The second national Week Without Driving just wrapped up, which means that many elected officials, planners, engineers, and community members did their best to not get behind the wheel of a car for seven days. This event highlights the fact that there are many non-drivers in our communities — at least 36,000 people in Humboldt County don’t have a driver’s license — and raises awareness among decision-makers about the need for safe, convenient and dignified mobility options.

Arcata City Councilmember Sarah Schaefer, Humboldt County Association of Governments Executive Director Beth Burks, and Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities Executive Director Colin Fiske join the EcoNews Report this week to discuss the needs of non-drivers in Humboldt, and to reflect on experiences participating in the Week Without Driving.

(As told to Pat Dunham.)

In May of 1947 I was living in Fields Landing with my mother and stepfather. I was a busy, happy twelve-year-old child.

We lived close to the whaling station, the only land-based whaling station in the United States at that time, located on the edge of the bay at the end of Railroad Avenue. My stepfather, Irish Miles, worked on the Lynn Ann whaling vessel. The Lynn Ann had been a navy patrol boat but was suitable for its current purpose. The other whaler at Fields Landing was the Dennis Gale. Both seemed to be of similar dimensions, but for reasons unknown to me, the Dennis Gale was more popular.

Shirley Shoup.

I was one of many who would run to the whaling station when the word reached the town that the whale boats were coming in with a catch. It was “something to see.” Just the size of this mammal is hard to comprehend when you are standing nearby. Seeing the teeth or the baleen, or the fin — all marvels seldom visible — suddenly made them part of one’s understanding, not just something from a book or a picture: This was something real, right before your eyes.

Crews of men, most of whom I was acquainted with, had to be summoned and at their stations to begin winching a whale’s huge body up the slip, inch by inch. Steel cables attached to powerful engines were stretched taut, able to snap loose at any moment. When cables broke, they flailed around like string in the wind. I don’t remember hard hats or protective gear, only corked boots and agile, alert men working in tandem to do their job.

The flensers cut long strips from the body with sharp blades attached to long poles. An engine-driven cable was attached to one end of a strip and pulled it away as the flensers cut. It required many hours and much labor to complete the dismantling process and clean the deck for the next whale. Oil and debris were everywhere. It must have been difficult for the workmen to maintain balance while wielding a blade, setting cable, moving meat to the boilers and maintaining vigilance against possible injury. Hoses were spraying water; the boilers were being fired; the noise was deafening. We visitors were allowed on the floor to view the whale before the cutting began, but because of the danger, we were never allowed on the floor after that.

One evening, overhearing Mother and Irish talking about an upcoming whaling excursion of four or five days, I listened intently. It was questionable if a whale might actually be harpooned on this trip; it could be that none would be spotted.

Suddenly, Irish turned to me and asked if I would like to go.

My excitement was unforgettable. “Yes, I would like to go!” I said.

Few, if any, other twelve-year-olds could take part in such an experience. Irish told me not to get too excited, as final permission would have to come from the captain and crew of the Lynn Ann.

It took some time, but eventually an agreement was made. I could go if Mother would accompany me. The thought of a few days at sea, in the safety of a secure ship and familiar crew, was like a dream fulfilled.

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Packing only a camera, warm clothes and a sleeping bag, Mother and I boarded ship at six a.m. on a foggy, windy Wednesday morning. The crew had been aboard since the previous night. The Dennis Gale was already out to sea. We walked the narrow plank from the dock to the deck of the ship and were settled in by 7 a.m. Looking around, we saw ropes and cables strung at random across the deck. Mother told me that we had to be very careful as these were the tools of a working ship and we were, after all, here at our own risk. The rope “railing” encircling the ship didn’t offer much encouragement to linger there very long. There was nothing between me and the ocean waves below except this rope. Below deck, my bunk was a small wooden shelf which was very close to the galley. Food smells were strong and constant. (This bunk would turn out to be the place where I spent most of my time.) Soon the ship came alive and silently moved out of the harbor on Humboldt Bay, bound for the open sea.

A whaling vessel has to be narrower than other ships, a necessity during the chase of these large mammals, erratic in their final battle. It is doubtful that whales have many predators other than man. I am sure this is true of the magnificent, toothed sperm whale, one of the largest species, prized for its abundant precious oil. Mounted on the very tip of the bow on a slender flat platform is the instrument of the whale’s destruction, the harpoon. It appeared to be a long metal shaft about four feet long with a pointed front, anchored to a neatly wound chain which was more than 100 feet long.

The crew consisted of about nine men: the captain, gunner, gunner’s mate, and a cook. The rest of the crew were all mates, one of which was my stepfather, Irish Miles. The gunner’s name, as I recall, was Henry. These men were rugged in appearance, perhaps from many years at sea. All were dressed in similar apparel: a heavy black trench coat, blue jeans, knee boots, and black stocking caps, except for the gunner who wore full rain gear when manning the harpoon. I could see the captain in the wheelhouse and was reassured by this sight that “all was well.”

