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Fearing immigration enforcement on or near college campuses during President Donald Trump’s second term, students across the state have been demanding university officials offer more protections. Students have been protesting against Trump’s pledge of mass deportations at campuses such as UC Berkeley and Sacramento State. Recently, about 300 students at Cal State Northridge gathered on their university’s lawn with signs, flags and megaphones in hand. They chanted “Jobs and education, not mass deportation” and “Say it loud, say it clear, ICE is not welcome here.”

At Cal State Northridge, where 71% of students are the first in their family to go to college and 80% are students of color, many protestors said they have peers or family members who could be affected by increased immigration enforcement. An estimated 100,000 college students live in California without permanent legal status, and 3.3 million Californians live in mixed-status households, according to data from Equity Research Institute, a USC research group.

In January, the Trump administration scrapped policies dating back to 2011 that limited immigration agents from arresting people at churches, schools and other areas designated as “sensitive locations.” Despite the change, there have been few, if any, reports of immigration arrests on or near California college campuses — but for students like Karisma Ramos Ayala, who grew up in a mixed-status household, the fear and anger remain.

Students and staff protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in front of the University Library at Cal State Northridge on Feb. 19, 2025. The demonstrators, led by the group CSUN Students Organizing Against Repression, called on university administration to declare the university a “sanctuary campus.” Photo by Delilah Brumer, CalMatters

“I don’t think ICE should be anywhere near schools or colleges or students,” said Ramos Ayala, an undergraduate creative writing major at Cal State Northridge. “It’s really sad and scary at the same time. People are here for education, they’re here for something good, and we can’t let that be taken away.”

Many of California’s colleges and universities provide resources for immigrant students and students from mixed-status families, including “Know Your Rights” cards, on-campus Dream resource centers and free immigration legal services through partner nonprofits. However, public higher education institutions are limited by federal laws from attempting to prevent immigration enforcement agents from coming onto or near public parts of campus.

“The universities couldn’t physically try to stop immigration enforcement from coming on the campuses, but there’s a lot that can be done through legal means and just providing assistance to students that could be important in these times,” said Kevin R. Johnson, an immigration law professor and the former dean of the UC Davis School of Law. “Tensions are high right now, and we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

State and campuses offer guidance

State Attorney General Rob Bonta issued guidance to California’s public colleges and universities, outlining that immigration enforcement agents are able to enter campus areas that are generally open to the public, such as central quads. For private areas, such as campus housing, immigration enforcement officers do not have a right to enter without a judicial warrant, due to the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Policies for where immigration enforcement officers can and cannot enter become murkier when it comes to other campus areas, such as classrooms, student services centers and labs. According to Bonta’s directives, immigration enforcement officers do not have the right to enter campus locations that are “designated for students and staff only.” This varies significantly from campus to campus, because while some colleges and universities designate certain buildings as restricted by posting signage or requiring student IDs, others do not.

Each of the state’s three public higher education systems have published guidance on how to respond to immigration enforcement, emphasizing that California campus police departments are prohibited by a 2017 state law from “generally providing personal information… about an individual for immigration enforcement purposes, including, but not limited to, the individual’s home address or work address, unless that information is available to the public.”

The California Community Colleges system, which serves the largest share of students in California who lack permanent legal status, issued a directive to its 116 colleges reminding administrators of their obligations “to prevent students, staff, and faculty from participating in federal immigration enforcement efforts unless required by state or federal law.” The California State University and University of California systems have communicated similar information to administrators, faculty and staff, and all three systems offer web pages with system-specific immigration information and resources.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta addresses the media during a press conference at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento on Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves, CalMatters

Like many other California colleges and universities, Cal Poly Humboldt outlines on its website that anyone who sees an immigration enforcement officer on campus should immediately call the chief human resources officer or campus police, and should not “voluntarily grant access” to any non-public places, if the officer does not have a judicial warrant. Similarly, the UC system advises any university employee who is asked by an immigration enforcement officer to grant access to campus housing to “ask the officer for documentation of their name, identification number, agency affiliation, and business card; ask for a copy of any warrant or subpoena presented, inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but need to consult with Campus Counsel for assistance, and contact Campus Counsel.”

Private university campuses are generally not considered open to the public, meaning immigration enforcement officers would need a judicial warrant to enter. At the University of Southern California, a five-step protocol for staff who are presented with a warrant includes asking for an officer’s credentials and contact information, referring the officer to the university’s office of the general counsel and not attempting to physically block the officer.

