William Dennis “Billy” Fraser, age 77, passed away on November 2, 2025. He was born on March 27, 1948, in Arcata, and spent his life rooted in the values of hard work, adventure, and family.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Bruce and Marie Fraser; his brothers, Kenneth and Robert Fraser; his sister, Marjorie Burgess; his beloved daughter, Sabrina Fraser; and his grandson, Dakota Fraser.

He is survived by his loving wife, DaVita Fraser; his son, Blane Welnack of Texas; and his daughter, Shanna and her husband, Matthew Morrill. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Angel Henderson and Michael Smither of Blue Lake, and Holley Davis of Eureka. Billy leaves behind seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, one niece and two nephews.

Known to many simply as “Billy,” he proudly joined the United States Navy in 1965, serving aboard the USS Enterprise. After his military service, Billy built a long and respected career in the logging industry. He worked as a truck driver and tree feller, later operating cranes for North Coast Fabricators. Billy bought his first lumber truck in the late nineties and became an owner-operator, eventually retiring as a logging truck driver for Wayne Bare Trucking. His strong work ethic and mechanical skill were evident in everything he did.

Billy was a man of many passions. He loved building and flying radio-controlled airplanes, gold mining in the Happy Camp area, and proudly became a clamper, embracing the camaraderie and history that came with it. An avid outdoorsman, he found joy in camping, hunting, and fishing, and he especially treasured the many road trips he took with DaVita on their Harley-Davidson. Billy also had a creative and inventive mind, often spending hours in metal fabrication, bringing new ideas and inventions to life.

Above all, Billy will be remembered for his generous spirit, adventurous heart, sense of humor and the love he had for his family and friends. His stories, singing around the campfire, craftsmanship and presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of life will be held at Blue Lake Community Church on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 12 p.m., followed by a reception at the Mad River Grange in Blue Lake.

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

Kelli Campbell, 44, of Mad River (Dinsmore), passed away at home on January 31, 2026.

Kelli was born on September 18, 1981, at Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna, where she was also raised. She graduated from Fortuna High School in 1999 and had recently enrolled at College of the Redwoods.

Kelli had a deep love for art, especially painting and drawing, as well as music, animals and nature. She shared a special bond with her mother through their mutual love of butterflies. At the time of her passing, she cared for many animals, including her beloved dogs, emus, geese, chickens and cats. She was known as a kind soul who always saw the best in others.

Kelli was preceded in death by her partner, Jared DeVane, father of her son, Mason. She is survived by her beloved son, Mason DeVane; her parents, Michael and Carolyn Campbell; her brother, Shane Campbell and his wife, Darla; and she is also greatly missed by her aunts, uncles, cousins, niece, nephew and many dear friends.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date to be announced.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Planning Commission Denies Permit to Rebuild a Fallen Billboard South of Eureka
• In a Split Vote, Supervisors Move to Allow Fallen Elk River Billboard to Be Rebuilt, But it Must be Removed in Five Years

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A years-long battle over the fate of a roadside billboard in the Elk River wetlands came to an end today as the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors narrowly voted to deny a request to allow the sign to remain alongside Highway 101 indefinitely. 

The item passed in a 3-2 vote, with First District Supervisor Rex Bohn and Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell dissenting. 

The dispute dates back to November 2019, when the billboard was toppled during a windstorm. The owner, Geoff Wills of Allpoints Signs, submitted an application to the Humboldt County Planning Commission to repair the fallen sign, but the request was denied on the basis that the structure no longer complied with current building codes despite its status as a legal, nonconforming — or “grandfathered in” — billboard. The decision was appealed to the Board of Supervisors, which ultimately agreed to allow Wills to reconstruct the billboard on the condition that it be removed by Sept. 29, 2025.

But instead of seeking the permits required to have the billboard dismantled, Wills applied to change his permit to eliminate the condition requiring its removal. 

The issue at the center of today’s public hearing was whether or not the billboard still qualified as a legal non-conforming structure after the repairs made in 2020. 

Jeffrey Slack, the local attorney representing Allpoints Signs, argued that the billboard was repaired — not rebuilt — which would conform to its existing use. Senior Planner Steve Lazar, on the other hand, said the sign lost its non-conforming status when it collapsed during the storm.

“The one important thing to really hammer on is that we’re no longer dealing with a non-conforming structure,” Lazar explained during a presentation to the board. “When the billboard collapsed, it ceased to be a non-conforming structure — it was destroyed. … When the board took action in September of 2020 to approve the special permit, the billboard changed from a non-conforming structure to a conforming structure.”

