In loving memory of
Glenn Wayne Keisner, Sr
August 11, 1947 - April 7, 2025

“For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains” -unknown.

Glenn Wayne Keisner - proud member of the Wiyot (Table Bluff) Tribe…. Son to his late parents George and Madaline Keisner; husband to Lorraine Keisner for 55 years. Father to four children (Robert, Theresa, Manuel, and Glenn Keisner Jr.). He was a brother to 10 siblings (Delmer, Dorothy, George, Georgina, Judith, Henry, Patricia, Lornie, Ronnie and Gail Keisner); survived by his son Glenn Wayne Keisner Jr.

Glenn was a sports fanatic. He loved his San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers. If there was a game on…the TV would be glued to that channel and would not be changed. You did not need to ask where he would be during the baseball or football seasons. He would be sitting in his armchair, Mountain Dew in one hand, remote in the other, rooting for his team.

He worked hard and always had a project going! If he was not in his chair watching sports, you could find him under a car, leaning over a car, buying a car, or inside one of the many cars he enjoyed fixing up. He would bring the family to Stock Car Races regularly.

He was a proud Native American Veteran who served his country in the Vietnam war.

Glenn was the classic strong silent type. He did not talk much, but when he did, he would make you laugh. He showed his family love through his actions. He always provided for his family, without complaint, and worked long hours; lumberjacking, pulling green chain, and forklift driver at the mill until he retired. He always made time to play Yahtzee, Skip-bo, Pinochle, and Crazy 8. Spending evenings and entire weekends with the family laughing and playing games around the kitchen table. He instilled that same work and play ethics in his family.

He was always available to help his friends and family whenever they needed him. He was a respected father, good friend to everyone who knew him, and a loving husband. He always had visitors to the house just stopping by to talk and laugh with him.

Glenn was not a flashy man, he did not want to be in the spotlight, he did not care about fancy clothes or fancy things, but he provided everything a family needed and remained the silent benefactor to many in his family. There is no truer saying than “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone!” His stance as a father was always firm, his character as a man always generous, and his soul was always kind! He is loved and missed dearly by his family and friends! ❤️

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

Benjamin Herbert Weed
April 12, 1961 - March 5, 2025

It is with great sadness that I announce that Ben passed away at home on hospice from kidney failure in the early morning on March 5, surrounded by his family.

Ben was born in Fortuna to Emery and Mable Weed. He lived most of his life in Ferndale. He had many friends growing up and told me great stories of his childhood living in Ferndale, where his friends know him as Benjy. He was well liked and loved and didn’t have a mean bone in his body.

After graduation, Ben worked for the Humboldt Creamery but didn’t care for it so his dad drove him down to Santa Rosa, where he worked at a couple of different jobs. Then he decided that he wanted to go to Anchorage, Alaska, and he started working for Southern Air Transport. Ben told me this was his favorite job and he worked there for 5 years until the Air Transport became independent contractors, which made it hard for him to stay on.

Ben came back to Ferndale and took care of his mom Mable until she passed. He worked as a painter, painting estimator and finally as a road construction flagger.

I met Ben and we had an instant bond. We had the best time traveling everywhere in California, especially Sacramento, because he knew I loved it there, getting up early and going on nature walks, bird watching and listening to classic rock and dancing until the wee hours of the night and just spending time together, and during Ferndale celebrations you could always find him in our front yard having a BBQ and inviting everyone to join even if he didn’t know them. What a great smile he had.

Ben leaves behind his wife, Nina Diehl, his faithful 2.9 lb teacup yorkie, The Tank, step daughters, Amber (Anthony) Makakoa, Ashliegh (Bryan) Murphy and newly engaged Emily Diehl & Bryan Juentu, his adopted son Linus Zettl, his granddaughters Ashem, Noelle and Mae Makakoa-he loved being their Poppa!, his sister Jaci (Carl) DiStefano, nephew Demetrius (Layla) Distefano, Sister-in-law Rosie Weed & niece Brianna (Ian) Birnam, cousin Scott (Monica) Madden and numerous nephews, cousins and great cousins.