When the Trump administration threw out the “sensitive locations” policy, a statement from the Department of Homeland Security said the change was “to empower law enforcement to protect Americans.”

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the statement said. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

Key to California institutions’ strategies for supporting immigrant and mixed-status students are Dream resource centers, which are on-campus spaces that offer assistance with financial aid forms, mental health support, academic resources and referrals to nonprofit immigration law firms. A 2019 state law first encouraged the designation of Dream center liaisons, and, in the more than five years since, the state has provided $52.2 million to fund the centers and personnel.

Alouette Cervantes-Salazar, the Dream Resource Center coordinator at East Los Angeles College, has been hosting check-in chats in the months since the 2024 presidential election, to outline students’ rights and hear their concerns. The chats include information from lawyers at the Central American Resource Center, a nonprofit immigration service provider which partners with 20 colleges and universities across the state.

“We focus on what we can do, and what is in our control, and continuing to have a safe place for all students, regardless of their immigration status,” Cervantes-Salazar said. Her center has served students from Costa Rica, England, Nigeria, Mexico, Myanmar and more than 20 other countries.

First: A speaker fires up attendees during an anti-deportation protest. Last: Students hold signs while participating in an anti-deportation protest at Sacramento State University on Feb. 12, 2025. Photos by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Advocates push for further protections

Campus protesters have not only called on Trump to change course on immigration, but also for their universities to do more to support students. At Cal State Northridge, protesters urged university officials to declare the school a “sanctuary campus” and bar any immigration enforcement officers from entering campus. At Sacramento State, students read poems and shared their families’ immigration stories, calling for the campus to unite behind immigrant students.

Cal State system spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith wrote in a statement to CalMatters that the system’s 23 campuses are “deeply committed to ensuring academic opportunities are available to all students, regardless of immigration status.”

“Core to the CSU mission is providing a space where all students feel welcomed and safe as they pursue their education,” the statement said. “The CSU will do everything we can to support our undocumented community.”

Aditi Hariharan, the president of the UC Student Association and an undergraduate at UC Davis, wants the UC system to dedicate more funding for immigration resources. The organization is also pushing California campuses to notify their communities immediately, through alert systems, if immigration enforcement officials are spotted nearby.

Hariharan criticized the UC system for rejecting a student-led proposal last year to allow students who lack permanent legal status to work on-campus jobs. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal, citing potential liability for the state if it were to implement the policy.

“I think that the fears present on campus currently extrapolate to the whole campus community, and it’s vital for UC to really prove to its undocumented students that it’s in support of them, or else it’s really difficult to cultivate a safe campus environment,” Hariharan said.

A UC system statement emphasized the resources they offer to immigrant students, which include help with financial aid forms, mental health counseling and legal advising.

“We recognize there is uncertainty among many in the University of California community in light of actions from the federal administration,” the statement said. “The University continues to closely monitor and assess the potential impacts to our communities. We proudly welcome students from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, regardless of immigration status.”

Some conservative student groups have mobilized on campuses and on social media to back the Trump administration’s stance that colleges should not be sanctuary locations, including at Cal State Long Beach, where a handful of demonstrators recently held signs that read “We support mass deportations.” As the student newspaper The Long Beach Current reported, protesters and counter-protesters debated the role of immigration enforcement and the safety of students on campus.

Chicano studies professor Rosa Rivera Furumoto spoke at the Cal State Northridge protest to support immigrants, at the invitation of the student organizers. She said she is hopeful as she sees “a youth movement” against Trump’s immigration enforcement policies gain traction across the state.

“We’re in a situation that is really scary, and we need to rise up,” Rivera Furumoto said.

Want to know the protocols for responding to immigration enforcement at your college or university?

• Resources for the California Community College system
• Resources for the California State University system
• Resources for the University of California system

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Delilah Brumer is a fellow with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.

Rodney “Hot Rod” Allen Donahue entered the world March 28, 1958, and blessed us with 67 years of his life and started his journey home through the spirit world on March 12, 2025. Rodney was born of Martha & Paul Donahue Sr. Rodney Allen Donahue, a beloved member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, and a proud descendant of the Yurok and Karuk Tribes.

