Cal Poly Humboldt Interim President Michael Spagna issued the following message today:
Dear Lumberjack Community,
Cal Poly Humboldt will always be a university where we support the rights of students and faculty to speak their minds freely. And in no uncertain terms: we have zero tolerance for antisemitism, discrimination, harassment, or any actions and speech that infringe on the rights, dignities, or safety of others.
As part of our ongoing commitment to these values, we want to provide an update on a recent development. In March, we shared that the Brandeis Center had filed a federal civil rights complaint against Cal Poly Humboldt and other universities. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has now formally opened an investigation into the complaint.
We are working closely with The California State University to respond to OCR’s investigation and ensure we are compliant with all federal requirements. At this stage, we are not able to share any additional information, but we remain committed to addressing the process thoughtfully and responsibly. We also recognize that this may be an especially difficult and painful time for our Jewish students, faculty, and staff, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure our entire campus community can feel safe.
Moving forward, we reaffirm our dedication to fostering an inclusive, respectful environment where every member of our community can learn, grow, and thrive.
Anyone who witnesses antisemitism, discrimination, harassment or any actions and speech that infringe on the rights, dignities or safety of others is encouraged to report it to the Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation Prevention office at humboldt.edu/reporting, or to contact the University Police Department at (707) 826-5555. Students may also reach out to the Dean of Students office at dos@humboldt.edu or (707) 826-3504 with any questions or concerns.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On May 22, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
(HCSO) Patrol Division responded to a report of suspicious circumstances at the Bear River Casino
in Loleta, California.
Upon arrival, deputies coordinated with casino security personnel, who had detained Kevin John
Murphy, age 50. An investigation revealed that Murphy allegedly exposed himself in a public area at
the Pump and Play fuel station. Further inquiry confirmed that Murphy is a registered sex offender
under California Penal Code 290, with a prior conviction for indecent exposure.
Murphy was arrested for violating the terms of his probation and for a new charge of indecent
exposure. During a search incident to his arrest, deputies discovered a small quantity of suspected
methamphetamine in his possession. Murphy was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional
Facility on the following charges:
PC 314.1 – Indecent Exposure with Prior Offense
PC 1203.2 – Probation Violation
H&S 11377(a) – Possession of a Controlled Substance
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.
Receive HCSO news
Teddy Thollaug eats at the Contra Costa College dining hall in front of the refrigerated food lockers in San Pablo on May 8, 2025. Thollaug works as a student worker at the campus’ Basic Needs Services, which offers weekly free food to low-income students through the lockers. Photo by Florence Middleton for CalMatters.
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Since 2022, California has been offering free lunches to all students in elementary through high school. But once they reach college, more than two-thirds of students experience food insecurity.
To improve CalFresh outreach and enrollment, California started setting aside annual funds in 2021 for public colleges and universities to establish and operate basic needs centers with food pantries, where students obtain free food staples. The California State University and University of California systems each receive $15 million and California Community Colleges receives $30 million annually. As of 2023, every public higher education campus in the state has a basic needs center and food pantry.
However, for many campuses, these solutions still aren’t enough. To fill the gaps, some have created their own innovative solutions. From free meals to food lockers, staff and students at five campuses around California offer creative alternatives.
Humboldt students level up their food pantry
At Cal Poly Humboldt, through the full-service food program “Oh SNAP!,” students stock the shelves, fill pantry orders and offer CalFresh application support. They also greet their peers as they enter, offering them tea or coffee.
To reduce food waste, students negotiated in 2016 with the campus dining services department to collect unused food to offer at the pantry at no cost to students. The department notifies the basic needs center when leftovers are available; students bring their own containers to package up what they need.
Oh SNAP! has hired a local organic farmer to provide produce and give classes on cooking and gardening. The program also offers pop-up thrift stores where students can fill a bag with clothes and housewares for $5; proceeds go back into the program.
Oh SNAP! “provides peace of mind,” said Anna Martinez, a student studying political science, law and policy at Cal Poly Humboldt. “I don’t have to really worry too heavy on whether or not I can afford food, because if I can’t, there’s always Oh SNAP! I can go to.”
