom’s administration hasn’t appointed its members yet.

Bradford previously carried legislation, unsuccessfully, that would have required the state to consult with labor groups about the impact on refinery employees and the communities around the refineries.

“I continue to raise those same concerns that the decisions regarding scheduling of refinery and maintenance should not be left up to bureaucrats, but should be in the hands of the men and women who do this work on a daily basis of operating these complex facilities,” he said at the hearing.

The bill has drawn strong criticism from groups representing the petroleum industry over whether new storage would need to be built to meet the bill’s requirements. The industry said the measure will lead to higher prices. It has also argued that it will need to build more costly storage, but amendments in the Assembly stipulate that the reserve requirements, to be determined by a special committee, cannot be larger than fits in existing tankage.

Chevron, which recently announced it is moving its headquarters to Texas, took the unusual step this week of submitting a letter to the chair of the Assembly Committee on Petroleum and Gasoline Supply contesting what it called “frankly ridiculous claims” of price gouging driving price spikes.

“We will do our part to ensure California consumers are informed about your role in shaping policies making life even more unaffordable,” the company said in the letter.

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

Carmen (Schuler) Mills was born at home on December 2, 1925 at a time when most rural homes did not have electricity or inside toilets . She grew up during the Great Depression and experienced World War II. She married Ernest Schuler, who served in the US Navy in the South Pacific during the war. After the war, Ernest was stationed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The young couple spent a magical two years living in and experiencing the awakening elegance of post war Oakland and San Francisco. Carmen went to modeling school and the style and grooming lessons she learned influenced her lifelong habits of daily taking time to look her best.

The young couple returned to Humboldt County in 1946 to begin a family, and daughters Sandra (Schuler) McColgan and Karen (Schuler) Sauls were born. Carmen lived for 37 years in McKinleyville, where she was very active in the community, served as room mother for both daughters, acted as PTA secretary and reporter, and received an honorary life membership for her service. She was a 4-H leader for many years and was ahead of the times in leading a campaign with the Dow’s Prairie 4-Hers against littering.

Carmen’s other contributions to the community of McKinleyville included involvement in charity fund drives, school librarian, assuming positions as secretary for the Chamber Commerce, McKinleyville Area Planning Committee, and member of the College of the Redwood’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee for the McKinleyville Campus.

Carmen had a love for writing and wrote stories and poems for her daughters which she often illustrated. She also wrote skits for school and 4-H presentations. Carmen returned to Humboldt State and took journalism classes to hone her writing skills and wrote for local newspapers, the Lumberjack at Humboldt State University, and was the McKinleyville correspondent for the Humboldt Times. Carmen’s love for writing and history enabled her to interview and capture stories about the lives of local “old timers” including memories from her own family, the Nortons. These stories were featured in a weekly column in the Arcata Union, “Just Looking Back into McKinleyville’s Past.” Carmen enjoyed opportunities to lecture on McKinleyville history in the local schools.

Other writing accomplishments included a history written about pioneer immigrants George Fredrick and Elizabeth Schuler for the Shasta publication The Covered Wagon.

Carmen had a strong faith in God and lived a positive life and expressed a grateful attitude despite long suffered health issues. She attended First Baptist Church in Arcata and its satellite church in McKinleyville and the Bayside Community Presbyterian Church.

In later life she enjoyed traveling with her second husband Karl Mills, who preceded her in death.

Carmen Mills at 98 outlived most of her family and friends but will be greatly missed by her daughters Sandra McColgan and Karen Sauls and step-son Jeff Mills, her granddaughter Kathryn Sauls-Sparks and husband Joesph Sparks and great-grandson Atticus Sparks, her buddy despite a 90 year old age difference. Other family include nephew Calvin Norton and wife Sue and numerous nieces, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

A special thanks to the Helping Hands Boarding Care Home owners Navgeet Kaur and Harjit Rana who provided such an excellent, clean and safe environment for our mother in the final two years of her life and for all her loving and competent caregivers.

A graveside ceremony for Carmen will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Arcata on Friday. October 18 at 11 a.m.

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