On top of that, the Board of Supervisors approved a pair of ordinances in 2024 that banned new billboards in the county’s coastal zones and certain inland areas to protect environmentally sensitive habitats.

“Both sets of regulations don’t allow destroyed billboards to be rebuilt if they’re in locations that are problematic, like flood zones, riparian areas, environmentally sensitive habitat areas or wetlands, all of which are applicable to the site we’re talking about,” Lazar said, emphasizing staff’s recommendation to deny the permit modification and have the sign removed.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo asked what the removal process would look like and whether Wills would need a permit to move forward. 

“The removal process would not be related to the permit because the permit would, depending on what the board chooses to do, no longer be in effect. It would be denied,” Planning and Building Director John Ford said, noting that the permit is currently classified as “stayed” due to the modification request. “At that point, it becomes an enforcement action, either for the county or for the state, because there would no longer be a permit present.”

Speaking during public comment, Wills claimed he never agreed to the five-year timeline set by the board and said he never received any follow-up correspondence from county staff regarding the Sept 2025 deadline or the permits required to remove the billboard.

Wills | Screenshot

“Term limits [were] never part of the deal,” he said. “That got brought up after [the] comment section was closed [at the board’s September 2020 meeting]. It was decided without any of my input, and we did not agree to it. … I got no notices from the county. I had no idea.”

Wills estimated that losing the billboard would reduce his annual income by about $15,000. “This is my livelihood,” he said. “You guys have the choice to essentially appease people’s subjective feelings on whether they want to see a billboard or not, or the fact that this billboard contributes to our local economy and is a substantial part of my business, my wealth, my retirement, everything.”

Supervisor Bohn worried the loss of the billboard would have a greater impact on the local economy, given that small business owners use billboards to advertise. 

“I know [someone who] lost one on the bay, and … his business dropped 40 percent,” Bohn said. “Picking away at these businesses one at a time for our own personal, little idiosyncrasies. … I had a guy this morning at coffee at 6:30, where he says, ‘I hate billboards.’ A 75-year-old truck driver. But he says, ‘I don’t think we should take them down because I hate ‘em’ and I think that sums it up.”

Returning to Wills’ claim that he didn’t know about the five-year timeline, Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said his acceptance of the terms was “implied” when he applied for the permit and went ahead with the rebuild. 

“From my perspective, the applicant entered into this agreement voluntarily in that they accepted the permit,” Wilson said. “So, I think we’re here right now, basically, just trying to enact the terms that were agreed to and put forth over five years ago.”

With that, Wilson proposed a motion to approve staff’s recommendation and deny Wills’ request to modify his permit. The actual motion was made by Arroyo and seconded by Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone.

The motion passed in a 3-2 vote, with Bohn and Bushnell dissenting.

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What else happened at today’s meeting? Check back tomorrow for more coverage of the board’s mid-year budget review and a loan program for King Salmon residents.

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Press release from the City of Eureka:

The City of Eureka is excited to welcome ABC News’ Good Morning America team this week as part of a nationwide series highlighting all 50 states in the lead-up to the United States’ 250th anniversary.

On Thursday, February 12th, 2026, Good Morning America will broadcast live from the Redwood Sky Walk at Sequoia Park Zoo, with GMA’s contributor Becky Worley sharing what makes California, and communities like Eureka, so special. We’re proud to be part of this national moment, especially during a milestone year when Eureka is also celebrating its 170th anniversary. We’re especially proud that the broadcast will spotlight the Sequoia Park Zoo and the Redwood Sky Walk, a one-of-a-kind experience that reflects Eureka’s natural beauty, and strong sense of place.

Community Invite-Only Participation

About 50 community members will be invited to be on site for the live broadcast, cheering on Eureka in the background.

To make sure many parts of our community are represented, the City will invite small groups from a range of civic organizations and partners. Each group will be asked to bring a limited number of participants. Space is tight, and given the quick timeline, we are managing what our staff can safely coordinate. This approach helps include voices from across the community.

While attendance at the filming location is limited, the City encourages the broader community to take part by sharing what they love about Eureka on social media. Community members are invited to post photos, videos, or messages and tag the City of Eureka, and the City will reshare community posts as available leading up to the broadcast.

How to Watch & Stay Connected

While only a small group can be on site for the live broadcast, the entire community is encouraged to tune in to Good Morning America live on Thursday morning and the City encourages the broader community to take part by sharing what they love about Eureka on social media.

