Weren’t you just saying your life was lacking drag disco aliens? Well, then your Lost Coast Outpost invites you to kick off your week on the good/weird foot by allowing the new music video starring Jacki & The Jollies to invade your senses. Resistance, as they say, is futile.

A vehicle for The Jollies’ track “Don’t Go,” the Tyson Ritter-produced clip uses both Eureka’s Friday Night Market and The Basement in Arcata as settings and features background vocals and stylish strutting from local performer Komboujia. 

If you like seeing Humboldt artists in Humboldt places, give the video your precious three minutes. Then — should you crave more of these sounds for your brain/butt — note that Jacki & The Jollies are scheduled to funk up the Gazebo Stage at the July 25 edition of Eureka’s Friday Night Market.

Do go.

(UPDATE: We have also been informed that J&TJ will play some tunes and be interviewed on KSLG sometime mid-morning on Wednesday. Turn your dials.) 

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“Don’t Go” video credits, via YouTube:

Directed by Tyson Ritter

-Vocals: Jacki Maxwell + Komboujia
-Bass: Paul Sundberg
-Drums: James Forrest
-Guitars: Christian Figueroa & Mike Dronkers
-Cello - Jesse Alm
-Guitar solo - Chris Reynoso

Starring Jacki & TheJ, Komboujia, Thrash and Recycling, Ultra Payne, with special guests William English III and Nate Zwerdling.

Why do I support offshore wind development in Humboldt County? It’s not just about economics, though the potential for a few dozen to a few hundred long-term jobs is certainly welcome. Every job matters. But the real reason goes deeper — it’s about reversing a dangerous cycle of decline and stepping into a role that serves both our local community and the wider world.

Wil Franklin.

Humboldt County, like many rural communities, is caught in a downward disinvestment cycle. As opportunities vanish, people leave. As people leave, businesses shutter. As businesses disappear, fewer jobs remain — and so more people move away. It’s a self-reinforcing loop, a kind of economic gravity pulling everything downward. It starts with one or two closures on Main Street and ends with boarded-up storefronts, declining school enrollment and homes sold below value because there’s no one left to buy them. This is what disinvestment looks like, and it feeds on itself. The longer it continues, the harder it is to reverse.

Offshore wind presents one of the most meaningful opportunities we’ve had in decades. Let’s be clear: no action comes without a reaction. A project as large and complex as floating offshore wind will have impacts — on our port, our landscape, our ecosystems and our way of life. We must face that honestly. There will be difficult conversations, trade-offs, and things we’ll have to manage with care and responsibility. But avoiding change doesn’t mean avoiding consequences — it just means choosing a different kind. Inaction, too, has a cost.

And yet, there’s something extraordinary — almost cosmic — in Humboldt Bay’s position. By pure geographic coincidence, we sit just miles from some of the most powerful wind resources on the entire planet. The winds off our coast are world-class, unmatched in consistency and strength. And Humboldt Bay just happens to be one of the only ports that can facilitate the staging and assembly of wind turbines. That natural gift isn’t just an opportunity. It’s a responsibility.

We have the chance to contribute to something much larger than ourselves: the global shift away from fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. That’s not hyperbole. If we capture even a portion of that offshore wind potential, we’ll be helping to reduce carbon emissions, fight climate change and accelerate a necessary transformation for all of humanity. Here in Humboldt, we don’t have to look far to see the impacts of a changing climate. Warming oceans are changing fisheries, changing feeding grounds and changing primary productivity. Grey whales showing up to their historical feeding grounds are finding food deserts and distress. Rising sea levels threaten our coastlines and our culturally significant religious sites and ancestral homes. We all see and live in the smoke from catastrophic forest fires each summer.

We know from lived experience that more extreme weather events are becoming the norm, not the exception.And yes, a decentralized bottom-up approach like putting solar on every home is also important. As is conserving and generally consuming less. All-of-the-above will be required of us. But none of the bottom-up approaches help solve the energy demands across California, the nation and the world. We can do so much more with the gift of the serendipitous providence of the Port of Humboldt Bay.

That’s a legacy we can be proud of. Our community — long defined by resilience, independence and a strong relationship with the natural world — can wear this effort as a badge of pride. Helping the world transition off destructive fossil fuels isn’t just a moral imperative. It’s a service. And it’s a service Humboldt County is uniquely equipped to provide.

