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

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Want to know what your government is up to? Be prepared to pay up.

A California state lawmaker wants to let public agencies charge an unspecified, uncapped fee if it takes their workers more than two hours to search for records to fulfill a public records request. The proposal is raising concerns among transparency advocates that the fees could deter Californians from accessing records they are constitutionally entitled to.

Assembly Bill 1821, authored by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, a Downey Democrat, would also allow the charge if government workers spend more than 10 hours within a month looking for documents requested by the same person. The proposal would apply to most people, with exemptions for journalists and educational or scientific institutions.

In a statement responding to CalMatters’ questions, Pacheco said public agencies have had to spend substantial time responding to a spike in the volume and scope of records requests.

“This bill is intended to address a narrow set of high-cost, resource-intensive requests that can delay agencies’ ability to respond to other records requests,” she said. “The goal is to ensure that agencies can continue to respond to all requests in a timely manner.”

The measure follows years of local government complaints that fulfilling extensive, sometimes duplicative records requests can be so time-consuming that it distracts government staff from other vital tasks, such as performing health insurance eligibility checks, responding to homeless encampments or conducting elections.

“The growing volume and complexity of requests creates real challenges for local governments — straining limited public resources,” said Ben Adler, spokesperson for the California State Association of Counties, which has not taken an official stance on the bill.

It becomes even more difficult for governments when someone “disgruntled” or “unreasonable” files requests maliciously, an attorney who represented public agencies in California wrote in a 2023 op-ed.

Pacheco said in her statement that one person submitted more than 100 records requests in the city of Fontana and stated that their goal was to disrupt city operations, resulting in more than $300,000 in legal and staffing costs. Another request received in Chula Vista, she said, could require 150 to 300 staff hours to fulfill.

“Requests of this size consume a disproportionate share of public resources and delay agencies’ ability to respond to other requests.”

Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco in the Assembly in Sacramento on March 13, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

But agencies already try to charge astronomical fees for public records, which has a chilling effect on the public’s right to know because “for most people … $100 is going to be too much,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition.

Applying the charge to most Californians threatens their constitutional right to government information, Snyder said.

“The California Constitution says that it’s a fundamental … right of everybody in this state to obtain records from their public agencies,” he said. “The underlying principle is that the government’s records are the people’s records. The government serves the people; not the other way around.”

State law allows public agencies to charge fees for making copies of public records but not for the time spent searching, reviewing or redacting them. In 2020, the California Supreme Court concluded that governments cannot charge for search and redaction and said such costs would undermine Californians’ right to access.

“Just as agencies cannot recover the costs of searching through a filing cabinet for paper records, they cannot recover comparable costs for electronic records,” the ruling said. “Even if higher costs to the agency mean slower disclosure rates or greater inconvenience to the requester, these burdens on access are insignificant if the alternative is no access at all.”

But several local governments tried to charge those fees anyway. Shasta County, for example, adopted an ordinance in January 2021 to charge $25 an hour for staff to find, review and redact records. A year later, Mendocino County established regulations to charge up to $150 an hour, in one case sending a local journalist an $84,000 bill. Both counties only repealed their ordinances after drawing widespread criticism and litigation threats from journalists and First Amendment advocates.

Under Pacheco’s measure, they wouldn’t have had to.

What is a ‘reasonable’ charge?

The measure would require the rates agencies charge for records searches to be “reasonable.” But without a dollar amount cap, that guardrail is meaningless, Snyder said.

“If it’s a large volume of body cam footage, that could be many, many, many hours of review time,” he said. “And if agencies are charging hourly, let’s say $100 an hour, you can see how those numbers can go up really fast.”

The proposal also doesn’t say who would determine what is a reasonable amount of time necessary to search and review records, which could further empower public agencies to justify expensive fees, Snyder said.

“It leaves an enormous range of variables up to agency discretion,” he said. “Many agencies unfortunately behave in a way that suggests that their goal is to not produce the records asked for.”