Rodney was a dedicated and respected Hoopa Valley Tribal Elder, known for his wisdom, kindness, laughter, and unwavering commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of his people. The knowledge he carried had been passed down through generations, and he took immense pride in sharing it with the younger members of his community. Whether through storytelling, teaching cultural practices, or offering quiet guidance, Rodney was a pillar of strength and wisdom.

His love for the land was evident in every aspect of his life. Often, he could be found fishing at the river, expertly casting his net with the skill passed down from his ancestors. Netmaking was an art he had mastered, a craft he used not only to sustain himself but also to provide for and share with his community. He spent his days gathering and harvesting traditional natural resources, ensuring that his people endured.

Beyond his deep cultural ties, Rodney had another passion—music. As the voice of “Rez Rock on the River,” Hoopa Valley’s beloved local radio show, he entertained and educated countless listeners with his love of Rock-n-Roll. Hours of dedication went into curating playlists, weaving together stories and melodies that resonated with people from all walks of life. His enthusiasm was infectious, and through his broadcasts, he built connections, shared laughter, and kept the spirit of his people alive.

Rodney was incredibly outgoing and made friends everywhere he traveled. His love for life defined him, and he found joy in connecting with people from all walks of life. He often traveled for pool and horseshoe tournaments, forming lasting friendships along the way. His competitive spirit and warm personality made him a beloved presence at every event he attended.

In his fifties, Rodney took on a new challenge — college. His thirst for knowledge and innovation flourished in this new chapter of his life. He expressed his creativity in countless ways, including the invention of a specialized salmon filleting board, a testament to both his ingenuity and his deep understanding of traditional practices. His care for others extended beyond his immediate community, leading him to design equipment that could assist the physically disabled and support aging individuals in maintaining their independence.

Rodney also had a deep love for art. He took art classes where he refined his skills and poured his heart into his work. One of his most cherished creations was a beautiful portrait of his brother Dexter, drawn as a memorial. This touching tribute now hangs at the Hoopa Tribal Head Start Building, a lasting reminder of Rodney’s talent, love for his family, and his artistic legacy.Rodney’s life was a testament to resilience, creativity, and generosity. His legacy lives on in the stories he told, the music he shared, the traditions he upheld, and the many lives he touched.

Future generations will continue to be inspired by his wisdom, his kindness, and his unwavering dedication to his people and their heritage.

He is survived by his loving family, including:

• Sisters, Bessie “Bat” Bussell & Marilyn “Buffy” Martin.
• Son & Daughter In-Law, Toby Lee (Julianna) Donahue
• Justin (Delia) Donahue, Benjamen Marshall, Rodney Donahue
• Daughters, Kristin Marshall, and Martha Donahue.
• Grandchildren, Pearl, Gracelyn, Christina, Alina, Dominic, Michael, Wes (Rindy), Karalyne (Junior), Ruby, Juju, Alexandra (Daniel), Thomas, Destinie, Xatimniim, Owen, Brian, Ben, & Jazz
• Great Grandchildren: Adam, Madeline, Viola, Elijah, Willow, Michael, Sayi, Anita, Faith, Michael.
• Numerous Nieces and Nephews

Rodney is preceded in death by his:

• Paternal Grandparents: Lafayette & Bessie Johnson Donahue
• Maternal Grandparents: Pearl & George Randall
• Parents: Martha & Paul Donahue Sr.
• Son: Laurence Donahue
• Siblings: Paul “Dexter Donahue Jr, Lavern “P-Nut” Montgomery, & Pauline Ruiz.

We send all our love and prayers with the deepest heartfelt appreciation to all those who supported and assisted us in this time, we also want to apologize if anyone was left out. Wake service will be opened with a traditional Hupa Prayer by Isaac Bussell, at the Assembly of God Church on Tish Tang Rd. on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 6 p.m. Funeral service will be officiated by Harold Jones Sr. at the Assembly of God Church on Tish Tang Road, on Friday, March 21st, 2025, at 1 p.m.

Burial will follow service at the Randall Family Plot.

A reception will be held at the Hoopa Trading Post.