The water was calm that first sunny day. Porpoises followed closely alongside in our wake as we ventured further and further out to sea. They chattered, reveled, encouraged us to come play with them, and provided constant frolicsome companionship. They were a delight. I soon learned that we could be out seven days or longer, with the goal of capturing four whales!

Awakening the next morning, I began to realize that seasickness was to be my constant companion. The sea had become rough, throwing us about like a cork in a bathtub. I had been on a one-day excursion a month before this event, but the water was relatively calm and it had been an exhilarating experience. I was not prepared for my extreme seasickness on this trip. About all I could manage was to lie on my bunk and hope for the best. No one else seemed to be bothered and I hoped it would soon pass. It didn’t. I lay on my bunk most of the day as the ship cruised on toward its destination of “a sighting.” The crew was relaxed, repairing gear, talking, playing cards, enjoying the clear air of the open sea. I could see only sky and water by now.

On the afternoon of the third day, when we were 120 miles out from land, Mother called for me to come up on deck: the first whale was sighted! It was running through my mind that I couldn’t manage to make it up on deck, but also that this was the real reason I was here, to experience an unusual phenomenon. I had to get up, if I could. I made my way to the deck. The whole ship had come alive. The engines were revved and the pursuit begun in earnest, the crew preparing to harpoon our first whale. The excitement of the moment actually caused me to forget the hold seasickness had on me. The ocean was very rough with whitecaps and deep troughs. Looking out at the rolling sea, I remembered how many times during my seasickness I had wanted to just climb over the rail and disappear into the blackness.

With binoculars in hand, I could see the whale in the far distance. It was a sperm whale, seemingly alone, gracefully arching, dipping and showing a magnificent tail-fin, erect and proud. It would swim in this fashion for several seconds preceding a deep-water dive. Several minutes would then elapse before the whale re-emerged, far removed from the original sighting. It was moving at an unbelievably rapid pace and so were we. Seasickness was completely forgotten at this point.

It seemed hours later that we saw the gunner, Henry, appear suddenly out on the bow, disengaging the harpoon, making it ready for action. This instrument reminded me of a small cannon. The explosive charge is shot into the animal when it is close enough, but not too close. By this time the ocean was crashing on all sides of our boat. Strengthened by the speed of our vessel, waves and spray were engulfing the harpoon and gunner. Henry had firmly strapped himself to something I could not see, so that he would not be thrown overboard. I found it hard to believe he could stay at the gun while being constantly battered by the sea; much of the time he was not even visible to the rest of us. At this point, Henry was alone, separated from the rest of the crew, communication obliterated by the crashing water. I’m sure no one wished to change places with him at this time of danger.

When we drew close enough to see the seemingly insignificant brown eye of this huge mammal, Henry released the harpoon, aiming at the whale’s body while it was in an arching position just preceding a dive. A loud explosion sounded as the harpoon made contact with the whale. The engines were shut off and the “chase” begun. The captain steered to keep up with the whale’s maneuvers in this pursuit, but the gunner’s job was finished. We were tearing around, leaping and bounding all over that rough ocean, staying afloat as the cable was extended to its maximum length. The biggest danger was that the whale would dive deep and come up under the boat. Extreme vigilance was maintained to track the whale, keeping up with it until its exhaustion or death. This can go on for some time depending on the part of the body hit by the harpoon. That whale seemed to carry us all over the ocean before it died.

At the end of the chase, the whale was secured to the side of the boat and the search began for another.

###

In the next day and a half we harpooned two more whales. The only time I was not violently seasick was during the harpooning sessions. Unfortunately, I was on board for the duration, whatever that would be: we still had one more whale to kill.

I settled back into my bunk the best I could, moaning and groaning into a fitful sleep. The misery was almost unbearable. I remember mother giving me toast to eat, and saying “you have to keep something in your stomach.” That didn’t make sense to me, as I couldn’t keep anything down.

Suddenly there was a change. Something was different. “What is it?” I asked. Mother told me we were turning back. Turning back? Going home? Could this be true? Mother said it was true.

“What happened?” I said.

“The crew ran out of cigarettes!” Mother exclaimed.

Whatever the reason for it, this was what I needed to hear. We were still a hundred miles or more out to sea and had many more hours of tossing like a cork, but we were actually going home.

By the time we docked at Fields Landing, I had been out five days and four nights. We docked with three whales on the Lynn Ann, a respectable catch. One of my friends was waiting for me to disembark. She said I looked a little “green around the gills.” We weren’t laughing about it. It took a few days for my stomach to feel better and my strength to return.

I had taken a few pictures of the Dennis Gayle with a small Brownie camera while I was on the Lynn Ann. The harpoon stand, their whale, and the dimensions of the vessel are clearly visible.

For me, the trip had been unique in many ways. To have received permission from the captain, the crew and the owner of the Lynn Ann was a gift more remarkable than I realized.

My whaling expedition was the source of several reports during my high school years in Eureka. It didn’t seem that unusual then, but looking back, it certainly was something unique for a child of twelve.

As the years have gone by, I have always felt an element of sadness for these elegant creatures freely roaming the seas, meeting the fate we gave them, but that is the way it was at that time and place.