The City will also be sharing updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and highlights from the broadcast as available across the City of Eureka’s social media channels and website. Due to filming restrictions and timing, content will be shared when possible. We appreciate everyone’s excitement and understanding as we help showcase Eureka on a national stage.

Temporary Trail Closure & Early-Morning Filming

To support the live broadcast, the trail below the Redwood Sky Walk will be temporarily closed during earlymorning hours on February 12th. Filming will take place very early, while the zoo animals are still sleeping, so we kindly ask the public not to come to the broadcast location during that time. The trail will reopen as soon as filming wraps up.

We are honored to highlight our community, treasured places, and the people who make Eureka so special. We can’t wait to share Eureka’s story with viewers across the country.

For more information, please email the City’s Economic Development & Communications Division at mediafeedback@eurekaca.gov.

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It’s a common story these days: A social media post sparks an emotional response. Assumptions are made — about intent, maybe, or implied disrespect or facts not in evidence — and the reaction quickly curdles into anger.

Last week, Stephen Gieder received a very angry-sounding voicemail from Emily Wood, director of Parks and Recreation at the City of Blue Lake. She told Gieder that city staff had just been made aware of an Instagram post announcing that Cannifest, the annual weed-themed, all-ages community festival that Gieder organizes, would be held this September in the tiny inland city of Blue Lake.

Screenshot of a Feb. 1 Instagram post from Cannifest.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Wood said on the voicemail. 

She repeated the declaration twice before hanging up. “Cannifest is not going to happen in Blue Lake, and we’ve seen you guys advertising that it is,” she said. “That event needs to go to our City Council for review, so we suggest that you remove all advertisements immediately … or we’re going to have to seek legal ramification here.”

There has been more communication with the City since then, and Cannifest’s prospects inside city limits will likely be decided at a special City Council meeting tonight. More on that below. 

In an interview with the Outpost on Monday, Gieder said he was taken aback by Wood’s voicemail. After hosting the three-day music, art and trade festival in Eureka’s Halvorsen Park for the past few years, he and his fellow organizers had decided to downsize the event this year, for a variety of reasons. He explored a few potential venues, including the Arcata Ballpark and the Blue Lake Casino, but then he met with board members of Dell’Arte International, the world-renowned theater company and accredited fine arts school founded in Blue Lake more than 50 years ago. 

“I kind of fell in love with the idea of being able to utilize the energy of Cannifest [with] the ideas Dell’Arte has and the resurgence of energy there,” Gieder said. 

Dell’Arte has experienced serious financial and organizational troubles in recent years. Battered by the pandemic, declining funding for the arts and rising theater costs, the company hit full-blown crisis mode in 2020 when current and former staffers called out the theater’s leadership for failing to “competently lead the organization” on racial equity matters. 

In 2021, Dell’Arte was forced to close its Master of Fine Arts program, and nearly five years later the organization remains in a precarious position. 

However, a few of the program’s most successful graduates, including Las Vegas-based theater professional Noah Bremer and L.A.-based actress Artemis Pebdani (whose many credits include recurring roles on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Scandal” and “Modern Family”) recently assumed leadership roles with their alma mater in hopes of resurrecting the school and saving Dell’Arte from oblivion. With the school still shuttered, their tentative revival plans involve hosting more events on their property, which is located across the street from the Logger Bar and just three blocks from City Hall.

After meeting with Dell’Arte’s board of directors, Gieder was excited about the prospect of Cannifest helping those efforts. He figured the logistics of the festival more or less fit within the parameters of Dell’Arte’s existing Conditional Use Permit for hosting events, and Cannifest could generate some much-needed revenue for the nonprofit. 

“Yeah,” he said. “We thought this could be a great synergy.”

The celebratory Instagram post failed to mention a couple of important details, though — chief among them the fact that Cannifest ‘26 will not include any cannabis sales, licensed distribution or on-site consumption areas. (Gieder said an overzealous state investigator soured the experience for many vendors last year, and besides, he doesn’t see consumption as an essential element of the festival.) 

But, again, the social media post omitted that fact. And Blue Lake, despite the longstanding presence of multinational theater students studying to become clowns, remains culturally conservative in many regards. For example, it has a strict prohibition on commercial cannabis activity.

So when concerned residents forwarded the Instagram post to City Hall, staff likely imagined a pot-smoke bacchanalia with thousands of attendees parking illegally and flooding across city streets. 