Pallbearers:

Paul III, Phillip, Franklin Donahue, Timothy Jr., Clarence Bussell, Tristan, Londa Moon, Belle Colegrove, Tony Ray Peters, and Wilson Donahue

Honorary Pallbearers:

Toby Lee, Justin, Benjamin, Rodney, Michael, Brian Donahue, Wes Marshall, Thomas Nix- Pack, Timothy Sr., Spey-Gee Bussell, JR, Ayden Bowen, Mann Hernandez, Cesar Flores, Clyde Jr, Josh Trimble, Paul Donahue IV, Stanley, David Jones, Eugene (EFC) Colegrove, Oscar, Sylvester, Freddy Brown, Abner, Super, Dion, Gus Bibancos, David Tripp, Fred Donahue, Junior, George, Elmo Moon, Joe Orozco, Joseph Arthur, Raymond Vader, Rowdy Robbins, Eric, John Blake, Devin Pletcher, Chris Peters, Crayton Jackson, Paul Pack, Francis, Rudy Colegrove, and James Donahue.

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

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Vicki Lovae Grant-Hanif.

Vicki was born February 25, 1958 at the old hospital in Hoopa to Byron “Bones” Sr. & Eileen Grant. She started her journey home on March 12, 2025 and passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.

Vicki was a 1976 graduate of Hoopa Valley High School and went on to attend College of the Redwoods. While in high school Vicki participated in cheerleading, showing her larger-than-life spirit as the school mascot, she was also crowned basketball homecoming queen, named class character, was an honor student, and graduated in the top of her class. While in school Vicki also participated in track, basketball, softball, and volleyball and was given the rare honor of a Presidential Fitness Award for her strength and athleticism. After school Vicki used this strength to be able to work alongside her dad setting chokers in the woods. She would go on to work for the Apple Tree Project, helping to protect the local fruit trees, and eventually settled into caring for elders in home health, and spending her days on the road as a flagger in the construction industry. Vicki also shared her indomitable spirit with the local youth as a cheer coach and mentor, this carried over into her later years as she supported her children and grandchildren in sports.

Vicki was as strong as they come and was a natural-born leader, she moved through life with a tough exterior but a kind and generous soul. As a child she was given the nickname “Iron Man” by her Uncle Bud Gray. A bit of a tomboy, growing up she was known to not back down from a fight and could often be found challenging her male cousins, and sometimes classmates, and winning. Vicki was a passionate, sassy, spitfire of a woman. She was also a very loving and spiritual woman, who saw the world through that lens and felt these things deeply. A self- proclaimed “rockologist,” finding and collecting many beautiful rocks and crystals throughout her life, she believed in the power of stones for their cleansing and healing properties. A wise and knowing woman, she contributed to her culture through art, regalia making, and mentoring. Many of her paintings were lovingly given to her family, and her necklaces will live on to dance for many years to come.

Above all things though, Vicki was a protector, she was fiercely protective of those she loved, if you were in her circle you knew she would be there if you ever had need of her. She was generous with everyone she knew, always had an open door if you needed a place to stay, and took special care to look in on our elders and provide for anyone in need, even if it meant she went without.

Vicki lived life to the fullest. She especially loved classic muscle cars, her first car was a 1976 Mach 1 Mustang, affectionately called Bumblebee, through the years she always had one fast car or another. Vicki also loved to the fullest, her heart was big and her capacity to love was great. No one felt this more than her family and siblings, her children and grandchildren, she was so happy to be “Granny” and was immensely proud of her girls and grandbabies. Born into a boat racing family, Vicki also loved going to the races to cheer for her Dad, and later her brother Newt, she never missed a race, nor the chance to show her love and support for her siblings.

For her own family, Vicki was the rock. The center of their universe, she was their guide, their provider, and their strongest support. Vicki’s family began shortly after high school when she met her first love Gordon McCovey. Vicki and Gordon settled and made their life on the mountain on Deer Horn Road. Together they had two beautiful girls, Tek-Wes and Nins (Lovae), and with the help of family and friends, built a beautiful log cabin. A true homestead, they also built a pond, had a garden, raised chickens and ducks, and were in many ways self-sufficient. As lovely as this time was, it was not to last forever. Vicki and Gordon eventually parted ways but always remained good friends. Vicki went on to meet, and marry the love of her life, Ted Cole.

Vicki and Ted were married until Ted’s passing in April of 2019. Together they made their home by the river in Hoopa. It was here that Vicki would live out the rest of her life, many happy years they had there together. Ted, the master tinker, kept everything running while Vicki created a beautiful home, gardened, went to bingo, and fed the bear at the “sino bino.” Above all they loved to travel to the hydroplane races to support her beloved brother Newt and the family legacy X-15. Ted supported Vicki in this in every way, contributing his talents as the mechanic of the boat and chief boat holder, always in Newt’s corner.

Vicki was heartbroken when Ted passed, but was given another friend in life years later when she met and married Muhammad Hanif in 2023. Muhammad made Vicki’s last years happy and comfortable.

Vicki was rich in love and carried the brightest light, she will live on in our hearts and in our minds - in every fierce embrace we recall, every quick comeback, every piece of wisdom she shared, and every time we hear the roar of a muscle car or that old time rock-n-roll. We will love and miss her forever.

Vicki is preceded in death by her parents, Byron “Bones” Sr. & Eileen Grant, sister Edie Norton, brother Byron “Newt” Grant Jr, husband Theodore Cole, niece Leilani Jones-Pole, and brother- cousins Lonnie D Masten, and Tony Sylvia.

She is survived by her husband Muhammad Hanif, daughters Eileen “Tek-Wes” McCovey (Sonia), and Lovae “Nins” Blake (Jake), grandchildren, Ivy, Wau-Kel, Sonny Boys, Kameron, John, and Lila, Sisters Maggie Grant-Pearson (Ted), Leslie Grant, and Lisa Grant, and brother- in-law Kenny Norton, Aunts Vivienna Masten, Melissa Grant, Millie Grant, Reva Grant, and Janet Jackson (Loggy), nieces and nephews, Sam Jones, Louisa Jones (Bud), Cheyenne Norton (Kinsa), Heather Campbell (Bob), Ranold Pearson Jr, Brooke Grant, Lindsay Grant, Barbara ‘Bunners’ Grant, Future McCovey-Williams (Dakota), Nelia Marshall (Joe), Sadie McCovey (Tim), Marion ‘Buck’ McCovey (Dori), Romeo McCovey, best friend throughout her life, Leslie Sais-Jackson, and her beloved companion Nickel. Vicki had many more nieces and nephews, too many to mention, but she loved you all dearly.

Pallbearers - Jake Blake, Sonny Boys Blake, Kameron McCovey Sam Jones, Cheyenne Norton, Marion McCovey Jr., Marion McCovey III, Romeo McCovey, Ranold Pearson Jr., Leroy “Brown” Pearson, Loren “Two Feathers” Offield, Chase Offield, Lennox James, Tyler Mitchell, Clarence Bussell, Logan Wallace, Caw-Tep Sylvia, William LameBear, Alec LameBear, David “Sonners” Hostler, Sam Campbell, Harold “O’s” Campbell, Sammy Jones, Ryan Jackson, Boyd Ferris, Bob Campbell Jr., Bobby Campbell III, Tristin Campbell, Lane Campbell, Joe Marshall, Paul Kuska, Gordon McCovey, Dakota Mosier, Eric Blake, Denny Colegrove and Daniel Masten.

Honorary Pallbearers - Walter “Bud” Gray, Albert “Junkie” Gray, Walter Gray III, Steve Gray, Delbert Gray, Inker McCovey, Michael McCovey,Ted Pearson, Arnold “Mike” Ferris Sr., Loren Norton, Kenny Norton, Arthur Jones, Hank Masten, Thomas Masten, Ed Masten, Leonard Masten, Bob Kane Sr., Clayton James, Lyle Matilton, George Blake, Leroy Sylvia, Arnold “Deacon” Ferris Jr., Axel Erickson, Harry “O” Campbell and Ronnie Green.

The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to Kaloni Mosier, Kimmy Gray, Alisa “Hunnies” McCovey and Tammy Ammon - our angels on earth. We are so incredibly grateful for your love and support, we would not have been able to do this without you! Also, a special thank you to the home care outreach team at Ki’ma:w Medical Center and VYNCA Palliative Care Team.

We will bring Vicki home on Tuesday, March 18th at 4 p.m. and take her on one last ride to the Salmon River at 5:30pm. Vicki and her siblings spent many summers at the old home at Three Dollar Bar and it held a very special place in her heart.

A wake will be held that evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. at her home on Pine Creek Road. Services will be the following morning, Wednesday, March 19 at 11 a.m. at the Neighborhood Facilities, with the burial immediately after at the Hoopa Cemetery and a reception to follow at the Hoopa Fire Hall.

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

Diana passed from this world peacefully into the loving arms of her creator early in the morning of December 27, 2024 in the presence of her husband of 30 years, Wally.

Diana was born in Modesto on June 28, 1955 to Anna Ada Bianco and Charles Jack Harris.

She spent her childhood at her lovely home in Portola Valley, loving nature, reading, music and the company of animals. Having been born with a congenital heart defect, she was limited in her physical capabilities which had a profound impact on her life. Diana often spent summers at her Grandmother’s almond ranch in Ripon, Calif. Oh, that valley heat! The proximity to Yosemite afforded many memorable visits which she recalled with deep sentiment.

Diana attended the local Portola Valley elementary schools She went on to graduate from Woodside High in 1973. Following graduation she finally had her heart defect repaired at Stanford University Medical Center, a rarity at this age. She went on to study at Canada College where she met her future first husband Gordon Webb. She then continued her education at San Francisco State University graduating with a degree in labor studies.

Diana had a solid work ethic, working through college and after graduation was employed as an administrative assistant for different employers in San Francisco, most notably for The Sailors Union of the Pacific and finally for the Operating Engineers. She was active in San Francisco politics in the 1980s as an editor of the newspaper of the Council of Labor Union Women, and participated in activism and demonstrations in the furtherance of women’s and worker’s rights.

Diana accepted a position at the City of Arcata as an administrative assistant in the City Manager’s office following her husband Gordon’s appointment as an archivist at Humboldt State University. Gordon died tragically soon after this and Diana was introduced through a mutual friend to Wally Cooper. Marriage followed, and shortly thereafter Diana and Wally were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Anna.

Diana’s employment at the City of Arcata continued within the Environmental Services Department, where she served in this capacity for 25 years. She was a participant in the City’s development of the Arcata Marsh, the Wastewater and Treatment Plant and the Arcata Community Forest to where they stand today.

While employed and during her retirement she was active in our local community as a member of the Humboldt County Commission on the Status of Women, the Rose Society, Humboldt County 4-H and the Humboldt County Embroidery Guild.

A special place in Diana’s life was her membership in the community of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Sunnybrae. She served on the Vestry, the Creation Care Committee and the Church Choir. The family wishes to give their heartfelt thanks to our pastor, Mother Sara Potter, Deacon Cynthia Woods and Parish Nurse Emily Arents, along with all the members of our loving church community.

In her family and personal life Diana was the loving wife and best friend to her husband of 30 years, Wally. She was the loving and dedicated mother and grandmother to our daughter, Anna, and our three grandchildren,Terra, Leo and Mia. She is also survived by her sister, Marianna Allgauer of La Jolla.

The rite of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church at 1675 Chester Avenue, Arcata — (707) 822-4102 — followed be a gathering in the church’s Parish Hall and interment in the church’s Memorial Garden. If desired please give to a worthy cause or institution of your choice

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

Arcata’s city council will decide tomorrow if the Arcata & Mad River Transit System will be completely merged with the Humboldt Transit Authority.

AMRTS and HTA have had a working relationship for a while. In 2001, AMRTS contracted HTA to do all of their vehicle maintenance and provide parking. In 2023, HTA started running and staffing all of AMRTS’ routes, as well as maintaining the buses. 

The city council decided to transfer all of AMRTS’ assets to the HTA back in January. This final resolution makes it official. 

AMRTS has been its own independent department since its founding in 1975, but Arcata managed to keep the budget small by employing their drivers part-time and running the buses only on limited hours. However, according to a staff report from tomorrow’s city council meeting, Arcata “does not have adequate staffing resources to implement cost-effective operation of the A&MRTS on its own.” The decision is also in large part due to the high cost of insuring a fleet of buses — about $70,000 a year, paid to the California Transit Indemnity Pool. Arcata will no longer have to pay that premium if it isn’t running AMRTS.

HTA and AMRTS both have a “mutual desire to maximize the efficiency of regional transit services,” according to the agenda, and feel that the simplest and most cost-effective way to make their services better is simply just to fold AMRTS completely into HTA.

If passed, 12 vehicles will become HTA property on May 1, including eight buses. All of Arcata’s local, state and federal transportation funding that originally went to AMRTS will instead go to HTA.

UPDATE, 3:33 p.m.: The Eureka Police Department has declared this lockdown is no longer a thing:

This afternoon Eureka High School received a threat from an outside source via phone. Given the nature of the threat, Eureka Police Department was notified and the school went on lockdown.

EPD was able to determine that the threat did not appear credible and students were placed on soft lockdown and released at normal dismissal. EPD is investigating further.