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The story above is from the Summer 2007 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

Mary Elizabeth Walsh left these earthly bounds on Sunday evening, October 6, 2024 to return to our gentle, loving God. She was greeted by her life partner Jack and two sons, Paddy and Jack, Jr., and her grandson Johnathan Walsh Mellon.

Mary’s parents, John and Matilda Ivancich, immigrated to Scotia from Austria in the early 20th century, seeking a better life for their family. She was born in the Scotia Hospital on August 10, 1923, ninth of eleven children, and was named after her oldest sister, Maria, who had died in the flu epidemic.

After the Great Depression hit, the family moved to Eureka, where she attended school and graduated from Eureka High School in 1941. She then moved to San Francisco and during World War II was employed by the Army Corps of Engineers, as a secretary. Six years later she returned to Eureka, at her sister Rosie’s request, to work for Rosie’s husband, Dr. Jack Walsh, who was opening his medical office after returning from the war. After Rose died of a brain tumor, Mary married Jack on August 17, 1953 and this began their loving 74-year journey through life until Jack’s death in 2016.

In addition to managing the busy Walsh household day and night while Jack tended to his patients, Mary and Jack built a log cabin in Squaw Valley just in time for the 1960 Winter Olympics. There they would, with their children and grandchildren, share their love of skiing with their friends and family.

Together Jack and Mary also ran for 18 years the Horse Mountain Ski Area on Titlow Hill, Humboldt County, providing rich opportunities for local kids to learn to ski and develop a greater appreciation of the mountains. Mary, with several kids in diapers, ran the snack shack, selling hot dogs and dressing up as the Easter Bunny for special events.

Mary and Jack loved to travel, which with many kids is not as easy as it sounds. On one trip they rented a camper van and traveled throughout France and Italy with eight of their children. They only lost one along the way – Lizzie, who decided to tour Florence on her own. She was found before the sun went down. Jack and Mary were accomplished sailors and enjoyed several trips, again with kids and grandkids, around the San Juan Islands, in Greece and in the Adriatic Sea.

Their home on S Street was the gathering spot for many holiday feasts and festivities. On summer weekends, they could often be found camping out at their deck along the Trinity River, with views of Old Ironsides above and the lullaby of the river below.

Mary’s family gathered at her home to celebrate her 100th birthday last year on a beautiful summer day. She remained in her home, lovingly cared for by her children and caregiver, Amy Casarez, until she left us. The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Amy as well as Hospice & St. Bernard’s Church.

Mary is survived by her remaining nine children, Linda Bareilles (Ken) of Eureka, Danny (Tracey) Walsh of Healdsburg, Mona (Joe) Pinochi or Eureka, Rose Wahlund (Ron) of Eureka, Kitty Kathol (Lorenz) of Alpine, Pat Walsh of Eureka, Liz Day (Tom) of Olympic Valley, Heidi Beauchamp (Ron) of Eureka and Betsy Homen of Eureka.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Jack (Carolyn) Bareilles, Ken (Renee) Bareilles, Jess (Denise) Bareilles, Sandy (Eric) Younger, Christy Bareilles, Paul Bareilles, Heidi Bareilles, Kelsey (Rob) Garnero, Maddy (Brian) Huhn, Corey (Haley) Pinochi, Casey (Karen) Pinochi, Matt (Roxy) Wahlund, Danna (Matt) Sanchez, Katie (Nathan) Weightman, Kurt Kathol, Karlie (Eric) Martin, Danny Day, Leanore Day, Ronnie (Ashley) Beauchamp, Bailey (Dennis) Johnson, John Homen, and Mike Homen.

In addition, she also leaves great-grandchildren: Jesse Bareilles, Claire Bareilles, Gigi Bareilles, Max Bareilles, Nathan Bareilles, Mai Bareilles, Jasmine Younger, Colton Younger, Jvon Watkins, Gigi Ganero, Walsh Ganero, Kade Pinochi, Lucca Pinochi, Colt Pinochi, Kamryn & Corrado Pinochi, Bodhi Wahlund, Ames Sanchez, Keira, Jack, Luke, and Joshua Weightman, Asher and Harlow Kathol, and Harper & Rylee Johnson.

Mary’s funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Bernard’s Church on Saturday, October 19th at 11:30 a.m. with a reception to follow at St. Bernard’s Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of Mary to St. Bernard’s School or Hospice, would be appreciated.

Fritz Graff passed from earth to heaven in the early morning hours of September 30, 2024, after a family time of worship and prayer. He had been experiencing health issues as a result of three strokes in 2023. He was 88 years old. He was born in Vallejo on April 30, 1936 to Royal and Gwendolyn Graff. He was joined by a sister, Desiree, five years later.

As he grew up in Vallejo, he spent a lot of time with his grandparents, his aunt and a few good friends. As a kid, he loved learning “magic tricks” and would play tricks and practical jokes on anyone he could, especially his family members. He went to the movies almost every weekend and enjoyed many of them again in his later years. He loved his chemistry set, which likely led him into his chosen profession as a chemical engineer. Fritz was an excellent student, graduating from Stanford University in 1957.