“We hadn’t received any formal applications or permits, and so it was a surprise to our office to see [Cannifest] advertised,” Wood, Blue Lake’s Parks and Rec director, said via phone this morning. “Blue Lake itself is so small there really isn’t, in my opinion, anywhere that a special event of that size could be held without the City’s approval.”

Another fact not included in the Instagram post was that Gieder’s backup plan, if Dell’Arte falls through, is to host Cannifest at the Blue Lake Casino and Hotel. To the general public, that’s still in Blue Lake, but Wood said, “Since [the post] didn’t state the Rancheria or the casino, it was presumed the event being advertised in Blue Lake would be somewhere within city limits.” [DISCLOSURE: The Blue Lake Rancheria is a minority owner in the Outpost’s parent company, Lost Coast Communications, Inc.]

Over the past week, new Blue Lake City Manager Jennie Short and other City staffers met with Gieder and representatives of Dell’Arte. Gieder has now submitted an application for the event, which the City Council will consider at tonight’s meeting, scheduled to be held at the Skinner Store, 111 Greenwood Road, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Dell’Arte’s Position

Yesterday afternoon, Bremer and Pebdani came by the Outpost’s Old Town Eureka offices to discuss the situation. Bremer is Dell’Arte’s new producing artistic director and Pebdani recently became its new board chair. Before we’d finished asking them our first question, Pebdani interjected.

“Do you mind if I start with a full confession to you?” she said. “We’re scared about our permits.”

Like Gieder, Dell’Arte’s board of directors was initially quite excited about the prospect of hosting Cannifest. 

“So much of what we need to make money are going to be these events,” Pebdani said. “So when Stephen came to us and he was telling us his ideals [and] what he’s done with his community before, they seemed completely aligned with what we want. … We didn’t even consider that it would be a big deal at all. It was just another one of the events that was going to come down the line.”

City staff’s initial strong negative reaction, however, left Dell’Arte’s leadership concerned that an adversarial relationship — not just with the City but also the community — could put their longstanding conditional use permits in jeopardy. 

“That’s the last thing we want to do is to divide anybody,” Bremer said. “We want Dell’Arte moving forward to be a community arts hub, to be a third space for people of different beliefs to come together around art and community. We feel that Cannifest can be an event that allows for that community connection if you think about it in terms of what it actually is, if you think beyond the name and the stigma behind the name for some people. It’s a place for people to come listen to music, have some nice food, be with their neighbors — “

“… and be part of a festival with a proven track record of bringing people in,” Pebdani finished.

Asked why Dell’Arte didn’t approach the City before Cannifest was announced publicly, Bremer and Pebdani said the organization’s tiny staff has been spread thin, and they generally prefer to approach matters in a more organic and personal fashion. 

Bremer arrived back in Blue Lake early last month, and shortly after his return he and Pebdani attended a gathering of the Blue Lake Coffee Club, an informal community meetup that takes place Monday and Friday mornings at the Mad River Grange. There, they chatted with Councilmember Elise Scafani, City Manager Jennie Short and Mayor John Sawatzky.

“And he told us an amazing story about Dell’Arte when he was growing up,” Pebdani said. 

“Yeah,” Bremer said, “this great story about having Dell’Arte come in and do a project with him and the Blue Lake [Elementary] School when he was a kid, and [how it’s] still influencing him today. So awesome. Like, this school that impacted us so much also impacted him, and he’s the mayor. How awesome is that?”

Yesterday morning, Bremer and Pebdani attended another Coffee Club, where a community member showed them photos of Blue Lake parades and community events from the late 1990s and early 2000s, which is when they attended Dell’Arte. It made Pebdani emotional.

“I did start crying at Coffee Club today, just the heartbreak of like, ‘Oh, that that’s not happening right now,’” she said. After a beat, she continued, “Yeah, that’s our duty. That’s what we want to revive.”

After the meeting with City staff last week, Pebdani decided to approach the community for feedback via a Blue Lake community page on Facebook — despite stern warnings from patrons of the Logger Bar to avoid this particular page because of its often heated political rhetoric. 

“Instead, I went straight to [that page] and I put that post, and it was like, ‘Come at me. Let’s see what happens.’”

The post was lengthy, conversational and humble. She introduced herself and Bremer, said they’re doing their “bestest” to help get Dell’Arte’s building, school and organization back on its feet. She explained the importance of hosting community events, especially the annual summer Baduwa’t Festival, which underpins their conditional use permit, though the permit allows for public events across a broad timeline. And she gave some of the backstory to the Cannifest drama and asked people for their opinions:

We want to know what the “People” of Blue Lake think, not necessarily the “City” of Blue Lake.