Ben was preceded in death by his dad, Emery Weed, his mom, Mable Weed, his brothers Emery (Butch) and Greg Weed.

Arrangements were made with Sanders Funeral Home/Humboldt Cremation & Funeral Service in Eureka.

Per Ben’s request, no services will be held as he asked that all his family and friends just go out to the beach and drink a cold one in his honor and listen to the Rolling Stones and think of him.

I would like to thank all his family and friends that came to see him before he passed, it meant so much to him to be able to say goodbye to you all. I will miss my Benny terribly, but until we meet again, I will dance and remember how much we loved each other.

Robert (Bob) Steeves
May 4, 1944 – April 6, 2025

Robert (Bob) Michael Steeves passed away on April 6, 2025. Bob was born on May 4, 1944. He was a lifelong resident of McKinleyville and a proud native of Humboldt County. Bob was a descendant of the Steeves and Bartow families, who were among the early settlers of McKinleyville.

Bob was a member of the Karuk Tribe. He was the great-grandson of Gertrude (Fry) Thornton (Tu-Tu-Kan-Ish), a full-blood Karuk Indian. He was the son of Elmer and Mildred (Bartow) Steeves, and the brother of Betty Shamberger (Jim), Barbara Jones (Steve), Elmer Steeves Jr. (Sharon), and Ron Boone (Cassandra). Ron was Bob’s cousin but was raised by the Steeves family and was like a brother to him.

Bob was a member of the first graduating class of McKinleyville High School in 1963. After high school, he went to work for Simpson Timber Company until he was drafted into the Army and served in Vietnam. When he returned from the military, he resumed working at Simpson’s, where he remained until his retirement. Bob was deeply respected and admired by his coworkers because of the work he did.

Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping. He especially cherished surf fishing, duck hunting, clam digging, deer hunting, and camping in places like Salmon River, Bullseye Lake, the Trinity Alps, and Modoc. Many of these adventures were shared with family and close friends Ike Ganfield, Ron Morton, Jim Shamberger and Steve Jones.

Bob married Darlene (Holt) Steeves in 1966, and they shared over fifty years of life together. Bob was a caring and devoted husband.

He is survived by his wife, Darlene; his beloved sisters Betty and Barbara (Steve); and his brother Elmer (Sharon). He also leaves behind his double cousins Patty, Carol, Nancy, and many other loving family members.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Mildred; his brother-in-law, Jim Shamberger; his cousin-brother, Ron Boone; Cassandra Boone; nephews John Shamberger and Doug Jones; and his best friends Ike Ganfield and Ron Morton.

The family would like to thank caregiver Kathy Belair for her kind and compassionate care.

Bob will be laid to rest at Greenwood Cemetery in Arcata. A graveside service will be held on Friday, April 18, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity.

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

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Three months after cutting bait on plans to build a $500 million fish factory in Belfast, Maine, Nordic Aquafarms is courting new investors and facing a longer, more complicated timeline for a similar project along Humboldt Bay.

In a recent interview, Nordic executives outlined some new permitting and environmental mitigation hurdles and said it will likely be “a few years” before the company can demolish the old pulp mill infrastructure on the Samoa Peninsula and break ground on its proposed recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility.

Announced more than six years ago, the land-based fish farm, as originally conceived, is expected to cost $650 million and employ up to 150 full-time workers while producing up to 27,000 metric tons of Yellowtail kingfish per year — enough to supply West Coast markets from Seattle to Los Angeles and beyond.

However, given the recent geopolitical upheaval and its impact on world financial markets, the future of any project with such a long timeline is uncertain, as the company saw in Maine. Nordic’s East Coast project, announced in 2018, received all required local, state and federal permits but faced fierce opposition from environmental groups, whose legal challenges ultimately proved too costly.