Offshore wind won’t solve every problem we face. But it offers a chance to change the trajectory — from disinvestment to investment, from decline to revitalization, from despair to hope. With careful planning, community engagement, and a clear-eyed view of both the challenges and the potential, we can make this work for Humboldt. And we can do it in a way that our children — and the planet — will thank us for.

Let’s not walk away from that responsibility. Let’s rise to it.

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Wilfred Franklin was born and raised in Humboldt. He is the Director of North Coast Small Business Development Center where he combines his teaching and entrepreneurial past to help build a connected, diverse and equitable economic base in our region.

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Press release from the Six Rivers National Forest:

Butler Fire: 8,156 acres ; 0% containment

Red Fire: 116 acres; 50% containment

Operational Update:

Butler Fire: Fire reached the outer edges of the Butler Flats and Nordheimer communities July 13, but structure protection measures put in place by firefighters earlier in the week held. Helicopters provided support through much of the day, both around Butler Flats and along the Salmon River Road corridor to keep the fire west of the Salmon River.

Crews will continue providing structure protection and monitoring the Salmon River Road corridor for spot fires across the river as winds out of the northwest are expected to increase, including gusts up to 25 miles an hour.

Firefighters are also working with Tribal representatives and cultural resource advisors to reopen dozer and handlines constructed during previous fires in the event of any southern or westerly spread of the fire.

Red Fire: Containment of the Red Fire stayed at 50 percent as crews continued to construct direct control line in order to keep the fire within the smallest possible footprint.

Evacuations:

Butler Fire: Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders for the following zones impacted by the Butler Fire: SIS-1703, SIS-1704 (Butler Creek, Lewis Creek, Bloomer Mine residents and Nordheimer Campground), SIS-1707-A and SIS-1803-A. Zones SIS-1705, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, and SIS-1802 are under an evacuation warning, where residents are advised to be prepared to evacuate if conditions become more threatening.

The latest evacuation information can be found at https://protect.genasys.com.

Closures:

Butler Fire: The road between Butler Flat and Nordheimer Campground remains closed as rocks and burning debris continued to fall into the roadway. Nordheimer and Oak Bottom campgrounds are also closed.

Weather and Fire Behavior:

Extreme heat continues today with highs forecast at 105 degrees. Winds will slightly pick up out of the northwest with occasional gusts up to 25 miles an hour.

Fire Safety and Prevention:

Persistently high temperatures will keep fuels dry and increase potential fire danger. Individuals seeking relief from the heat by recreating in streams or rivers or in the forest need to be mindful of their vehicles’ condition or where they park. Roadside sparks or dried vegetation against the heated undercarriage of a vehicle could quickly result in a wildfire.

The Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests are not currently in fire restrictions. However, campfires should never be left unattended and should be dead out and cool to the touch before leaving. Remember, drown, stir, feel, REPEAT. Please report suspected wildfires by calling 911.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Multiple Agencies Searching for 45-Year-Old Man Swept Downstream in the Klamath Last Night, Sheriff’s Office Says

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Note: A GoFundMe for Shawn Nomura has been set up at this link.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Update for the Klamath River search that was initiated on July 10, 2025.

On July 13, 2025, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Special Services Division recovered the body of a deceased male in the Klamath River. Following notification of next of kin, the deceased was identified as Shawn Nomura, who had fallen into the river two days prior.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Nomura during this difficult time.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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California’s drive to run its electric grid entirely on wind, solar and other clean sources of energy just got harder after President Donald Trump signed a sweeping new budget law.

The changes in federal tax incentives could affect the feasibility of new solar and wind projects as the state is counting on them to provide more electricity for Californians. A state law requires 100% of electricity to be powered by renewable, carbon-free sources by 2045, at the same time it’s moving to electrify cars and trucks.

Incentives championed by former President Joe Biden were rolled back, shortening the timeline for the industry to obtain tax credits. Developers of wind and solar projects now face a new, shorter deadline for obtaining tax credits — most now expire at the end of 2027 instead of no sooner than 2032.