I’d love to be able to hash some of that out here. I’ve been warned that I might be asking for trouble getting asking for opinions on FB, but here I am. Come at me. I’ll do my best to clearly answer what I can. I do want to be clear that I’m not here to be an advocate for Cannabis rights (even though - Come on, people. It’s legal). I am here specifically for Dell’Arte, to find ways to support and sustain it, and Dell’Arte is here for its community. …

The response, perhaps surprisingly, has been overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority of commenters saying the event sounds like a great idea.

The Stakes for Tonight’s Meeting

Gieder remains bitter about what he considered a condescending and staunchly anti-weed tone from city staff.

“I’ve been doing [cannabis-related] events all over the country, so there’s lots of haters, always. [But] I hadn’t gotten such, like, hate, really, from a city manager and her minion,” Gieder said, referring to last week’s meeting with staff. “I was kind of like, ‘Wow, I’m going back 30 years here. … This lady hates weed!’”

Bremer and Pebdani were a bit more optimistic about the meeting. Bremer, for example, said Short seemed to be approaching the situation objectively while Pebdani said the city manager seemed open to further consideration.

Gieder envisions the 2026 Cannifest having a main stage inside Dell’Arte’s facilities with two outdoor stages and a target attendance of roughly 1,500 people, or whatever the facility will accommodate. He’s had discussions with folks at Blue Lake Casino about potentially hosting parking for the event, with shuttles to and from the venue. Nothing has been finalized on that front, and the casino remains a backup option should the Dell’Arte scenario fall through, Gieder said.

A staff report for tonight’s Blue Lake City Council meeting asks the council to provide direction on how staff should move forward — namely, whether or not to grant the discretionary permits the event would require, whether to allow for the temporary closure of city streets and, if the event is given the green light, how strictly to enforce the City’s prohibition on cannabis usage. 

“Clearly using cannabis in the streets and open public spaces at Dell Arte would be prohibited,” the report says. It later includes the following passage, with underlines in the original copy:

Staff is not asking Council to weigh in on the details of the permits, nor the conditions that would be necessary should the permits be approved, but instead is requesting Council focus on the nature of the proposed special event and give direction on whether this is the type of event that the City desires to encourage in downtown Blue Lake and how expansive such an event should be.

Pebdani noted that she personally feels like Cannifest, and the unexpected community struggle it has triggered, “pales in comparison to what our full mission is.” But she added that other members of Dell’Arte’s board feel that such struggles have always been central to the mission — that pushing against the often conservative social attitudes in this former lumber town are integral to Dell’Arte’s “Theater of Place” tradition.

Asked how important Cannifest is for the financial survival of Dell’Arte, Bremer said, “Every event is necessary, to be very clear. Things are difficult, so every opportunity for us to generate revenue is very, very important.”

“We’re terrified of losing this permit,” Pebdani added. “I don’t want to add to any vitriol or fear, but the fear is that we won’t be able to have these events that are going to be the thing that saves the school.”

Tonight’s meeting represents an opportunity to communicate outside of the often toxic environment of social media.

“It sucks that this happened so quick and loud, but it’s necessary,” Pebdani said. “Let’s hear what are the majority of our community thinks, not the three people … or however many people who are the loudest.”

Bremer took a step even farther back, remarking on the power of art to change people’s lives and the influence of Dell’Arte, in particular, on the residents of Blue Lake as well as the school’s former international students, who came here from around the world.

“The fact that people know about Blue Lake, California, in Denmark, in Africa, in Indonesia because of the the incredible work that’s been done here,” he said. “And then on a local level, we’ve been in schools for generations. So we’re bringing arts and enriching the lives and expanding the minds and building empathy — like, our mission is not to play it safe. Our mission is to enrich lives and culture and be a positive force for change. So here we are.”

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You can find more information about tonight’s Blue Lake City Council meeting, including a Zoom link for remote participation, by clicking here to download the agenda. 

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PREVIOUSLY

• Dell’Arte Faces Closure, Lays Off Staff Due to ‘Critical Cash Flow Issues’
• ‘This Fundraiser is the Bridge to Our Future’: Community Members Rally to Save Dell’Arte Amid Financial Woes
• Dell’Arte Staff Discuss ‘Perfect Storm’ of Problems That Led to the Theater’s Current Financial Crisis During Last Night’s Community Town Hall in Blue Lake

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

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For 20 nights every year, police from UC San Diego depart from their usual school rounds and patrol the shores of La Jolla, Black’s Beach, and Torrey Pines. Powered by overtime pay provided by the federal Department of Homeland Security, the officers look for people crossing the border.