As the social justice, equity and inclusion officer for Cal Poly’s student government, Martinez successfully advocated for the student board to increase funding for cultural foods. She values the sense of community Oh SNAP! provides.
“They’re very welcoming when it comes to different needs,” she said.
The program, vital for the 6,000 students at Cal Poly Humboldt, clocked 30,000 visits to Oh SNAP! last year, according to Mira Friedman, health education and clinic support services lead.
Compton College serves free meals to all
Sara Goldrick-Rab, a Philadelphia sociologist and advocate for college student basic needs, thinks a free meal every day is “exactly what is needed” on college campuses. She conducted a study giving students free, daily meals for three semesters at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston.
“It allowed students to eat in a regular way in the school cafeteria, just like they would in the National School Lunch Program. And lo-and-behold, it increased graduation rates,” Goldrick-Rab said.
Compton College President Keith Curry read about the Bunker Hill pilot program and decided to implement a similar program at Compton. Now, every Compton student — and employee — receives a daily meal. Students also get $20 each week to spend at the campus farmer’s market. Students enrolled in CalFresh receive $50 each week for the farmer’s market and can use their EBT card at campus dining services. The college uses a mix of grants and various campus funds to cover the costs of the meal program.
“We’re doing more than any other community college in the state of California and also nationally,” Curry said. “How many schools can say that students receive one meal per day on their campus from their cafeteria?”
The Compton College campus in Compton. Photo via Compton College
Some California colleges offer a limited number of free meals, such as UC Davis, where a food truck serves between 300 and 400 meals per day and students pay what they want. In fall 2025, West Valley-Mission District in Santa Clara County will begin offering free meals.
Student Corinthia Mims said the first time she entered Compton’s cafeteria, “it was joy, always buzzing,” she said. Her twin, Cynthia Mims, said the free meals bring everyone together like family.
“[Students] feel embraced and they feel important. It’s a feast,” she said.
Feeding students keeps them in school. According to data the college gathered last year, students who received free meals and money for the farmers’ market were more likely to stay in their classes for the entire semester with a completion rate of 1% or 2% higher than the general population.
Curry visits the cafeteria to get feedback from the students. “They’re proud to tell me what they like and what they got today. Because there’s no negative stigma around it, because everyone is treated equally,” he said.
Goldrick-Rab highlights the program at Compton College as an example of what a college student universal meal plan could look like. “It’s a very nice modern version. … It’s not really a cafeteria in the classic sense. It is refrigerators full of prepared meals, the way that adults would go into a Whole Foods and get a grab-and-go,” she said.
In 2019, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, introduced the Food for Thought bill, which proposes universal meal pilot programs on college campuses. The bill failed and was reintroduced in 2022 and 2023 but never enacted.
Contra Costa College fills food lockers with free meals
At Contra Costa College, students who work full time have difficulty accessing the food pantry during open hours. In April, the college unveiled 20 refrigerated lockers in the campus cafeteria where students can pick up their pre-ordered, free groceries between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students order online and student staff fill the orders.
The campus basic needs center, called the Compass Center, also offers free meal vouchers to students three days a week, giving out 50 for breakfast, 75 for lunch and 15 for dinner.
Teddy Thollaug, a first-year student studying art and journalism at Contra Costa College, says they appreciate the hot meals and food lockers, especially on days when their disability makes it too hard to stand and cook. Because Thollaug’s classes are all online, they are not on campus regularly.
Teddy Thollaug at the Contra Costa College dining hall in San Pablo on May 8, 2025. Thollaug works as a student worker at the campus’ Basic Needs Services, which offers weekly free food to low-income students delivered through refrigerated food lockers in the dining hall. Photo by Florence Middleton for CalMatters
A typical order includes fresh fruit and vegetables, butter and cheese, and a “mystery package,” which contains grains, sauces and canned food. “Honestly, I feel like a kid on Christmas every time I open a mystery package,” Thollaug said.
In 2024, the center served 5,008 students and 14,785 families of students, according to Hope Dixon, the basic needs center coordinator.