The measure would additionally give agencies more time to respond to and fulfill requests: While state law requires agencies to tell the requestor what’s disclosable within 10 calendar days and allows them to extend that deadline by no more than 14 calendar days, Pacheco’s measure would prolong those periods to 10 and 14 business days, respectively.

Pacheco said she will amend the bill to ensure it is “narrowly tailored” to establish “appropriate thresholds” for charging for public records, although she did not elaborate on what those thresholds would be.

Pacheco has pushed for several measures to limit disclosure requirements in recent years, including a law last year that made it easier for agencies to redact police misconduct records and another that allowed more public officials to withhold personally identifying information.

John Joseph Gierek, Sr. was called home by the Lord on March 16, 2026. John joins his parents, Michael and Gertrude Gierek, as well as his siblings Michael Gierek, Helen Scuri, Mary Hoffman and Paul Gierek.

John was a lifelong resident of Eureka, born on February 4, 1935. He attended Nazareth Academy and Eureka High School. Upon graduation, he went to work at Hammond Lumber Company until he was drafted by the US Army and was deployed to serve in Germany. After his return, he became a journeyman carpenter and married our mom, Joyce Evenson. They enjoyed 63 happy years together.

John managed Humboldt Moving & Storage after his brother’s death and worked there until his retirement. John loved his community. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Southwest Eureka and served on numerous local boards – including the American Cancer Society and the St. Joseph Hospital Board of Trustees and Foundation.

When John saw a need in the community he always strived to lend his assistance and help. He was instrumental in the creation of the Evergreen Lodge, which was created to help house patients who had to travel to Eureka to undergo cancer treatments at St. Joseph Hospital.

John’s sense of humor and cheerful smile were contagious and will always be remembered. John loved to garden and was always happy spending time in his shop woodworking. He built his family’s home as well as numerous pieces of furniture and toys for family children.

He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Gierek, as well as his children John (Heather) and Laurie (Chris); grandchildren Caitlin (Mike), Alex (Nathan), Jonathan (Nicole), Lane (Emily), Elizabeth, Lucas, Catherine and Natalie; and great-grandchildren Mary Gwen, Graham, and Hattie; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the nursing staff at St. Joseph Hospital for their outstanding and compassionate care. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Joseph Church in Eureka on April 11, 2026, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Evergreen Lodge Fund at Humboldt Area Foundation, or to the charity of your choice.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of John Gierek Sr.’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Patricia Marie Lancaster-Guidry
Aug. 11, 1960 – Feb. 4, 2026

Patricia Marie Lancaster, the only daughter of Russell Parr Lancaster and Lois Marie Pritchard-Lancaster, passed away peacefully in the arms of her beloved husband, Glen, on February 4 at 8:45 a.m.

Anyone who knew Patty knew she was deeply passionate and wore her heart on her sleeve. She had a gift for laughter, more in a single day than most experience in a year. And when she was surrounded by family and friends, that laughter was constant. She loved life, her family, and adventure. She especially cherished life’s milestones, particularly those of her grandchildren. Her garden was her pride and joy; one visitor once called it “an oasis,” a compliment that lit up her face.

Patty held a special place in her heart for her grandmother, Betty Edgar, who taught her how to love and cherish life and others. She spoke of her often and with great affection. Her childhood on Kenmar Road in Fortuna was filled with animals of every kind, sparking a lifelong love for them. One of her happiest memories was receiving her own horse, which she proudly rode all over town. That love never faded. In recent years, her home was filled with chickens, cats, dogs, birds, fish, geese, and even a turtle. Given the chance, she would have added a llama to the mix as well.

At just 16, Patty began building her own life, welcoming her daughter Ryanne in 1979. Several years later, in 1985, she welcomed her son Gabriel. Her children were truly her life. She spoke with Ryanne every day, often multiple times, sharing everything from the smallest moments to the biggest milestones, a constant and unbreakable bond between them. With Gabriel, she carried his life forward through stories, photos, music, and videos, keeping his spirit close in every way she could. The loss of Gabriel on January 21, 2021, was a heartbreak she always carried.