“The company exits after tens of millions of investment dollars and many years of planning and permitting in the State of Maine,” CEO Brenda Chandler said in a January press release.

Last week, Chandler and local Project Manager Scott Thompson sat down for an interview at Outpost headquarters in Old Town Eureka. They said that while the project is progressing, certain steps may take longer than anticipated. 

Environmental mitigation, for example. Nordic recently committed to an extensive Marine Monitoring Survey Plan that requires up to five years of water quality sampling and marine ecosystem analysis near the business end of an outfall pipe, which will discharge treated effluent from the RAS facility into the ocean, roughly a mile and a half offshore. That monitoring plan recently received approved from the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Meanwhile, after years of analysis and deliberations, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Nordic switched up one of the environmental remediation measures required of the project to comply with requirements from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

This aspect of the project involves the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District, which previously agreed to remove nearly 1,000 derelict, creosote-treated piles and crossbeams from an old dock in Fields Landing to mitigate the impacts of baywater intake infrastructure.

The district’s underwater sea chests, which were installed decades ago for use by the pulp mill, are expected to impact Humboldt Bay’s marine life by sucking in tiny fish eggs, larvae and other planktonic organisms. They’re also expected to harm longfin smelt, a species of fish designated as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. In December, the Army Corps of Engineers approved Section 404 Water Quality Certification permit for the seawater intake infrastructure.

However, CDFW determined that the plan to remove old pilings from the bay was insufficient to mitigate the impacts to longfin smelt. So instead, as a condition of the agency’s recently issued incidental take permit, the Harbor District must construct nearly an acre of wetland habitat, and the district must maintain and manage that habitat throughout Phase 1 of the project.

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“Now we need to design and permit the mitigation project itself,” Thompson said. “So that will need its own permitting. We need to do CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act] again; we need a Coastal Commission permit; we need Army Corps permits. So that is a whole ‘nother project. The pile-pulling probably wouldn’t have needed quite so much.”

Nordic has identified one potential property for this wetland-building endeavor, along Freshwater Slough, though Thompson said, “Eventually, we’ll likely be building wetlands in several locations.”

The sites will be constructed in areas with freshwater influence to allow for more spawning and rearing habitat for the longfin smelt, he explained.

Chandler said this project will also help to satisfy requirements from the California Coastal Commission, though that agency has asked for additional underwater mitigation work to be done between the Harbor District’s two intake locations — one at Redwood Marine Terminal II and the other at the “Red Tank” dock in Samoa.

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“There are several conditions to meet for that [part of the project] as well … ,” Chandler said. “So we expect to be doing that work in conjunction with the Harbor District over the next couple of years.”

As recently as last fall, Chandler was expecting that the pulp mill’s smokestack and boiler building could be demolished and removed before the end of 2025, but that’s no longer the case.

Thompson said that, as far as he knows, this is the first incidental take permit ever granted for longfin smelt in Humboldt Bay, so CDFW took extra time working with Nordic to develop a mitigation formula informed by a yearlong sampling event — or “entrainment study” — in Humboldt Bay.

Even with these new mitigation measures, local environmental groups remain wary. Jennifer Kalt, executive director of Humboldt Waterkeeper, said her organization is still concerned that the nutrient discharge from the ocean outfall pipe could increase the risk of toxic algae blooms, especially during marine heat waves like the one from 2014-16, nicknamed “The Blob.”

Kalt said she’s grateful for the Marine Monitoring Survey Plan.

“All we have to go on now is modeling, so the monitoring is really important to understand what is really happening in the ocean once the project is up and running,” she said.

As for the financial aspects of the endeavor, Chandler said pulling the plug in Maine didn’t necessarily impact the finances for the local project, which is being managed separately. But if the Trump administration implements widespread tariffs, or if the U.S. economy falters in the next couple of years, Nordic will likely have to review its list of vendors.