UC San Diego police have long participated in the federal Department of Homeland Security program known as Operation Stonegarden, which provides $10.9 million annually to dozens of California law enforcement agencies to collaborate with Border Patrol. The practice continued through Democratic and Republican administrations, and after the state adopted a sanctuary law in 2017 restricting law enforcement collaboration with immigration enforcement.

Now, UC San Diego is participating in the program at a time of heightened immigration enforcement by the Border Patrol. The school warns students about the locations of Border Patrol checkpoints on its website. Dozens of students had their visas revoked and later reinstated last year and at least one was detained at the border.

So far, the Stonegarden program at UC San Diego has not prompted public criticism. Police departments usually spend the money on overtime pay for officers to carry out operations for Customs and Border Protection. The money can also pay for a wide range of surveillance equipment, from search cameras and devices that transmit their data, to facial and license plate recognition software. Three California counties — Imperial, San Diego and Riverside — accept the grant and distribute it to police forces in their area.

California and four other sanctuary states — New York, Washington, Vermont and Minnesota — participate in Stonegarden, along with 18 other states and territories. California receives the third-most in grant money overall after Texas and Arizona.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican who is running for governor, told CalMatters that the state sanctuary law should be renamed the “California Criminal Protection Act,” but he also said that his department’s participation in Stonegarden does not violate that law. Bianco added that he is extremely proud his department works with Border Patrol.

“By providing local law enforcement resources through Operation Stonegarden to combat … public safety concerns, Border Patrol and other federal agents are more able to dedicate their resources to immigration enforcement and border security,” Bianco said.

The California Attorney General’s office under Democrat Rob Bonta said it could not analyze whether Stonegarden grants violate the state sanctuary law. His representatives said the law permits state and local agencies to collaborate with federal agencies on joint task forces, “to the extent that the primary focus of those task forces is not immigration enforcement.”

Even though local agencies conduct the operations, civilians cannot access information about Operation Stonegarden activity from them. Once an operation is completed, police submit an activity report to Border Patrol chronicling their border enforcement actions, field interviews, arrests and citations, and other information they deem relevant.

An information officer with the UC San Diego police department said once they submit activity reports to DHS, they can still view them, but cannot edit them. Multiple police departments told CalMatters that, though they still have access to see the reports, they cannot provide them through public record requests, as the reports become federal property once entered into the Homeland Security Information Network. This database is available to the Department of Homeland Security and its international and private sector partners, but not to the public.

However, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department provided several reports through a California Public Records Act request. The reports show that while carrying out Stonegarden operations, the department frequently made traffic stops in 2023 and 2024, working collaboratively with Border Patrol personnel. Most of the stops led to no arrests, citations or drug seizures. Instead, the stops resulted in “intel development,” meaning federal intelligence was developed regarding interactions between civilians and cops during those stops even when no crime was committed.

Scanning San Diego waterways

Sgt. Patrick Dobbins, who oversees Stonegarden spending at the UC San Diego police department, said the patrols fall within the university’s jurisdiction. On patrol, the department monitors the university’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where nearly 6,000 students study ocean and earth sciences.

“The activity is the shoreline,” said Dobbins. “That’s not on the main campus itself, but it is campus property.” Dobbins said the department has received the grant for over a decade.

Dobbins said his department would conduct similar patrols in those areas “whether it be through Stonegarden funds or not,” adding that the grant allows for more patrols that are more visible, last longer, and don’t detract from university funds. The grant also pays for vehicle fuel.

The UC San Diego website says there are “unfortunately” Border Patrol stations in San Diego County, and that the school cannot predict when the stations become active. The website also says that the UC Police Department will not work with federal immigration agents to remove students from campus.

According to Dobbins as well as operational reports that have been posted online, campus officers search for pangas — open-air fishing boats often used to cross the border. Dobbins said panga crossings pose major safety risks to the travellers inside. Last November, a panga capsized near the San Diego coast, killing four migrants, according to the Los Angeles Times. One survivor of the accident was apprehended by federal immigration agents.

Dobbins added that the UC San Diego police department focuses on safety and security rather than immigration enforcement.

“We are prohibited from even asking immigration status or enforcing immigration law. So that’s not part of our duties, and we don’t even ask about it,” he said. Lately, he added, there’s “more of an emphasis on that, as a reminder that that’s not what our mission is.”

Stonegarden strengthens communication between university police and agencies like the Coast Guard to help respond to crises they cannot solve alone, said Dobbins.

Along with watching the water, police at the university conduct a couple of patrols each year on Interstate 5 to hunt for drug-smuggling vehicles. The patrols act as a deterrent against criminal activity, Dobbins said.

Mitigating border crime stirs controversy

Stonegarden grant documents from the Biden administration show that the program is meant to target border-related crime. The Federal Emergency Management Agency defines that crime as one of two things: trafficking, of humans, narcotics or weapons of mass destruction; or simply illegal border crossing.

According to a 2024 grant document for Imperial County, police forces are to apprehend all “criminal aliens” they assess to be entering the country illegally. The Biden administration document also states that increased enforcement under Stonegarden would ideally reduce border incursions.

A blue emergency station near La Jolla Shores in San Diego on Feb. 4, 2026. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

Tracy Rosenberg, who has researched Stonegarden for Oakland Privacy, a privacy rights organization, said the emphasis of the grant switches back and forth between drug trafficking and immigration arrests. According to FEMA, Stonegarden success is measured with three statistics: the number of participating agencies, overtime hours, and arrests.

“There’s nothing about crime or violence prevention in there,” said Rosenberg. “It is simply, how many people did you arrest and how many drugs did you seize?”

Several agencies across the country have quietly stopped participating in Stonegarden over the years, citing concerns about racial profiling, protecting asylum seekers, and endangering Latino communities. One Arizona sheriff withdrew from the grant after President Donald Trump took office in 2025, fearing his department would contribute to mass deportations.

“It is clear that you don’t get the money unless you agree to cooperate with Border Patrol in certain ways,” Rosenberg said. She added that sheriffs in California seem to believe they can uphold California’s sanctuary law and work with Border Patrol at the same time.

Tools of surveillance

Logs of equipment bought with Stonegarden grants are part of operations order reports that the public is not supposed to see. Customs and Border Protection asserts they are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Some local governments have published them anyway, revealing purchases like mobile data laptops, GPS trackers, camera systems, unmanned aircrafts, patrol vehicles, and license plate readers.

UC San Diego police procured night vision binoculars through the grant, according to Dobbins.

The badge of a University of California Police officer at a pro-Palestine encampment at UC San Diego on May 1, 2024. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

Rachel Zaetz, senior director of communicators for the UC Board of Regents, the governing body of the UC, said in an emailed statement that there is no requirement for the regents to approve Operation Stonegarden acquisitions for UC police departments. Dobbins said the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department provides the grant to the UC San Diego police.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy organization, implored the Trump administration to end Operation Stonegarden in a January 2025 memo. The foundation argued that technology companies manipulate police into applying for Stonegarden to sell them surveillance technology they don’t need and won’t use.

In 2021, the boat manufacturer SAFE Boats uploaded a promotional bulletin about Homeland Security grant opportunities to its website. And Pelco, a surveillance and security company, runs a comprehensive blog encouraging police to seek Stonegarden funds, offering grant application assistance and a catalogue of the company’s border security cameras.

Local ordinances passed by elected officials can regulate surveillance tech used by small police forces, said Dave Maass, director of investigations at the digital privacy organization. He added that state universities are only subject to regulations passed by the university systems at large, or the state Legislature.

“Students don’t get to vote on who runs the university,” Maass said. “It’s not a democracy, unfortunately. And so the students don’t get a whole lot of power in deciding what rules affect them.”

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

Rebecca Holmes Bertain passed away from this life on February 1, after a battle with dementia.

Born in Pasadena in 1946 to Bob and Rita Holmes, Rebecca joined two older siblings, Roberta and Dean, as the baby of the family. Growing up in Chatsworth in post-war California on a 20-acre ranch — half orange trees, half alfalfa — was an exciting time for Rebecca, with numerous tales of adventures with her friend Diane in the greater Los Angeles urban area, and trips to see relatives in the rural farming communities. Early in her life and starting in 1953, Rebecca’s family had begun putting down roots in Humboldt County, moving back and forth between Southern California and an 80-acre (originally 280 acres) piece of property located on the top of Fickle Hill, above Arcata and the fog.