His career as a chemical engineer in the pulp and paper industry began in St. Helen’s, Oregon, where he met his first wife, Sharon Harrington. They were married in 1960. His work brought them to Camus, Wash., and then to Eureka in 1966 when the Crown Zellerbach pulp mill opened. Eventually, he became the environmental supervisor at Simpson Pulp Mill, where he worked until retirement. He and Sharon were active socially with friends in various groups, including a gourmet dinner club, the First Presbyterian Church and co-workers at the mill. They welcomed the joy of their life together, their daughter Robin, in 1969. Unfortunately, Sharon became ill and died from cancer in 1977. Later Fritz met Robin’s teacher, Kathy Adams, and they quickly fell in love and were married in 1979. Ten months later they delightfully welcomed baby Jenny to the family.

During their 46 years together, Fritz and Kathy were active in their daughters’ schools, enjoyed many weeks at the family cabin on the Mad River, took several vacations to Sunriver and experienced numerous joyful gatherings of extended family. Fritz’s quick wit and humor blessed us all.

Besides being a devoted family man, Fritz’s main focus was his relationship with God which spilled into every aspect of his life. Jesus was the center. People know him as a man of integrity, faith, wisdom, peace and stability. He devoted the majority of his life to serving God, leading small groups, and teaching Godly principles in living a Spirit filled life. Whether it was a class on a book of the Bible, or one on marriage, or finances, or prayer, or family life, his intent was to help people realize that God is alive, is for them, and loves them unconditionally.

Fritz and Kathy have been active in Faith Center Foursquare Church, Cursillo, and Coastline Foursquare Church, where they became assistant pastors. They moved to Newberg, Oregon in 2012, returning to Eureka a few months ago saying, “There’s no place like home!”

Fritz is survived by his much loved wife, Kathy; his cherished daughters, Robin Weir (Rob); and Jenny Fisher (Michael); his precious grandchildren, Emma Luken (Riley); Kaden Fisher, and Ellie Fisher; and his beloved sister, Desi Bean. Other relatives include: Laurie and Dennis McCollister, Rodger and Carol Adams, Steve and Linda Adams, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins all of whom greatly enriched his life.

An informal Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, October 27, at 2 p.m. at Coastline Foursquare Church (at Indianola Cutoff and Highway 101 next to the Chef Store). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Fritz’s memory to Coastline Church marked for the Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. (Coastline Foursquare Church, PO Box 317, Cutten, CA 95534)

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

Filomena Gomes, born April 12, 1937, passed away October 1, 2024, after suffering a major stroke. She was born and raised in Terra Chã, Terceira, Azores. She married Antone Gomes on January 21, 1961. They welcomed their first child, Berta, a couple of years later. In 1968 the family immigrated to America, settling with family in Arcata. She found employment with Lazio’s as a fish processor, a job she did for 15 years. She later worked for herself as a house cleaner. By the end of 1972 her family was complete with the birth of a son, Tim.

Filomena took great pride in being a member of the Portuguese community. She served on many festival committees, as well as helping in the kitchen. The last festival she served on was special to her, as she got to serve alongside her granddaughter.

She was also a devout Catholic and member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Arcata for 56 years. She proudly became a US citizen in the early 2000s. She traveled back to Terceira a few times to visit but always said America was her home. Until her memory started to fail her she enjoyed knitting, and was known to burn the phone lines catching up with friends. She enjoyed being a grandmother — even as her memory was failing her, she never forgot who any of her grandchildren were. She had a special bond with granddaughter Lydia and loved when she would come over and do her hair and nails.

She was preceded in death by Antone Gomes. She is survived by daughter Berta Davies (Kim) and son Tim Gomes (Deanne). Grandchildren Adam Davies (Kai),Lindsey Mason (Brandon), Grant Davies, Lydia, Eliot, and Oliver Gomes.

There will be a rosary and funeral mass at St.Mary’s church October 17 at 10 a.m. and a celebration of her life will be held at 3 p.m. at the Arcata Portuguese Hall.

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

PREVIOUSLY: 

• Eureka High on Lockdown For the Third Time This Month, Following Another Threat

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After a day of asking the Eureka Police Department for more information about yesterday’s lockdown at the high school, the department issues this pair of communiques about that situation just before 5 p.m. Friday.

What they seem to say, taken together, is that Eureka police were called to the high school after someone reported graffiti stating that there would be a shooting on campus. This apparently involved a student, or maybe not. 

Then at some point after that they discovered a bomb threat on social media, which did not involve a student.

That’s all we got! Have a great weekend!

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Eureka Police Department release:

On October 10, 2024 at approximately 10:35 a.m., Eureka Police Officers were dispatched to Eureka High School on a report of a note found written on a wall indicating there would be a shooting at the school at a specific time. All available EPD resources were immediately deployed to the school. A lockdown procedure was initiated for the safety of the students and staff and to allow for the investigation. EPD secured the exterior of the campus while teams of officers, as well as Command Staff, set up inside the school to conduct the threat assessment. About 30 minutes into the hard lock down, a decision was made to reduce the level of lockdown so students could return to learning within their classrooms only.

School Administration identified 38 students that needed to be contacted as a result of the initial investigation. Staff, with the assistance of EPD, located 19 of those students still on campus. The other 19 were not on campus at the time of the lockdown. School administrators interviewed these students and collaborated with EPD to determine there was no active threat to the campus. The lockdown was lifted at 2:45 p.m.

EPD’s School Resource Officer and School Administration have contacted the other 19 students and are conducting interviews with them.

Chief Brian Stephens states, “I understand that this has been a very trying two weeks for students, staff, parents and our community as we navigate and investigate this criminal behavior. Understand that EPD’s priority is the safety of our students and staff. We have no margin of error in these incidents and must take each incident as a viable threat and respond accordingly. These types of incidents are time consuming to investigate and we appreciate the professionalism and cooperation of EHS Staff and the patience of the student body and parents. When the person or persons involved in these incidents are identified, they will be held accountable for their inexcusable behavior.”

This is an ongoing and active investigation and EPD is asking anyone that may have information about this string of threats to contact School Resource Officer Ryan Flowers at 707-441-4300, or EHS Administration.

# # #

The following is a joint press release from EPD and Eureka High School:

Eureka High School and the Eureka Police Department are aware of a bomb threat on social media on Thursday, October 10th, 2024. This follows two previous threats on Tuesday, October 1st, and Wednesday, October 9th, 2024. Thanks to the technology and resources available, the Eureka Police Department was able to track the individual responsible and swiftly make contact and interview the juvenile. This incident is still being investigated on a criminal level however, EPD determined there was no credible threat to the students and staff. We want to emphasize that today’s threat did not come from a Eureka High School student.

Chief Brian Stephens of the Eureka Police Department stated, “This situation highlights the value of our partnership with Eureka City Schools and the importance of community vigilance. We encourage everyone to be proactive in reporting any suspicious activities. If you see, hear, or sense something concerning, please say something immediately.”

Rob Standish, Principal of Eureka High School, added, “Our collaboration with law enforcement was key to ensuring the safety of our school community today. We deeply appreciate the swift response and support from the Eureka Police Department. I want to remind everyone—students, parents, and community members—that your role is crucial. If you hear or see something that seems off, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and alert school administration or law enforcement.”

The safety of our students, staff, and community remains our top priority, and we thank everyone for their continued support and cooperation. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement and provide updates as necessary.

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Since she arrived here in Humboldt County nearly 20 years ago, Kati Moulton has devoted her time and energy to the arts and community service, working as the artistic director of the Ink People Center for the Arts and as a mentor and program manager for at-risk youth. Four years ago, Moulton decided to take her passion for community service to the next level and run to represent Ward 2 on the Eureka City Council. 

“When I was elected, I realized how much good I can do,” she told the Outpost. “You know, I’m not here helping one or two people at a time … [on the city council] I have this chance to directly help all of the folks in my ward, and to also steer Eureka in a direction that’s going to help our entire community.”

The Outpost met Moulton in Old Town earlier this week to learn more about her reelection campaign and some of the most pressing issues facing Eureka voters in this year’s election. To no one’s surprise, much of our conversation centered around Measure F and the future of the Jacobs Middle School campus. 

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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LoCO: Thank you for taking the time to talk with the Outpost about your reelection campaign. Can you start off by introducing yourself to the folks who don’t know you or aren’t familiar with Eureka politics?

Moulton: Hi! My name is Katie Moulton, I’m a Eureka City Council representative of Second Ward and I am running for reelection. I’m a non-profit administrator and I run a small business here in Old Town. I moved here in my early adulthood when I was 23 and I’ve been serving this community ever since I landed. I started off with youth outreach and working with at-risk teenagers. I’ve also worked in small business development and different nonprofits to serve our community.

LoCO: Before we get into your reelection campaign, can you tell me what inspired you to run for the Eureka City Council back in 2020?

Moulton: Oh, what a great question! [Before I ran], I had absolutely no interest at all in local politics and didn’t know much about it. Three days before the first shelter-in-place order was issued, I basically took my dream job at Scrap Humboldt, a creative reuse company, and I was immediately put on furlough. The Portland office asked me to shut it down and just strip it to the bones. So, I was at the end of that process when my friend and colleague, Leslie Castellano, who represents Ward 1 on the city council, asked me if I had ever considered going into politics and I said no. You know, earlier that week I had yelled at a lady in the co-op for being really rude to the clerk, so maybe not a good idea, right? But then she showed me the candidate declaration from the person who was running to represent my ward …

LoCO: Which candidate?

Moulton: Dot Jager-Wentworth, and I didn’t like the way she was talking about our neighbors. I’ve been serving this community – these kids and these families, through different programs – for decades. I have a lot of respect for the strength that comes from diversity and variety, and I felt like she was talking about my neighbors like they were the problem. So, feeling defensive about these people who I like and respect, and having just gotten my dream job and lost it, I was in a vulnerable moment and I decided to go ahead and try.

It’s been an interesting ride and a fast education with a steep learning curve. When I was elected, I realized how much good I can do. You know, I’m not here helping one or two people at a time … [on the city council] I have this chance to directly help all of the folks in my ward and to also steer Eureka in a direction that’s going to help our entire community.

LoCO: Can you talk about some of the obstacles and major issues you encountered in your first term on the city council? And what were some of your major accomplishments?

Image: City of Eureka

Moulton: Well, at first – because I didn’t really know the big picture – it was all about helping people directly. You know, somebody would call me because I’m the human they know how to get a hold of and I would help them solve the problem. For example, we were getting property owners to clean up problem houses in the neighborhood, we were finding and towing abandoned vehicles, we were getting city money to pay for lighting a parking lot – a lot of little, specific things. … Then, as I started getting into the bigger picture, I started to see more systemic challenges. 

Eureka has gone through a big shift in the last decade. There was a big turn in Eureka’s government just a few years before I came aboard. We’re moving toward building our economy from the ground up and we’re moving away from the days when the good ol’ boys were in charge, just helping out their friends instead of the whole community. I don’t know if I would have been able to join a council that was going in a direction I didn’t believe in, especially without political experience. 

As far as specific challenges, you know, sometimes there’s stuff going on that you just can’t help. There are problems that the city can’t touch or can’t help. There might be an issue where the root of the problem is with county or state law. Maybe we can mitigate the effects, but then you’re treating symptoms and not the disease. That’s probably the biggest challenge – wanting to use the power and communal work of government to help people but there’s nothing in that situation we can actually help. 

Do you want to hear about some happy stuff, too?

LoCO: Please, tell me about some accomplishments of your first term.

Moulton: A big thing that I was able to start when I joined the city council was initiating the process of creating a real citizen oversight board for the Eureka Police Department after the texting scandal. I wanted to find out what an oversight board thought about it [and whether] it was a systemic problem or just one group of people, or a couple of people, who were really bad actors.

LoCO: Before you continue, can you describe the level of oversight at EPD before the Community Oversight on Police Practices (COPP) board came into play?

Moulton: That’s the thing – I wanted to see what our citizen oversight board thought about it and found out that there wasn’t one. We had our Chief’s Advisory Board, which was basically a messaging group chosen by the chief of police that helped communicate what the police were doing out to the community, but they didn’t have oversight. They didn’t review anybody. They were just there to help translate between police officers and regular citizens. 

When I started the process, I called on the staff to create an ordinance and a proposal for how it might work. We looked at some cities similar in size and scale to Eureka to learn more about their successes and failures, and they came back with some really good ideas. We worked through it and, eventually, we have what is now called the COPP board. It is an independent board made up of citizens and one former police officer who’s there to provide a professional perspective from law enforcement. Not only are they looking at complaints, but they are reviewing practices. You know, digging through the rule books and digging through how EPD does things. They are also mandated to meet regularly with community groups that represent people in our community who are often underserved – or occasionally disserved – by law enforcement, such as Black Humboldt, Queer Humboldt, or tribal governments. I think it’s been really effective.

I engaged with the COPP board most recently after the occupation at the university. EPD ended up on the front line of that situation and as I watched the whole thing live on the internet, what I saw was a dangerous situation where EPD went head to head in a confined space where they couldn’t get out and the protesters couldn’t get out. … I saw the serious potential there for someone – for multiple people – to get hurt. I asked the COPP board to review the footage and engage with the city’s Independent Police Auditor and they wrote up a big report on it and made some serious recommendations. One of those recommendations determined that EPD was the most trained unit on the scene … and, ultimately, the recommendation then was for EPD to start doing trainings with other local law enforcement agencies. …

LoCO: As you know, one of the most pressing issues facing Eureka voters – especially folks in the Ward 2 – in this year’s election is Measure F, the “Eureka Housing for All and Downtown Vitality” initiative, which seeks to block the city’s current plans to build new housing on 21 city-owned parking lots and rezone the former Jacobs Middle School campus for “hundreds of units of housing for working- and middle-income families.” You have been very outspoken about your opposition to Measure F. Can you explain why?

Moulton: The Jacobs Campus has been a problem in the neighborhood for years. I think the folks around there are sick of being treated like pawns in this bigger political game. There are a lot of possibilities and a lot of desires for what [the neighborhood] would like to see there, and then there’s the developers, the school district, the California Highway Patrol – all these different interests. I think the people of the Second Ward just want a spot at the table, and I feel like it’s my job to keep them at the table.

… One of the reasons I oppose Measure F is because it says it’s going to build housing by zoning part of [the Jacobs Campus] for high-density housing. What it really does is it rezones the site for a laundry list of things and removes the public part of that process. If somebody wants to go in and buy eight acres of land in the middle of a neighborhood, they have to come to [the city council] and ask. They have to bring us a plan. They have to say, “Here’s what we want to do, what do you think about it?” and then they have to listen to us. That’s part of what local government does to maintain the character of a neighborhood and to maintain public health. And by putting a zoning overlay over Jacobs – as stipulated in Measure F – cuts that part of the process out and makes it so anybody who owns that property can do a huge variety of things there, and they don’t have to ask for [the city’s] permission.

LoCO: You touched on this a moment ago, but can you talk a little bit more about the neighborhood’s priorities? What do the people who actually live in the Second Ward want to see happen at the Jacobs Campus?

Moulton: The answer to that question has shifted over the last four years. When I was first elected, I met with the South Eureka Neighborhood Alliance (SENA), the group that really advocated for the building to come down because it was this huge blight in the neighborhood. You know, a lot of calls for service, it was being lit on fire all the time – people saw it as a huge problem. So, when the [SENA] went out and did a survey [in 2019] to find out what people wanted to see there. When they said, “Would you like to see the CHP come in?” a lot of people were like, “God, yes! Bring us some cops.” 

It’s calmer now that the building has been demolished, and I think people can look at this blank space and imagine what they would like to see there. When I talk to people now, people want housing. Even the weirdly tilted Measure F survey asked people and they said they want housing. I believe that’s what people want because it’s in the middle of the neighborhood. Maybe some neighborhood commercial, like a little coffee shop or some retail stuff, but they want to see things that fit in between a row of single-family homes and an elementary school. … Ultimately, Eureka City Schools owns the property, and they both want and need to sell it. I meet with the school district regularly to coordinate efforts for facilities sharing with the city and stuff like that, but the Jacobs Campus always comes up. They want to sell to the CHP. Well, they want to do something and they need the money. They don’t want to continue holding this blighted property that’s causing problems in the neighborhood.

LoCO: The City of Eureka and the CHP were first in line to express interest in the property. The city dropped out of negotiations two years ago, right?

Moulton: Yeah. And when I first joined the city council, I was in favor of the city [buying the property] even though it would have been a corp yard, which is way more industrial. At least then it would be a public thing and we would have had some control over what it would look like. The City of Eureka has to listen to the citizens, right? The CHP does not have to listen to the citizenry. I’ve met with them though and they say they want to fit in with the community and that they want to be a benefit for the neighborhood that they’re in. They don’t want to cause problems and they say they will meet with us to figure out ways to mitigate traffic and aesthetic impacts to the extent possible.

… So, the city dropped out and CHP has continued on. Then, “AMG Communities - Jacobs” was invented out of thin air and came in with a miraculous [$5.35 million] offer to buy the property. Understandably, the school board was quite dazzled by this amount of money that they could use to benefit students because they needed the money. However, when AMG kept asking to have the escrow kicked out further and further and further … the school board was like, “Come on, we really close a deal here,” and they decided to stop kicking the can down the road and went back to the CHP. …

LoCO: So what happens to the Jacobs Campus if Measure F passes? What happens if negotiations are ongoing and the school district still owns the property? What happens if the school district decides to go with CHP?

Moulton: If Measure F is passed … a city-level zoning overlay would have no effect on the CHP’s plans or the school district plans for the [Jacobs Campus]. No effect at all. The only thing that Measure F can do at Jacobs is upzone [the site] to create massive possibilities without public input. So, if a private developer were to go and buy it in the future, they would have a blank check for whatever they wanted to do.

LoCO: If Measure F passes, what will that mean for the City of Eureka? Would it affect the city’s “pro-housing” designation? Could the state intervene or prevent the ballot measure from being implemented?

Moulton: Well, I am not a legal expert, but we do have one on staff. What would happen if Measure F passes? First, everybody and their sister would sue [the city] because we would be out of compliance with state law. There are certain requirements in Measure F that specifically contradict all of these California laws that are there to encourage affordable housing.

LoCO: Can you specify which aspects of Measure F contradict state law?

Moulton: Measure F mandates that if something is going to be built on one of those public pieces of land where there is currently a parking lot, it can only be either parking or high-density residential housing that maintains the same level of parking. In perpetuity, or up until someone else comes along with more than a million dollars to put up a ballot initiative that can’t be undone. 

… Under Measure F, you have to create additional parking for the people who would live in these buildings. … Say, you have a lot that has 27 parking spaces on it. Now you’re going to put a building there and you’re going to [maintain those] 27 parking spaces and you’re going to build more parking for the people that live there. Now you’re looking at a building that has a two-story parking garage at the bottom, adding millions to construction costs that the developer can never recoup. Essentially, it’s a way to make sure that building can’t possibly go through.

Going back to the state law, there are density bonuses and parking requirements that are in place that [the city] can’t get out of. If somebody is going to build and it’s going to have a certain amount of affordable or low-income housing, then we can’t reject it. We can’t use subjective standards. We can’t require over a certain amount of parking. If we if something is “affordable” or if it’s directed at a certain income level, we can’t say “You have to build parking with that.” Just that piece of Measure F is against state law. The state could come after us and the California [Department of Housing and Community Development] come after us. I’m not sure exactly how all that would play out, but I would imagine the city would be subject to fines.

Eureka is in good standing [with the state] right now. We are creatively and effectively coming up with ways to fit more housing into our built-out little city. The Housing Element of our General Plan got us a “pro-housing” designation, and there aren’t a lot of those throughout the state. We would lose that designation, which would lose us access to millions of dollars of grants. We would have to stop projects that are already in process, money that the city has already won we would have to give back. And that’s not just money for affordable housing, it’s money to improve public transportation. Every one of these potential developments comes with money for public transportation because most of these developments come with less parking.

… If you concentrate more folks downtown and in Old Town where they are living and working and buying a grocery and going to parties, then there’s less need for them to have a car. That way, people who don’t want a car can survive. … We’re trying to make it possible for people who want to ride a bike or walk around town to be able to do that and have equal access to public spaces. If you want to drive a car, drive a car. …

LoCO: I think we could talk about the finer points of Measure F and parking all day, but I’d also like to ask you about another focal point of your platform: decreasing crime and poverty in Eureka. What are some of the things the city is currently doing to address these issues in our community and how would you further those efforts in your second term?

Moulton: Let’s start with the state and nationwide epidemic of homelessness, people who are suffering on the streets for a huge variety of reasons and are likely dealing with incredibly complex problems. These are people who have been displaced from other places. These are teenagers who’ve been kicked out of their hometown for being gay. These are families who were one paycheck away from losing their rental. There are also people who are hard to house because they’re suffering from addiction. The city is approaching that issue in as many different ways as it can and coming at it from a lot of different sides. I can’t take credit for a lot of the creative solutions the city has come up with, but I can say “Yes, let’s keep doing that.” And, fortunately, I am one of the people that gets to vote on the budget and determine how some of that money is spent.

EPD has the [Community Safety Engagement Team] CSET, whose job is to go and talk to the houseless population and they know them by name. I recently had somebody fall down on the sidewalk in front of my business, and I called CSET and they knew this person. They knew why they were resistant to housing and resistant to treatment. They knew that they went into treatment and then relapsed because relapse is part of recovery. … CSET will also help arrange transportation for people to get to another state. If you’ve got a family in Arkansas that’s going to support you, [they can] figure out a way to get you back there. We’re not just sticking people on a bus and sending them somewhere, we make a connection first to make sure they have somewhere to go and someone to help take care of them. We also have Uplift Eureka and the Pathway to Payday program that links people with potential employers who want to hire people who really need a hand. … The city’s supporting and helping to coordinate all of those efforts, and I’m very happy to keep helping. …

LoCO: We’ve talked at length about the Jacobs Campus. Are there any other ward-specific issues you’d like to bring to the council in your second term?

Moulton: I think the problems in Ward 2 are problems everywhere. Ward 2 is the most diverse part of the community. We have the most kids in elementary school, the most working families and the most first-time homebuyers, so we need protections from gentrification. We need more homebuyers. We need more affordable housing for renters. We need more protections for renters, and that will come with more affordable housing.

LoCO: The Eureka City Council deals with its fair share of hostile and belligerent public commenters. I gotta ask, do you regret calling one of those individuals an asshole while on the dais?

Moulton: *Sighs* Not my proudest moment. I do want to say, though, that I didn’t call him a name because he was being belligerent. When people come in and they want to shout at power, they want to express their discontent with the general state of things, in a way, I feel like that’s part of us being useful. We can provide that pressure release or that outlet for someone so that they can say what they need to say. … I hesitate to explain why I said what I said because I don’t want to excuse that. My job is to add perspective to the conversation and to increase the amount of information and conversation that is happening … to help other people make informed decisions. Calling someone a name does not help that. It lowers the discourse. 

… At that moment, I was frustrated because [the city council] had just received a presentation about all the various ways that the ethics of city government are ensured, all of the different ways that accountability and transparency are enshrined in law and all the different ways that citizens and journalists are able to see that transparency and hold us accountable. … So, this commenter came up, claiming to be a journalist… with a predetermined opinion about what was going on, completely ignoring the half an hour of conversation and rich information that had just been presented to him … and he asked the rhetorical question: “Who will keep leaders accountable?” And I said, “You, a-hole.” You’re acting like a journalist, it’s your job. … And it wasn’t that I was insulted on my behalf, I was offended that he would pretend to be a journalist – which is so incredibly valuable – and pretending to do that while doing the opposite of that job.

Still, my response was not OK and I apologized immediately, and again as soon as it was my turn to talk. I’m not proud of it.

LoCO: Is there anything else you’d like to add regarding your re-election campaign? Closing thoughts?

Moulton: Well, we’ve covered quite a number of topics here. … I guess I would just say, I’m a working mom, I love my neighborhood, I have deep roots in this community and I have done nothing but serve this community since the day I got here. I would like to keep doing that on the Eureka City Council.

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You can learn more about Moulton’s campaign at this link. Check out the links below if you’d like to learn more about the other candidates running for Eureka City Council. And keep an eye out for our interview with Ward 2 candidate Kenny Carswell next week.

Election Day is Nov. 5, folks.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• LoCO INTERVIEW: Eureka City Council Candidate Thavisak ‘Lucky’ Syphanthong Talks About His Journey From Laos to America, Tells Us Why He Decided to Run, and Takes a Stand on Measure F
• LoCO INTERVIEW: Scott Bauer, Eureka’s Fourth Ward City Council Rep, on His Reelection Campaign and the Importance of Community Resilience