“Invariably there’s going to be an impact somewhere along the supply chain, both for our capital expenditures and our … operating expenses,” Chandler said.

The company’s existing investor group is largely based in Scandinavia, but Chandler said that sometime in the next few weeks, Nordic will “open the door” to U.S. investors.

Thompson argued that the recent political and economic turmoil serves to highlight the importance and value of domestic food production. And while the finish line keeps moving farther away, Chandler noted that, after six years of work, Nordic has a huge head start on any other company that might want to pursue such a project. She remains optimistic.

“What we have here is an amazing opportunity,” she said. Unlike in Maine, where the fish factory was slated to be built on forested land near a drinking water reservoir and a river that supports one of the last wild Atlantic salmon runs in the U.S. — and where a new discharge pipe would empty into an estuary with eelgrass — the local project site is a partially cleaned up brownfield property with built-in infrastructure and access to copious fresh water.

“When I talk to people, I call it a unicorn,” Chandler said, referring to the site’s project-specific amenities. “It’s just very unique.”

While the start of construction is likely years away, Thompson and Chandler said that they hope that the initial 0.93-acre wetland construction project will be sufficient to permit 2.66 million gallons per day of seawater intake from Humboldt Bay, which would be sufficient to produce up to 3,000 metric tons of fish per year in Phase 1. 

The footprint of Building One, a grow-out module originally planned at over 265,000 square feet, has been reduced by 75,000 feet. The company’s existing permits allow for up to 15,000 metric tons, but Chandler said she won’t even hazard a guess on when that much production will be possible.

“I’m not going to be 100 percent confident until we’re literally breaking ground,” she said. And she expressed gratitude for the community in helping to get the project this far.

Attempts to reach the relevant personnel with both the Harbor District and CDFW before this story was published were unsuccessful.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Coastal Commission Approves Humboldt Bay Seawater Intake System Upgrades Needed for Nordic Aquafarms Project
• Nordic Aquafarms Celebrates Coastal Commission Denial of Five Appeals to Samoa Fish Farm
• Coastal Commission OKs Wastewater Discharge Permit for Nordic Aquafarms’ Onshore Fish Farm
• Water Quality Board Awards Wastewater Discharge Permit for Nordic Aquafarms’ Planned Peninsula Facility
• Salmon OUT, Yellowtail IN: Nordic Aquafarms Announces Species Switch-Up at its Planned Humboldt Facility

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Press release from the Humboldt County Drug Task Force:

On April 12th, 2025, Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) Agents served a search warrant on Miguel Angel Rodriguez Alicea (36 years old from Fortuna). During the months of March and April, the HCDTF received information that Alicea was traveling to Modesto and purchasing large quantities of methamphetamine for the purpose of sales in Humboldt County.

HCDTF Agents observed Alicea travel from Humboldt County to Modesto, California. Upon Alicea’s return, Agents conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle as he entered Humboldt County.

Alicea was detained without incident and his vehicle was searched. Agents located 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the vehicle and 600 marijuana clones stored in the trunk of the vehicle. 

Alicea was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked on the following charges:
 
- 11379(b) HS — Transportation of a controlled substance (noncontiguous counties)
- 11378 HS — Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of sales
- 11370.4(b)(1) HS — Possession of a kilogram or more of a controlled substance

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.

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Press release from Cal Poly Humboldt’s University Police Department:

On April 8, the University Police Department (UPD) received a report concerning a vehicle with a shattered window located in the Jolly Giant Commons parking lot. Upon arrival, officers observed two additional vehicles that had sustained significant damage. The preliminary investigation suggested that these incidents were not isolated; they represented a coordinated effort to steal vehicles, with a particular focus on Hyundai and Kia models, which thieves have increasingly targeted across the county.

In response to these events, on April 9, UPD officers arrested Vijay Sen, who is unaffiliated with Cal Poly Humboldt. Sen was charged with three counts of attempted vehicle theft, vehicle tampering, three counts of vandalism, and conspiracy.