Antelope Valley College students earn points for food
To encourage and support students to take full course loads, Antelope Valley College initiated Fresh Success, a CalFresh program that “pays” enrolled students in points for enrolled units.
Full-time students get more points, “because that’s our goal. We want you to get your degree, and [if you’re a full-time student,] you’re less likely to be able to run around and get all the other community resources,” said Jill Zimmerman, dean of the Antelope Valley College student health and wellness center.
Fresh Success is part of CalFresh’s Employment and Training program, and is overseen by the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Currently 20 colleges across 18 counties participate in the program, which partially reimburses schools with federal dollars for workforce development services such as job training and job search assistance for low-income students.
Fresh Success allocates points for each unit enrolled, up to 40 points per week. Students use their points at the on-campus pantry to purchase food, toiletries and laundry soap.
For Alliza Wade, having access to Fresh Success means being able to put more time toward school rather than working more hours. Wade, a STEM major at Antelope Valley College, is enrolled in CalFresh but it doesn’t cover all of her food expenses.
“[Fresh Success] has a very, very significant impact on how I’m able to live and eat, and how I’m going to be able to pursue my future, because [it helps with] saving and being able to eat healthy,” Wade said.
Since the college is reimbursed 45 cents for every dollar spent, the Fresh Success program benefits the college as well by providing funds to put towards employment and training support like job-specific clothing and gear, cooking classes and car tune-ups through the campus automotive program.
Cerro Coso feeds students who aren’t eligible for CalFresh
When Lorena Moreno started as the basic needs coordinator in early 2024 at Cerro Coso Community College in the southeastern Sierra region of the state, she noticed that students without permanent legal status were in dire need of assistance. Non-citizens are not eligible for CalFresh.
Moreno tackled the need by creating an on-campus food program called WileyFresh — modeled on Aggie Fresh at UC Davis, which serves students who meet CalFresh requirements but lack citizenship. Eligible students receive a monthly Albertson’s gift card valued at $291, comparable to the amount an eligible single student receives on a monthly CalFresh EBT card.
Like the Aggie Fresh program, students who qualify for WileyFresh are required to participate in workshops that support academic and personal growth. Moreno offers the workshops as a webinar to protect student identities.
The Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest. Photo via the Cerro Coso Community College
Last fall, Moreno increased outreach efforts. Her team of part-time student employees passed out flyers at events to raise awareness. They saw visits to the Wiley Food Pantry grow from about 350 per month in the spring semester to about 500 per week in the fall.
This summer, Moreno intends to expand the program to include more students who can’t enroll in CalFresh. “Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s intended for — this population who is missing out.”
Research shows students can’t rely on each other’s charity
Many colleges now offer a way for students to donate unused card swipes from their campus meal plans to each other. However, research shows that these donations only reach a tiny fraction of students.
Before 2017, college dining services did not allow students to share their meal plans with other students. This didn’t sit well with students at Morehouse and Spelman colleges in Atlanta. They began a hunger strike to challenge meal plan policies that forbid sharing meal swipes. Their activism convinced their colleges to change the policies and led to a nationwide program, Swipe Out Hunger.
Meal-swipe programs, as they’re called at the approximately 850 colleges nationwide that offer them, allow students to donate unused meal swipes to fellow students who need them. In California, 17 colleges participate in Swipe Out Hunger.
But they are not effective, Goldrick-Rab said. She evaluated Swipe Out Hunger and found that the active programs see just 300 swipes a year.
“At the bottom line, I would rather give people money than food, but I still think the National School Lunch Program is important. I just want all of it. I want the guaranteed basic income. I want a higher minimum wage. Because all of it is scientifically working,” Goldrick-Rab said.
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Amy Moore 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.
Kyle David Avelar, 37, passed away on May 18, 2025, in McKinleyville
due to heart complications. Born on October 31, 1987, in Eureka, Kyle
brought light and laughter into the world from the very beginning —
fittingly arriving on Halloween, his favorite holiday.
A proud graduate of
Arcata High School’s Class of 2006, Kyle left a lasting impression
both in and out of the classroom. He was a standout athlete during
his high school years, playing three years of varsity football and
earning both the Circle A and Blanket awards for his dedication and
performance. His leadership extended beyond athletics — he served as
Regional President of the Future Farmers of America (FFA), where he
inspired peers with his commitment to agriculture and community
service.
Kyle’s passion for
horticulture at an early age blossomed into a celebrated talent. He
won multiple awards at the Humboldt County Fair for his flowers—an
achievement that reflected not only his skill but also his deep
connection to nature. Gardening was more than a hobby for Kyle; it
was a way to nurture beauty and share it with others. He even created
a memorial garden for his neighbor Emerald, a gesture that spoke
volumes about his compassion and thoughtfulness.
His love for the
outdoors was evident in his favorite pastimes — camping and river
rafting along the Rogue River were among his most cherished
adventures. Whether tending to plants or paddling through rapids,
Kyle found joy in life’s simple pleasures.
Kyle also gave back
to his community in meaningful ways. He built a Little Free Library
to encourage reading and connection among neighbors — a small
structure that symbolized his generous spirit and belief in sharing
knowledge.
He was an avid fan
of the Sacramento Kings, San Francisco 49ers and Giants, cheering
passionately for his teams through every season. But perhaps nothing
brought him more joy than spending time with those closest to him. He
deeply cherished his role as uncle to Ayva and Axtyn, forming bonds
filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.
Kyle took great
pride in his Portuguese heritage, honoring the traditions passed down
through generations. His family roots were central to who he was.
He is lovingly remembered by his parents Dave and Anne Avelar,
brother Tyler Avelar (Megan), grandparents Darrell and Carol Byard,
aunts Mary Furtado, Olimpia Avelar, Kristie Ghisetti (Troy) and
Shelley Chau (Will), uncles Carlos Avelar (Ruth) and Doug Byard
(Machelle), cousins Diane Sloane (Dave), Steve Furtado (Lorrie),
Mario Avelar (Andrea), Victor Avelar, Kris Avelar (Jessica), Michael
Avelar (Maria), Trevin Avelar (Brianne), Jordan Kauffman (Sam), Ryan
Ghisetti and Luke Chau, niece Ayva, nephew Axtyn, and numerous family
members and friends whose lives he touched with kindness and warmth.
He was preceded in
death by his grandfather Fernando Avelar, grandmother Lourdes Avelar
and uncles Fred Avelar and Angelo Furtado.
Kyle
and his beloved dog, Merlin, are now reunited and will continue their
journey together forever.
Kyle David Avelar
lived with heart, humor, and humility. May his memory bring comfort
to those who knew him and continue to inspire acts of kindness in the
world he leaves behind.
In remembrance of
Kyle’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made
to the charity of your choice. A celebration of life will be held at
a later date.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Kyle Avelar’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
A rendering of the proposed Roger’s Garage project. From the City of Arcata.
Seemingly the entire community of Bayside came out to the Arcata city council meeting last night to protest against the proposed Roger’s Garage low-income housing project.
Located across the street from Jacoby Creek Elementary School on Old Arcata Road, the Roger’s Garage project would build 53 new units for people making between 30-60% of Humboldt County’s median income. The property has been zoned for the proposed use since 2008.
The topic came up at last night’s meeting because the council was considering committing $1.3 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Income funds to help purchase the property from Danco. The city has to use the Program Income funds soon, before the end of the fiscal year; if they don’t, they may lose access to the CDBG funds, and could be ineligible for this year’s round of grant funding.
The council didn’t end up voting on the resolution. It’ll be back on the agenda on June 4.
Because it was once an automobile wrecking yard, the soil is contaminated with heavy metals like copper, lead, zinc, and cadmium, according to a 2005 metals excavation plan about the property. The city plans on working with the Northcoast Regional Water Quality Control Board to clean the property up, but its questionable environmental state brought dozens of people from Bayside out to the meeting last night to convince the city council not to build the units.