In addition, the new federal rules bar companies from accessing tax credits if they rely on major components from China or other “foreign entities of concern.” This restriction could hit California’s solar and wind industry especially hard, experts said.

The changes to tax credits are estimated to save the federal government approximately $499 billion from 2025–2034.

“For too long, the Federal Government has forced American taxpayers to subsidize expensive and unreliable energy sources like wind and solar,” Trump wrote in an executive order last week. “The proliferation of these projects displaces affordable, reliable, dispatchable domestic energy sources, compromises our electric grid, and denigrates the beauty of our Nation’s natural landscape.”

Projects can still be built without tax credits. But it puts more of a financial burden on their investors. In California, 11 solar projects and one onshore wind project now face potential delays or cancellation, according to an analysis of federal data by Atlas Public Policy provided to CalMatters. The projects are spread across the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Northern California.

Sean Gallagher, senior vice president of policy for the Solar Energy Industries Association, said in a statement that the industry was still “assessing what the federal tax bill means for them.” He warned the changes could jeopardize up to 35,700 solar jobs and 25 solar manufacturing facilities in California — including existing positions and factories as well as future projects that may now never materialize.

“The reality is, with or without clean energy tax credits, California’s energy demand is growing at a historic rate, and solar and storage are the fastest and most affordable way to meet that demand,” Gallagher said.

California in recent years has been fast-tracking massive floating offshore wind farms 20 miles off the coasts of Humboldt County and Morro Bay. The federal changes add some uncertainty that could chill investment. But experts say it’s not a death knell for the industry because the projects weren’t set to seek federal permits or generate electricity for at least several years.

“Offshore wind is what we would call a long-lead project. It does take years and years to develop,” said Assemblymember Dawn Addis, former chair of the Assembly’s Offshore Wind Select Committee. “Solar is a little bit shorter of a time frame…but it’s also his incredibly erratic behavior when it comes to market stability overall that is also going to affect these projects in a negative way.”

Experts say in the long-run, the federal changes could drive up energy costs.

“Tax credit savings are typically passed onto ratepayers through lower contracting costs. In the long term, the repeal of the tax credits will result in higher future electricity rates for customers,” the California Energy Commission told CalMatters.

Rising utility bills are already a major political headache for state leaders and a challenge for clean energy advocates who want the state to lead the way in making electricity cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable.

“The whole point of California’s climate policy is not just to reduce California’s carbon footprint — because we are less than 1% of global emissions — but to set an example and show that this can be done,” Berkeley economist Severin Borenstein told CalMatters. “There are going to be fewer other states following our example because it’s going to be more expensive.”

On March 28, 1932 Colleen Louise Atwell was born in Eureka, California to Mathilde and Stewart Atwell. On July 1, 2025 surrounded by her loving family, Colleen took her last breath, and went to join her family in heaven. Colleen was 93 years old. 

Colleen was not only the matriarch of our family, but the light in our lives, the glue that held us all together.

Colleen was well known as an expert cake decorator, a successful seamstress, an avid gardener, a faithful servant to her beloved parish Sacred Heart Church, a lifelong volunteer of Saint Vincent de Paul, and best of all the mother of thirteen kids, and ‘Grandma Colleen’ to oh about seventy or so grandkids, great-grandkids and  great-great-grandkids. 

She was the fourth of five children, growing up in Eureka. Her father Stewart was a carpenter and her mother Mathilde worked at Daly’s Department Store as Head Bookkeeper for over sixty years. 

Colleen attended Nazareth Academy starting kindergarten at age four. At the age of eleven, young Colleen took over as head cook for her family. She also milked the family cow before breakfast and after school every day. After eighth grade, she attended Eureka High School where she excelled in Home Economics classes, and was on the “A” Honor Roll. 

One night, in May, 1946, Colleen’s life changed.  Jim Cruz, a Navy veteran recently back from service, happened to go to a dance with his friend Max, and met a dashing beauty by the name of Colleen Atwell. 

Colleen’s sparkling eyes and mischievous smile caught Jim’s eye, and that rascal of a girl told young Jim that she was seventeen (she was really fourteen!). On June 7, 1947 at “about 9 p.m.” Jim and Colleen had their first date at a Portuguese festa. 