This investigation is ongoing. If you have any additional details related to these incidents, contact UPD at (707) 826-5555. Your input can make a significant difference in enhancing the security of our campus. UPD would like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office with their assistance in this matter.

UPD is providing the following prevention and awareness tips to all members of our community.

Campus Safety Crime Tips

• Park in Well-Lit Areas: Whenever possible, choose parking spaces that are well illuminated to deter potential thieves.
• Secure Your Vehicle and Valuables: Lock your vehicle and avoid leaving items of value inside your vehicle, especially in plain sight, as this can tempt opportunistic thieves.
• Keep Your Keys Secure: Never leave your keys in the ignition or hidden within your vehicle, as this makes it easier for thieves to steal your car.

As Humboldt County’s Clerk, Recorder, & Registrar of Voters, I’m inspired by the civic spirit of our residents and local organizations. Every election season reminds me of the three pillars that guide our work: transparency, accessibility and efficiency — each essential to a trustworthy democratic process.

Yet the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act threatens to undo much of what we’ve worked so hard to build. This bill would require every voter registering or updating registration to provide documentary proof of citizenship in person. While that might sound reasonable, we already have effective mechanisms in place that ensure only citizens vote — and the evidence shows they work. A 2024 Georgia audit, for example, found that of 8.2 million registered voters, only 20 were noncitizens (just 0.00024% of the roll); all were investigated, and only nine had ever cast a ballot.

A Far-Reaching Toll on Our Neighbors

If passed, the SAVE Act would create needless barriers for many legitimate voters:

• Rural residents could face long drives to the elections office, possibly multiple times if documents are incomplete.
• Older adults may lack valid passports or birth certificates.
• Military and overseas voters cannot simply “pop in” from abroad; their vote-by-mail or online options would be severely limited.
• People who change their name (such as married women) would need extra documentation just to prove they are who they say they are.

Each of these groups represents fully eligible, law-abiding neighbors who risk losing their voice over a requirement aimed at a nearly nonexistent problem.

Straining Local Resources

With the 2024 election cycle alone, Humboldt County processed over 20,000 voter-initiated registration transactions. Making each one an in-person visit would demand extra staff, extra office space, and higher administrative costs—all unfunded by the federal government. Instead of supporting roads, social work, or law enforcement, the county’s limited resources would go toward policing a statistically negligible issue.

This also highlights a longstanding challenge: counties like Humboldt foot nearly every expense for elections, even when the ballot includes state and federal candidates. The SAVE Act adds yet another unfunded mandate, further stretching our local budget.

Our Current Safeguards Work

We already confirm voter eligibility through federal and state database checks, and there are steep penalties for any noncitizen who registers—whether intentional or accidental. A Brennan Center for Justice analysis of 23.5 million votes cast in the 2016 election revealed just 30 suspected incidents of noncitizen voting — around 0.0001%. These facts show that noncitizen voting is nearly nonexistent, while our elections remain transparent, accessible, and efficient.

A Call for Collaboration and Funding

I stepped into this role because I believe every eligible citizen deserves an equal opportunity to vote. The SAVE Act runs counter to that principle. Rather than piling another requirement on local offices, Congress should collaborate with election officials—and fund any new obligations so they don’t undercut voter access. If the federal government truly wants more secure elections, it should help us invest in technology, staff, and facilities—rather than forcing counties to shoulder all the costs alone.

Preserving Access for Humboldt

I urge our community to stand against the SAVE Act. Safeguarding elections is crucial, but not at the expense of a transparent, accessible, and efficient system that already works. By honoring these values, we uphold the spirit of democracy that unites our county. Let’s keep Humboldt’s elections a reflection of our dedication to participation and good governance — one that welcomes every eligible voter’s voice.

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Juan Pablo Cervantes is Humboldt County’s Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters.