On November 13, 2024, at the young age of 31, Brandon Lee Heryford passed away from complications of diabetes. He was born June 23, 1993 in Yuba City. After graduating from Sutter High School he began working for the family business as an electrician and equipment operator.

It was apparent at a very young age that he was extremely gifted in mechanics and engineering and could fix or build just about anything. His hands were never clean again after the age of about nine years old, the grease and dirt a constant visual of his appreciation for how things worked, and his tireless dedication to offering his skills often and freely to help anyone in need, regardless of their situation. Brandon’s kindness to others was widely known and appreciated by many.

Brandon enjoyed all manner of outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, and ATV’s, but his passion was motorcycles. He started working on them at 13 years old and nicknamed his first bike he built Ilean because he didn’t put a kickstand on it. He rode dirt bikes all over the Sutter Buttes growing up, and enjoyed riding in Humboldt after relocating to this area with family in 2012.

Brandon is survived by his seven-year-old son Leo Heryford, his parents John and Michele Heryford of Carlotta, brother and sister-in-law Travis and Tammy Heryford of Eureka, brother Cody Heryford of Las Vegas, grandfather Calvin Heryford of Central Point, Oregon, grandparents Howard Shepherd and Lorraine Murray of Auke Bay, Alaska, grandfather Heinz Lengfelder of Alturas, aunt and uncle Janice and Gene Elmore of Eagle Point, Oregon, and aunt and uncle Laura and Norman Nasise of Red Bluff.

A graveside service will be held May 25, 2025 at the Cedarville Cemetery in Cedarville, California. Details will follow at a later date.

Brandon was a genuine, loyal, kind soul and will be forever missed.

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

‘“I’ve cried buckets of tears through the years for my beautiful browned eyed girl” — Van Morrison. As a child this was her song.

Marlena (Mina) Rochelle Neely was born on March 17, 1989, in Arcata, California, and went on to the next level, November 15, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.

Marlena had a fond love for Elvis Presley, listening and singing to his music played on a boombox she carried around the house. After watching her first Elvis movie she was hooked and had her own collection of movies on VHS tapes.

Marlena attended mass at Christ the King Catholic Church and was one of the first girls allowed to be an Alter Server. Marlena loved to read, an interest she shared with her grandmother, Wanda Hudson. They often spent time together talking about what they were reading and what they had recently read. She also knew how to put her thoughts and feelings into words and created books of poetry that others purchased online.

Marlena loved animals, especially cats and horses. She once rescued a cat from two older boys who were abusing the cat and named him “Philly Cheesesteak.” She was not afraid of anything or anyone, even at an early age. She also had a horse named “Pepper.” She kept her horse at her Grandparents home, and this afforded her many opportunities to spend time with them, strengthening their bond.

As a young lady, Marlena gave birth to her first son, Dominic Phines. Dominic was raised by his grandparents and became a little brother to her younger siblings. She later married Alejandro Barajas and had two sons, Alejandro and Rickie Barajas.

Marlena is survived by her mother Andrea Hudson Neely; sons Dominic Phines, Alejandro and Rickie Barajas; grandparents Charles and Wanda Hudson; siblings Bryce (Mariana) Neely, Michele Fisher, and Marisa Neely (Alex Gasper); uncles Greg Hudson and Danny Neely; aunts Diana Gier, Teresa (Jon) Daigneault, Carolyn (Mike) Smith, Darlene Neely and Michele (Ed) Gnadig; nieces Jaylee Smith, Khalia Kennedy, Brandi Fisher, Josie and Delani Neely, Alina and Viviana Gasper and nephew Marshall Reed. Marlena is also survived by many cousins. Marlena was preceded in death by her father Larry Neely, grandparents Pat and Chuck Neely, her special cousin Chuckie Hudson, cousins Crystal and Allen Neely and her aunt Patty Vizena.

A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, June 15, beginning with family attending mass at Christ the King Catholic Church in McKinleyville at 9 a.m., followed by a reception at the home of her mother. Marlena’s cremains will remain with her mother in McKinleyville.

“Children are a gift and blessing from God, but they are not ours to keep. We mourn for Marlena who has been called back by God.”

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

James B. Kaufman
Also known as “Jim” or “Jimmy”
Feb. 4, 1959-Oct. 28, 2024

James was a wonderful person, full of life and laughter, and always had a smile or a joke to tell. James loved his family, always on time to wish a happy birthday or a happy holiday before anyone else. James was always the first to call, and he never forgot anyone’s birthday.

James was proud to be a lifelong resident of Humboldt County, where he grew up with a large and loving family. James was preceded in death by his brothers, Leroy, Rodney and David; one sister, Gwen Grammer; and his father, Bill Kaufman, and mother, Maxine Hadley. James was survived by one brother, Donald Kaufman, his daughter Dez, his grandchild Gracie and many nieces and nephews.

James is also survived by his brother-in-law, Elmer Grammer, who helped James in many ways, including helping James get into AA where James fought his demons and was successfully clean and sober for the last 12 years. The last twelve years James has been great in getting his life focused, and James met the love of his life, Lisa Reed and her children Ross and Jenna.

James was a Green Bay Packers fan, proud to be a Cheesehead and loved watching games. James’ AA family was there for him always, and he will be missed by many. James’ illness came on fast and nobody expected him to pass. Very unexpected.

James was cared for after his passing by Sacred Tidings in Novato.

R.I.P little brother, you’ve earned your wings. Fly free and we’ll see you on the other side.

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

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Todd Keenan Burhus, known to many as “Thunder McCovey.” He was a cherished son, father, brother, friend, and a proud member of the Yurok Tribe.

Born in Crescent City on April 1, 1974, to Paula Valenzuela and Willard Carlson, Thunder was kind, bold, brave, and a jokester who loved making people laugh.

Those he loved, he loved deeply.

Living along the Klamath River, Thunder embraced his heritage and the beauty of the land that shaped him. He loved being in nature and the freedom of the outdoors, often found fishing or hiking trails like Resighini High Prairie Creek. Thunder had two sides: one that lived life on the edge and another that cherished time with loved ones, especially his closest friends, whom he affectionately called his “Down River Bros.” He was always willing to help anyone who asked.

Thunder personified the essence of an outlaw-fiercely independent, daring, and unapologetically true to himself. His legacy will forever echo in the hearts of those who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Paula Valenzuela, and his grandmother, Marie Lawson McCovey, grandfather Willard Carlson Sr grandmother Margret Frye, who were all central figures in his life. He is survived by his father, Willard Carlson, and his children Thunder Burhus, Shannon Burhus, Carmen Pratt. His siblings are Pergish Carlson, Will Bear Carlson, Holly Carlson, Mike Carlson, and family and friends who will cherish his untamed spirit.

A celebration of Thunder’s life will be held on Friday.

1. Cawtip Silvia
2. Mike Gabe
3. Hector Trip
4. Big Charlie
5. Little Charlie
6. Levi Trip
7. Bull Calf Donahue
8. Trevor Lado
9. William Valenzuela
10. Michael Paul
11. Arrow Valenzuela
12. Rick Dowd Jr
13. Gary Dowd
14. Ben Ray
15. Kahno Gordon
16. Julian Markusan
17. Dean Wheeler
18. Rob Wheeler
19. Jason Hodge
20. Little Bill Mccovey
21. Uncle Billy
22. Jay Bates
23. Larry Nova
24. Arnie Nova
25. Vincent Traci
26. Shannon Jones

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

Dean L. Mohorovich died suddenly on November 27 surrounded by his family at his home in Washington. He was a long-time resident of Eureka for most of his life but found a dream home and moved to Washington in 2021 to live out retirement.

When Dean was younger, he loved the outdoors — hunting with his sons and friends in the mountains of Humboldt, ocean fishing with his good friend Norman and the boys. He and Norman would often pick up the boys from school and head out to sea, calling these trips the “Glidovich Daycare and Charter Service.”

Dean was born on March 4, 1957, to William (Bill) and Diane Mohorovich in Eureka. He remained in the Eureka area, working for LP and Evergreen Pulp and Paper. He later attended CR, where he earned certifications in solar energy and wood working.

In 2021, Dean and his wife Jill moved to Washington State to live out their retired life on their property, enjoying the beauty of mountain living. They frequently traveled back to Humboldt to see family and friends.

Dean is preceded in death by his grandparents, Louis and Josephine Mohorovich, Roy and Caroline McGauhey, and his father, William (Bill) Mohorovich. He is survived by his mother, Diane Mohorovich; his wife of 39 years, Jill (Jenson) Mohorovich; his brothers Rick (Nancy) Mohorovich and Jimmy (Liz) Mohorovich; his sons Dallas (Geena) Mohorovich, Matthew Mohorovich, and Kristian (Heather Watkins) Mohorovich: grandkids Abigail and Avery Mohorovich, numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.

His remains are interred in Humboldt County. A celebration of life will be held in Eureka at the Adorni Center from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on December 29, 2024, open to the public.

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

PREVIOUSLY: Woman’s Body Found in Humboldt Bay

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Dec. 10 at approximately 9:30 a.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Comet St. near Samoa for the report of a body that appeared to be deceased floating near a dock in the Humboldt Bay. 

A Special Services Division Deputy arrived at the scene, moved the body to the shore, and confirmed that the body was a deceased female. The Deputy Coroner was then called to the scene and the Major Crimes Division also sent personnel as a precaution.

The decedent has been identified as Krystal Shinka, age 43, of Eureka. Shinka was reported as a missing person to the Eureka Police Department on Dec. 9, with the reporter stating that Shinka had not been seen since Dec. 5. 

Shinka’s autopsy is scheduled for later this week. Shinka’s manner of death has not been determined at this time and the case is still under investigation.

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.

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With nearly $20 million in the bank – and a little help from State Sen. Mike McGuire – the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Mad River Community Hospital are ready to launch the design phase of a 43-bed Behavioral Health Crisis Triage Center in Arcata. 

Aimed at expanding local access to mental health services, the state-of-the-art facility will include a sobering center, behavioral health and crisis stabilization services for people of all ages, regardless of insurance, with stays ranging from less than 24 hours to 90 days. The proposed plans include 12 crisis stabilization beds – six for adults and six for children and teens – 12 sobering cots, 10 crisis residential beds for dual-diagnosis of mental health and substance use disorders, and nine mental health crisis residential beds. 

At a press briefing this morning, McGuire underscored the importance of increasing critical resources for people in acute crisis, especially in rural communities.

“[W]e are finally making progress on one of the biggest challenges that this county and rural California faces … and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the county, the Board of Supervisors and, of course, all of the hospital leadership who have led this all-hands-on-deck effort,” McGuire said. “Mental health has to have parity with physical health, and we’re doing it now in Humboldt. We’re putting our money where our mouth is and getting these facilities built.”

DHHS Director Connie Beck highlighted the services that will be offered at the sobering center, a short-term care facility where people who are intoxicated can safely recover and/or detox from alcohol or other drugs. Beck noted that sobering centers are relatively rare in California. As of November 2020, there were less than a dozen sobering centers in California – a quarter of the nation’s total – according to the California Health Care Foundation.

Connie Beck

“The sobering center will allow someone to come in, [stay] for up to 24 hours and really be assessed for what that need is,” Beck said. “Whether it’s addiction … or whether that’s going on to crisis or longer-term residential treatment, all of those services being in one location and being able to move through that process will be really important for them.”

“This is really going to be a game-changer for Humboldt,” she added.

Behavioral Health Director Emi Botzler-Rodgers added that the triage center will help the local health care providers “address stigma and discrimination in ways that haven’t always been addressed.”

“These partnerships … really demonstrate the community’s commitment to look at mental illness and substance use, how people are suffering and how we can offer dignified care,” Botzler-Rodgers said. “It’s really hopeful and inspiring for me.”

The project has received $19.8 million to date. Last year, the county was awarded $12.36 million in grant funding from the California Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. The county has kicked down approximately $2.5 million for the project. Another $5 million is coming from McGuire and private funding sources.

“I believe that we’re going to need to raise another five to six million to be able to close the final gap,” McGuire said. “It’s very common in a large project like this that you get the majority of the dollars in the bank, move forward onto the construction [phase], and that will also build momentum. We are firm in our belief that by the end of the 2025 calendar year, we’ll have the full [funding] allocation secured.”

Mad River Community Hospital donated the land for the triage center. While the exact location of the has yet to be determined, the facility will be built somewhere on the hospital’s 40-acre campus.

The Behavioral Health Crisis Triage Center is slated for completion by the end of 2026.

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