When Gabriel was here, the two of them were inseparable, two peas in a pod. They shared a quick wit, a playful sense of humor, and a connection filled with laughter and the purest kind of love.

Despite a challenging childhood, Patty later completed her high school education in Arkansas. She went on to earn a certificate in Early Childhood Development from College of the Redwoods, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, a source of great pride.

Her four grandchildren — Heaven, Trinity, Emilia and Caine — became the center of her world and brought her immense joy. Heaven, her first grandchild, was the root that grew into a beautiful family tree. Next came Trinity, another bright light and source of joy, followed by Emilia, Gabriel’s firstborn. Lastly came Caine, Patty’s one and only grandson, a spitting image of his late father.

Emilia and Caine shared special time with their Gma and PopPop (Patty and Glen), alternating weekends and filling their home with laughter, love, and lasting memories. One of Patty’s last road trips was traveling north to visit Ryanne. Caine was blessed to be her road trip buddy one last time, a beautiful memory that will be held close forever. There could not have been a more perfect partner to share that final ride in her new red Camaro.

Patty loved to travel, camp, and explore new places. She especially enjoyed fishing at Ruth Lake and the South Jetty. Humboldt County held a special place in her heart, so much so that she even used “Humboldt hippie chick” as her email, a reflection of how deeply she identified with the place she loved. She cherished time spent at Fern Canyon, Moonstone Beach, and a quiet redwood grove near Jordan Creek. Together with her husband, she traveled to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Canada, and Mexico, and had been looking forward to an upcoming Alaska cruise and future travels abroad.

The past 20 years with her husband, Glen, were a beautiful, wild journey filled with love and unforgettable memories. There was only ever one Patty, and she will never be forgotten.

She is survived by her husband Glen Guidry; daughter Ryanne Tucker; her son-in-law Damon Tucker; her daughter-in-law Rebeca Urbina; her brother Glen; her niece Megeara Noland; and her nephew Zach Lancaster; and her four beautiful grandkids — Heaven, Trinity, Emilia and Caine. She was preceded in death by her son, Gabriel Irah LeRoy, and her brothers Michael and Steven Lancaster.

A celebration of life was held on February 22, and the family is deeply grateful to everyone who came to honor Patty and share in remembering her. Special thanks go to Caryl, Glen’s sister and Patty’s sister-in-law; Jovita Urbina for her delicious Mexican food — one of Patty’s favorites, especially her tamales; Matthew LeRoy, Gabriel’s father, for his presence and support; Rebeca Urbina for her love, support, and all she has done for the family, especially in helping with arrangements and being there for Glen during Patty’s passing, holding a truly special place in their hearts; and to Goble’s Fortuna Mortuary for their care and services.

The family would also like to extend a very special and heartfelt thank you to Debbie Chisum of Double D Steakhouse in Fortuna for generously allowing the family to hold Patty’s celebration of life there, as well as Gabriel’s celebration of life five years earlier on February 21st. Words cannot express the depth of their gratitude for her kindness and support.

May Patty’s laughter echo in the hearts of all who knew her, and may her love continue to guide those she cherished.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24

CORRECTION: Following comment from RCEA Executive Director Beth Burks, the Outpost would like to correct a few points made in the original article.

Burks and deputy director Eileen Verbeck currently earn a smaller salary than the Outpost originally reported. In short, we had confused actual salary with potential salary – what a person in each of those positions may earn after years of service. Burks’ base salary, for example, is currently $212,000, not $246,000 as we had originally reported.

If the higher salary ranges are approved at Thursday’s meeting, it may take employees several years to work their way to the top of the scale at their particular job. Burks says that no employee will be getting more than a five percent increase in their actual salary if the proposal is approved.