“I’m in support of extended housing and expanding our community,” said one commenter that lives on Hyland Street in Bayside. “But to do so while disturbing the deeply toxic construction site and spreading that toxicity around the neighborhood seems like a grave mistake.”
Many parents of children that attend Jacoby Creek Elementary School, worried about their children’s safety, slammed the idea of building on the tainted soil and potentially harming the students.
“Members of the Arcata city council, I stand before you today with a simple question,” said Michelle Warner, a parent of three Jacoby Creek School students and an employee there. “Are you willing to poison our children for the sake of grant funding?…If you approve this project, you’re telling us that meeting these housing quotas matters more than our children’s health…If this project moves forward, my family’s health is at risk.”
Arcata Director of Community Development David Loya said in an interview with the Outpost today that the comments about toxic dust were “a reasonable concern,” but he also said that the pre-development cleanup of the site included methods designed to contain contamination and remove it safely, as well as ways to prevent “fugitive dust” from leaving the property. The top 12-18 inches would be removed before any construction started.
Many commenters also criticised the project because of its potential negative effects on traffic congestion and parking.
“I have to thank the town for finally repaving Old Arcata Road,” said Bayside resident Miriam Amber. “It’s great. But it’s still pretty crowded…even with the turning lane that goes into Jacoby Creek School, it’s still crowded…It’s going to get a lot worse very soon if a project like this goes through.”
Only two speakers, a representative from Danco and an anonymous Zoom attendee willing to play “Devil’s Advocate,” spoke in favor of the project, citing the need for more affordable housing and the jobs building it would provide.
“Definitely the proper steps need to be taken to protect people’s health and the environment,” the anonymous commenter said. “But we need jobs, we need housing…these are also things that are important.”
Press release from the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury:
The Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt is requesting that the public submit more
applications for the 2025/2026 Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury (term of July 1st
-June 30th). To
date we have not received enough applications to proceed with our normal member selection process
and timeline.
The primary work of the Civil Grand Jury is to investigate and review citizen complaints concerning the
operations of city and county government, as well as other tax supported and non-profit agencies The
Humboldt Superior Court empanels 19 citizens to act as an independent body of the judicial system each
fiscal year. The Court accepts applications from citizens representing a broad cross-section of the Humboldt
County community. The Civil Grand Jury is currently meeting in-person one day a week and via Zoom one
day a week (their weekly meeting schedule and time commitment may vary from 10-30 hours).
The civil grand jury does not consider criminal indictments.
The application can be found by using the QR code or it can be filled out and submitted at:
https://cty-lf-web.co.humboldt.ca.us/Forms/grandjuryapps. Eligibility requirements can be found on the
first page of the application.
You may complete a paper application at Jury Services in Room G03 (4th Street entrance of the
Courthouse).
The Eureka High FFA club continues to make Humboldt proud on the big stage. Below, please find a report on their recent strong showings at the Career Development Event State Finals in San Luis Obispo a couple of weeks ago.
As always — or at least until he graduates — this report is from official club reporter Michael German:
FFA (Future Farmers of America), is a High School organization that focuses on teaching students about agriculture, as well as preparing them for the workforce. For the last four months, members at Eureka High School’s FFA chapter have spent numerous hours studying and preparing for their CDE (Career Development Event) competitions, all leading up to their State Finals.
Rabang
On May 3rd, twelve Eureka FFA members traveled to San Luis Obispo to compete in the State Finals for the CDEs. We were lucky enough to have three teams compete, which were Milk Quality and Dairy Foods, Veterinary Science, and Forestry.
After seeing immense success throughout the year, our Milk Quality and Dairy Foods team has been killing it, placing top five high teams at every competition they have participated in, and many of our members placing in the top five high individuals! State Finals had a great turnout for them, with Makela Rabang placing 5th high individual in the whole state.
This was also our first time having a Forestry team in over 10 years, and our team made us so proud, placing 4th high team at State Finals.
The members of all of these teams have put an immense amount of effort and time into studying for their contests throughout the last multiple months, and have all grown exponentially since the beginning of the competition season. We are so proud of you all!