As a girl of twelve years old, during one of her sojourns in Southern California, Rebecca attended a revival led by Rev. Billy Graham. There, she accepted the love of Jesus Christ into her heart, and that love burned brightly for the rest of her life. All who knew her saw Rebecca’s deep and abiding faith. Her lifelong involvement and sharing of her musical talents in her church and parish communities was a source of great support and comfort to many.

Rebecca married Robert Alder in 1964, welcoming three children of their own, Rebecca (Sorter), Ronald, and Rachel, along with adopting their son Robert Alder III, a Yurok member. During those times, life took her back and forth from Humboldt County to Southern California, and then later to Missouri for about a year. As this marriage came to a close, Rebecca ended up moving back to Humboldt County, along with her children, and a new chapter began.

During this time, Rebecca became involved with Gospel Outreach and Faith Center in Eureka, while also developing close ties with the church families at Trinity Baptist and Arcata First Baptist. Rebecca also became really close with a number of families in the early Pro-Life movement, including Fred and Cheryl Kent. As time went on, Fred and Cheryl later played a role in introducing Rebecca to Bill Bertain, a local attorney and former member of the 82nd Airborne Division, and the youngest of a large family from Scotia. Bill and Rebecca were deeply attracted to each other from the start, and so began a love that resulted in nearly 40 years of marriage. They were married at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in 1986 on the Monday night after Easter Sunday and 2 days after Rebecca joined the Catholic Faith on Holy Saturday. Bill always said that he had wanted to marry a beautiful woman who was smarter than him. And he did. She had told him that she would not marry him unless he quit smoking. He followed her advice.

Bill and Rebecca built a house of their own at the end of Ole Hansen Road mostly out of used lumber that Bill had been collecting (including the bowling alley lanes from the old Eureka Bowl). They soon started a family, welcoming a son, William, and a daughter, Essie. That five-acre property became a place of many gatherings of friends and families , and for church services over the decades, as well as birthdays, receptions, and parties, and became alive with the sounds of children and grandchildren, cousins and friends.

Music was such a key part of Rebecca’s life, and one she enjoyed with her husband Bill and with all of her children. To many who first met her, Rebecca was likely first introduced as a church piano lady. Later on, she became the organizational energy and inspiration behind Messiah School of the Arts, which became Messiah Choral Ministries. To our knowledge, Rebecca never took a formal piano lesson, but was entirely self-taught at the age of 25.

And, my, how she could play! And write music – including a musical based on the Book of Esther, along with many songs praising God. Rebecca was also a tremendous gardener, and her green thumb was superb. Many a child helped themselves to the organic produce, berries and fruit that came from her garden. As for her flowers, they were like something out of a fairy-tale.

Children were a deep delight to her, and the warmth, care and affection she had for little ones was an inspiration to us all.

Rebecca’s tenacity in life was legendary. All of five-foot nothing and 105 pounds soaking wet (at most), her can-do attitude, drive, and intensity (coupled with kindness and gentleness) was something to behold. Whether it was raising a deer as a pet, riding a horse while standing on its back when she was a little girl, teaching herself piano, getting a truck out of a ditch on a cliff-side road, or taking on the role of foreman for the construction of her own home, nobody could get it across to Rebecca that she could not do what she set her mind on. And for those of us who tried telling her, she’d tell you a thing or two.

Rebecca’s faith in her Savior was like a rock. While it was by no means always easy, that little girl who accepted Jesus walked faithfully, through life’s toils, with Him until the end.

Rebecca was preceded in death: by her parents, by her adopted son Robert Alder, and by her newborn grandson David Christopher Alder. Rebecca leaves behind: her husband, Bill Bertain, her daughters Rebecca Sorter (Gary), Rachel, Essie (Allen), her sons Ronald (Darlene) and Will (Michelle). She also leaves behind twenty-two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

The family expresses its deep gratitude to the Weeks family, who provided much care and attention to Rebecca in her final year, and especially to Sequoia Matteoli, who took such good care of Mom in her final months and days.

Thanks are also due to Visiting Angels of Humboldt County, and to Hospice of Humboldt. Your care and attention to Mom is deeply appreciated.

Rebecca, Mom … you will be missed so very much. The pain and grief we feel now at your passing reminds us of how you did so much for us, and our lives were better for your love. With deep hope in Our Savior, we trust that you made the audition with the angel band, and got your part.

May the angels lead you into paradise. May choirs of angels receive you, and may you have eternal rest.

Rebecca’s funeral Mass of Resurrection will take place at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, at St. Bernard’s Church in Eureka with the viewing to commence at 12:30 p.m. and Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 12:45 p.m.