But the Outpost notes that the proposal would institute the potential for large raises over the current maximum salaries, in some positions, as employees move up the pay scale. The maximum the the deputy executive director could earn, for example, would be 34.7% higher than it is now.

In addition, the article misidentified the mid-year budget projection’s net income for the organization as RCEA’s reserve balance.

The Outpost regrets the errors.

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Original article:

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority, the agency responsible for purchasing electricity for residents in Humboldt County, is attempting to grant its employees massive salary increases — many of them more than 20% — and switch to a four-day workweek.

Everyone at RCEA stands to benefit if the board of directors decides to raise their salaries and implement a four-day workweek at their meeting tomorrow.

According to the staff report, a number of unfilled positions at RCEA gives it a $600,000 surplus, some of which they can use by handing out the raises, which will total about $104,000 annually. The raise suggestions come courtesy of consulting firm Gallagher, who took a look at their staffs’ salaries, compared them to positions elsewhere they considered roughly equivalent, and recommended the pay bumps.

RCEA wants to move to a four-day, 34-hour-a-week working schedule to “to support employee recruitment and retention, promote work-life balance, and maintain service levels to the public, while remaining fiscally responsible.” 

“Like many public agencies, RCEA continues to experience budget constraints combined with competitive labor market conditions, increased workload complexity, and heightened employee burnout,” the staff report reads. “In response, staff have evaluated alternative work schedules that maintain operational effectiveness while improving organizational sustainability.”

Their staff’s productivity goals would remain unchanged.

Merritt Perry, Arcata’s city manager, declined to comment on RCEA directly, but said that when it came to Arcata’s budget — considering rising costs across the board — he urged caution.

Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery told the Outpost that the proposals for an increased salary were unjustifiable, and that their timing, coming near the middle of the fiscal year, was concerning as well.

“I am amazed at the compensation level being proposed,” Slattery said. “I don’t know where they came up with that salary schedule and how it was achieved, but just based on our region I find it not equitable with other positions of similar description and responsibility…Whether they’re financially doing well, I still don’t believe there’s justification for such salary proposals.”

The Outpost left several voicemails for RCEA’s media spokesperson; she could not be reached for comment.

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CORRECTION, 5:58 p.m.: A previous version of this article misidentified mid-year budget projection net income as RCEA’s reserve balance. The Outpost apologizes for the error.

Details of a case involving a man accused of murdering a former associate on a remote, abandoned cannabis farm along State Route 299 came to light during a preliminary examination this week.

Testimony linked the shooting to a love triangle conflict — made up of the victim, defendant and a woman who partially testified this week on the shooting in exchange for immunity.

Christopher Diven, a 38-year-old Willow Creek man, is accused of fatally shooting Vincent McKenney with a sawed-off 20 gauge shotgun.

The court heard testimony from a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office investigator, a Sheriff’s deputy and a woman enmeshed in the conflict between the two men who was nearby during the shooting.

Diven is accused of shooting McKenney at a property known as “Three Story Grow.” He has pleaded not guilty and remains on a no-bail hold.

Christopher James Diven | 2023 booking photo via Humboldt County.

Police heard in January from the mother of McKenney, then a missing person. She told officers her son’s last known car was spotted, a white Chevy Tahoe, and believed Diven killed her son in a “shootout,” according to testimony by HCSO officer Shane Steele, who was called to the stand by Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer.

Police searched Three Story Grow, a property with a massive, stripped building where the car was found.

“It’s a trash dump, basically,” said Steele. 

Using cadaver dogs, police found scattered, skeletal human remains in two sets near a creek, estimating about 30 and 50 yards away from where the Tahoe was found. The bones were recovered via in-depth sorting through leaf litter, and later the victim’s skull was reassembled with tape.

HCSO Investigator Brian Buihner testified police found BBs consistent with bird shot on a fragment of skull, as well as in dirt near the skull fragments. He testified a portion missing of the skull “appeared to be caused by the shotgun.”

Deputy Public Defender Ryan McClurg questioned if the victim’s injuries on his torso were consistent with him being shot while holding a gun. A witness testified McKenny had taken a .308 from a property the three squatted on when he left and had previously brought it to confrontations with the defendant. But this question was overruled due to speculation.

Deputies found yellow shotgun shells at the scene and Romex wire tied to the victim’s ankle, which police believe was used to drag McKenny’s body.

Steele testified police searched another abandoned grow nearby — 242 Cedar Creek — where Diven and others were squatting. 

While executing a search warrant at the property they found yellow shotgun casings. Police found items belonging to McKenney, including a car owned by the victim and his debit card.

Of note, said Steele, was that McKenney’s belongings ended up with Diven after his death. This was met with sounds of frustration from women attending the hearing and an objection from the defense attorney.

McKenney had formerly lived there after Diven invited him to move in, according to witness testimony. He lived there for a period before leaving the property with Diven’s romantic partner, Jordan Schafer Burgisso Burdisso causing more conflict between the two men.

Steele testified that, during interviews with Diven’s friends, police learned that Diven had borrowed a shotgun while citing disputes between him and McKenney.

His friends loaned him a 20 gauge shotgun and a box of shells in October.

Steele testified Diven had texted the friend on Oct. 28 looking for a ride around 4 .a.m., because he believed that McKenney was holding Burdisso hostage.

He told his friend via text he was walking to Three Story Grow.

She responded telling him she was out of gas , and woke up later seeing a text message from Diven stating he was “just kidding” and was at home the whole time, Steele testified.

He returned the gun in November. The friend told police the two thought nothing of it at the time, then later “put two and two together,” and hid the weapon, months later.

According to later testimony from Investigator Buihner, police went with the friends to Forest Service land where the shotgun was stashed in a tree trunk. 

The friend informed police the victim and defendant had problems. One dispute related to a dump truck being stolen and stripped of valuables off the property, and for Burdisso temporarily leaving Diven for McKenney.

Burdisso was also brought to the witness stand, and was offered immunity in exchange for testifying.

She had an undisclosed medical emergency preventing her from completing her testimony Friday, and her statements would be struck from the record if she does not appear Friday, Judge Christopher Wilson said.

Burdisso, often distraught and suffering from the condition while on the stand, testified she chose to tell police everything due to guilt over McKenney’s death — she said she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

“Vincent didn’t belong out there,” she said. She said she blamed herself at points for his death, and both she and Diven were emotional during the hearing.

She had texted Diven telling him to “bring protection” (a gun) while she was meeting McKenney at Three Story Grow. She wanted to get some of her possessions back that McKenney had packed into a trailer with the intention of moving down river. He was attempting to convince her to come with him, she testified.

She spoke with Diven briefly after he arrived on foot while she waited in her car, said she fell asleep, and testified she later was awoken when hearing McKenney say “You’ve got to be kid-” followed by two gunshots she identified as coming from a shotgun.

She testified Diven and McKenney had been arguing and tensions were reaching a head.

DA Schaffer showed the court video evidence Burdisso recorded of the pair arguing about a week before the shooting, which included Diven threatening to shoot McKenney if he returned to the property Diven was squatting on. McKenney was armed when he arrived, said Burdissio, and she had gone with him to the property to retrieve something.

Later, Burdisso testified her and Diven crafted text messages and deleted messages to make it seem like she never met up with McKenney.

Judge Christopher Wilson continued the hearing to Friday. Diven’s attorney did not finish cross examination of Burdisso, who did not appear on the second day of the hearing due to a medical emergency.

The preliminary hearing is set to continue Friday. Judge Wilson was adamant the hearing would conclude then, with the aim to establish whether enough evidence exists to hold Diven to the charges he is accused of. If Burdisso doesn’t show Friday, Wilson said he will strike the testimony.

PREVIOUSLY

• Arrest Made for the Murder of 36-Year-Old at a Cannabis Grow Site in Eastern Humboldt, Sheriff’s Office Says

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Great news for local book readers, game players and practitioners of meaningful browsing: Northtown Books and Dandar’s Boardgames and Books have secured a place to reopen side-by-side in downtown Arcata, mere months after their neighboring stores burned to the ground in the city’s catastrophic January 2 fire.

Northtown Books owner Dante DiGenova called the Outpost this afternoon to report that he and Dandar’s owners Dan Gilkey and Doranna Benker Gilkey will soon sign leases to share the building at 737 G Street. That location most recently held the Hatchet House, which closed at the end of 2024.

“We’re going to divide it in half,” DiGenova said. “Same orientation, with Northtown on the south [side of the building] and Dandar’s on the north.”

The Gilkeys are currently out of town and thus unavailable for comment, but DiGenova said he got their permission to announce this double-dose of business news.

Like their previous storefronts, the new location is just steps away from the Plaza. The Hatchet House building has a new owner, though DiGenova said it’s not his place to disclose their identity.

When will Northtown reopen?

“That’s the hard question,” DiGenova replied. He expects to start moving stuff into the building in May, and while he was initially hopeful about opening as soon as June, he’s now predicting it will be July or August. He’s working with a local contractor to build all the required shelving, and he’s trying to figure out the new space should be oriented.

“There’s so many questions right now, it’s kind of blowing my mind,” DiGenova said.

Many of those questions surround insurance. Negotiations with the store’s policy holders have been predictably complex and prolonged. 

“I don’t have the funds to renovate yet; we’re still in negotiations,” he said, adding, “I will make it work somehow.”

Since burning down, Northtown Books and its employees have benefited from community support via an online fundraiser that was set up right after the fire and through customer orders placed through the business’s website. (Books ordered online are sent directly to customers’ homes, like Amazon minus the billionaire owner.)

Plus, one insurance policy has been covering lost income, which means Northtown has retained treasured employees Monika, Jay, Jon and Sarah.

“They all want to come back,” DiGenova said.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Huge Fire in Downtown Arcata
• ‘We Would Love to Rebuild’: Northtown Books Owner Dante DiGenova Addresses Devastating Fire, Thanks the Community and Looks Toward Next Steps
• Investigation Finds No Evidence of Foul Play in January 2 Arcata Fire; Cause Remains Undetermined
• Two Months After the Arcata Fire, Dandar’s Lines Up a Temporary Location While Northtown Books Keeps Searching for a New Spot

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On March 21, 2026, at approximately 7:00 PM, Rio Dell Police officers conducted a welfare check on a reportedly armed male, identified as 43 year old Rio Dell resident, David Bourland. Officers located Bourland in the Shively Road area and detained him without injury following a brief struggle.

A subsequent investigation and search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of:

• A loaded semi-automatic handgun
• A non-serialized disassembled AR-15 style rifle
• High-capacity magazines and ammunition
• Suspected methamphetamine
• Multiple individually packaged baggies of suspected cocaine consistent with sales
• Digital scales and packaging materials

Bourland, who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was arrested and booked on the following charges:

HS 11370.1(a) – Possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm

• HS 11351 – Possession of a controlled substance for sale
• HS 11377(a) – Possession of a controlled substance
• HS 11378 – Possession of methamphetamine for sale
• HS 11379(a) – Transportation of a controlled substance
• PC 30305(a)(1) – Prohibited person in possession of ammunition
• PC 29800(a)(1) – Felon in possession of a firearm
• PC 25400(a)(1) – Carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle
• PC 25850(a) – Carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle
• PC 29180(c) – Possession of an unserialized firearm

Anyone with additional information relevant to this case is encouraged to contact Sergeant Beauchaine with the Rio Dell Police Department at (707) 764-5642 or Beauchainej@cityofriodell.ca.gov.