According to Colleen, “He was too shy to come over and meet my mom and dad for a while. My mother took one look at him and said, ‘Oh! He’ll want to marry her!’ My dad liked him because he was a carpenter.”

Jim and Colleen Cruz were sweethearts for seventy-five years. 

Regarding their engagement, Colleen recalls, “He got me a ring for my birthday, He came over with that chicken sh*t grin, and I knew he had something going on.”

Jim said, “She wanted to get married sooner, but her dad wouldn’t let her. He wanted her to finish high school.” 

So that vixen Colleen finished high school a full year early, graduated on a Friday and got married the next morning at 10 a.m.

Jim and Colleen were married at St. Bernard’s Church, in Eureka on June 11, 1949. Before Jim passed away in 2021, they were lucky enough to celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary.

On April 4, 1950, their first daughter, Jeanette was born. Joined (shortly) after by a row of beautiful little girls, Vera, Marla and Connie. Then in 1956, their first son Mark was born. Jim and Colleen went on to have thirteen kids in all, Dan, Tim, Andrea, Matt, Teresa, Tony, Monica and their final baby boy Jeremy Jon was born in 1971.

If you were lucky enough to know Colleen Cruz, then you were certainly lucky. Whether it be her laugh that lit up every room, a warm hug, a freshly baked pie, or a homemade card, Colleen Cruz loved us all so very well. 

A long life lived well, she suffered heart ache these last few years, losing the love of her life in September 2021, when Jim passed away at age 95. In November 2022, her beautiful older sister Anita Brazil also passed away. And then we all suffered the tremendous tragedy of losing Colleen’s beloved granddaughter Tara Sanders in February 2023. 

It is said that what you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. Well, Colleen Cruz did a lot of weaving in her ninety-three years, and her family and friends will carry her love in their hearts forever.

Colleen was preceded in death by  her husband Jim Cruz, her parents Stewart and Mathilde Atwell, her brothers Warren and Richard Atwell, her sister Anita Brazil, and her granddaughter Tara Sanders. 

Colleen is survived by her sister Joan Golbov, daughters Jeanette Cruz (Marc Matteoli); Vera Cruz; Marla Sanders; Constance Mangels; Andrea Murillo; Teresa Rasmussen (Jeff); Monica Barnum (Bill); and sons Mark Cruz (Liz); Dan Cruz (Terrie); Tim Cruz (Julie); Matt Cruz (Terri); Tony Cruz (Ida); and Jeremy Cruz (Kate). She is survived by grandchildren Mason, Maria, Janna, Jaime, Mario, Jordan, Joelle, Michella, Bethany, Ryan, James, Aleta, Kenny, Katie, Cody, Jed, Mickey, Tyson, Jake, Joe P., Jesse, Kelsie, Emily, Lindsey, Brandon, Ross, Alyssa, Joe C., Amanda, Chase, Jarae, James Q., Aurelia, and Sofina. Colleen is survived by over forty great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren (and counting!). Colleen is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

A celebration of Colleen’s life will occur at Sacred Heart Church in Eureka on Saturday, July 26th, 2025 at 1 p.m. with a reception immediately following at the Sacred Shed. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Colleen’s name to Hospice or the Betty Chinn Foundation. 

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Richard S. Hall
December 21, 1972- July 7, 2025

Richard was born in San Diego and moved to Eureka in the late 1990s. He loved his momma Beatrice “Cindy” Hall and his dogs. Rich was a father to three children — Theresa Hall, Christina Hall and Dillon Macias — and has two grandchildren, Janie-Ann Hall and Uriah Singleton.

Richard was a great story teller. He always had a smile and was great at making everyone laugh. He was a hard worker at everything he did. He was plumbing for the last few years of his life and he took great pride in his work.

He had a great love of the outdoors. Rich and his dogs would take his truck to the middle of nowhere and where always outside on a hike. He loved exploring the redwoods.

Richard had two nephews by his sister, Wendy Wuilmier, Nicholas Wuillmier and Cody Wuilmier whom looked up to him very much and I know he loved with his whole heart.

There isn’t a day that will go by that his him and his smile will not be missed by his many friends and loved ones.

His funeral will be held by Ayers Cremation at Ocean View Cemetery on July 25 at 1 p.m. There will be a wake following at his sister’s.