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UPDATE, 3:11 p.m.: EHS has downgraded the situation:

We have now moved into a soft lockdown. Please do not come to the school site. We are waiting for information on the next steps from EPD. Thank you for your patience and we will provide more information as soon as it is safe to do so.

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Original Post: The following lockdown announcement was issued by Eureka High School:

EHS is currently in lockdown due to a security concern.

We are actively working with law enforcement to assess the situation and we will provide updates as soon as possible.

It is crucial that parents do not come onto the campus or call the school at this time to allow authorities to manage the situation effectively.

The Outpost will update if we learn more. 

Some like to argue that without a cannabis industry, this entire county will dry up and blow away. You can agree with that or not, but if all you know about Humboldt County is gleaned from the agendas of governmental bodies you’d be forgiven for thinking it were the case. We spend an enormous amount of public time on the industry. 

Though other topics were discussed, today’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting wasn’t much of an exception. The two big-ticket items were laser-focused on the demon weed. 

The seven spots in the Redway Business Park slated for cannabis production.

On the cannabis plus side: The board approved a proposal to allow indoor cannabis cultivation at seven separate parcels in the Redway Business Park, the little business zone up Evergreen Drive between Redway and Garberville. Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, who represents the area, said that the park is “largely empty right now.”

The proposal, brought forth by Jesse Jeffries of local cannabis firm Evergreen Exotics, would apply an overlay zone – a “Q zone” – over those seven properties, which would open them up for weed production. The water for the operations would come from the Redway Community Services District.

It was largely uncontroversial, but for one stickling matter. Supervisor Mike Wilson wondered: Why are we “spot zoning” these parcels? Why just those seven? Why not allow cannabis production in all the sites at the business park?

Planning Director John Ford said that the list of seven parcels was developed in consultation with property owners in the park and the RCSD. Basically, the seven were the ones interested in cannabis production. The others were not. Also, there were concerns about water usage. Would Redway have enough water to support that much cannabis production at the park?

In any case, Ford said, the proposal at hand was only for the parcels in question, and there’d be some bureaucratic hassle if Wilson were to look to expand it now.

“If you want to either have everything within the Q or not at all, then what we need to do is go back and coordinate with the other property owners, re-advertise this, because it’s not currently advertised to zone those other parcels,” he said. “And so we would need to go take a step back and propose to place that zoning on the other properties and then come back through the Planning Commission and to the board.”

Later, Ford also disputed Wilson’s characterization of the project as “spot zoning.” The board wasn’t being asked to rezone the parcels, after all; they were being asked to add an overlay over parcels that would allow expanded use (i.e., cannabis cultivation).

After a bit of discussion about the philosophy of long-range planning, the board voted unanimously in favor of the project.

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Immediately afterward, the board spent about nine minutes — an absolute blink of the eye, in Board of Supervisors terms — revoking another 15 cannabis permits for failure to pay their Measure S taxes. Last week the board erased 21 such permits for the same reason, and more are coming.

This tranche of 15 owed the county about $211,000 in unpaid Measure S taxes, in addition to about $65,000 in unpaid invoices from the Planning Department.

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It wasn’t all cannabis. First 5 Humboldt, which exists to serve and support Humboldt County families and children, presented its annual report to the board after all the weed talk was done.

Mary Ann Hansen, the organization’s executive director, painted a little bit of a grim picture. The base funding for First 5 Humboldt, like all the organizations in California’s First 5 network, is financed by a tobacco tax.  Those monies have dropped by about a third in the last few years, Hansen said, largely due to the fact that people aren’t smoking as much. Also, Proposition 31, the California ballot measure that banned flavored tobacco, took a big bite out of the market.

The drop in funding will lead to the cancellation of some of the county’s First 5-sponsored playgroups, which have served more than 15,000 of the county’s children in the last two years. 

Slide from the First 5 presentation.

Nevertheless, Hansen said, First 5 receives funding from a number of other sources, and it will continue to look for grants and partnerships that will allow it to keep its programs going.

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At the time of this writing, the Board of Supervisors has taken a break for lunch. When they come back they’ll address Assembly Bill 263, legislation sponsored by our own Assm. Chris Rogers designed to keep water in the Scott and Shasta rivers — tributaries of the Klamath — in order to protect salmon populations.

County staff have drafted a letter in support of this legislation, which you can find here. The board will decide whether it wants to approve this letter as-is, or maybe it’ll talk about whether it would like a few tweaks.