Janet Cynthia (Hay) West was born on March 1, 1947, in Eureka. She was part of the fifth generation of her family born in Humboldt County.

On August 8, 2024, the angels called her to her heavenly home. She was 77. She entered through the pearly gates and is walking on streets of gold with her family and friends, who were there to welcome her and say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

Janet was born to Erwin G. Hay and Carol (Hannah) Hay, the second child of six, in Eureka.

Janet began kindergarten at Trinity Valley School. Her mother, Carol Hay, was instrumental in the creation of the kindergarten and was Janet’s teacher.

Janet attended Blue Lake School from 2nd through 7th grade. She returned to Trinity Valley and graduated from the 8th grade. As a child, people described her as independent, precocious, strong-willed and talented. She taught herself to knit as a child in her special hideaway, where she loved to read books.

She attended Hoopa High School where she met the one and only love of her life, big Jim West. They were married for 60 years, taking their vows on February 1, 1964. During those 60 years they had many wonderful and daring adventures.

Jim and Janet had three beautiful and mischievous children: Jennifer Lee, Jay Allen and Jeffrey Thomas.

In 1972 they sold their home in Eureka (purchased on trust and a handshake) and moved to Trinity Village. Their home, a gathering place for family and friends, was always abuzz with activity and great food.

Janet loved camping. She and Jim introduced a menagerie of family and friends to Idlewild campground on the Salmon River, where they fished for dinner, hiking from there to the lakes in the Marble Mountains. She enjoyed hunting with her family, motorcycle rides and foraging firewood for their family and others in need.

Janet was self-taught, had a determined spirit and could accomplish, with perfection, that to which she put her heart and mind. She could shoot, skin and cook a deer (one of which was eating her roses). She did professional seamstress work, creating custom one-of-a-kind wedding dresses for brides. Janet was an amazing cook and baker, using her early 1900s era cookstove. She was specially known for her doughnuts, pies and sugar cookies.

We cannot overemphasize her many diverse passions and talents and her willingness to lend a helping hand to her family and friends. She wallpapered many a wall out of the goodness of her heart and gave haircuts in her home to family and friends. She put on spectacular Christian Women’s Club events and owned her own Famers Insurance business in Willow Creek at the Rite Spot.

She loved the old west, westerns, books and Gunsmoke. She was a pioneer woman at heart which included her love of horses. She had her beloved horse, Chick. She helped corralling cattle and taking them into the Trinity Alps with their friend’s cattle company. She and Jim spent many a joyful and hard-working weekend with Chick, Jim, and his horse Big Red and the cattle.

Janet influenced several generations, from teaching Bible club at Burnt Ranch School to creating a meaningful arts and crafts program for Vacation Bible School for several years at the Willow Creek Bible Church, where she also taught Sunday School.

In later years Jim and Janet shared the love of travel, he the driver and she the copilot. They enjoyed traveling to Tennessee, Lake Havasu and all over the greater United States, often taking their friends, family, adult children and grandchildren. They took a trip to Hawaii and fell in love with the Islands but especially Kauai. On their 50th wedding anniversary Jim and Janet and their three kids and spouses traveled to Kauai, where they danced to the Hawaiian Wedding song in front of an enormous luau audience.

Janet was a huge Elvis fan. One of the highlights of her life was attending an Elvis impersonator show in Hawaii. Her son Jeff and wife Samantha purchased tickets for her and arranged for her to go on stage and dance with him. Jim was a little jealous when she said she would not wash her face after Elvis kissed her.

She was known to stretch a dollar like nobody’s business but not afraid to spend one either — especially on dishes, teacups and chintz brought back from England while on a trip with lifelong friends.

Janet lived a full and beautiful life with her soulmate Jim and her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Judy Hay Giacone. She is survived by her husband, Jim West; her three children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; her sister and best friend, Georjean Corsetti; brother Jack Hay; sister Joan Hersey; and brother James Hay, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.

A part of her will still live on in all of us. Let us never stop sharing our memories of Janet and she will remain in alive in our hearts.

We would like to thank Trinity Alps Mortuary for their kindness and service at this difficult time.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Redwood Adult and Teen Challenge.

There will be a celebration of her full and beautiful life on Saturday, September 7 at noon at the Ranch on Fountain Ranch Rd. A feast will be provided.

Nancy J. (Vance) Evans-Sundberg
August 31, 1946 - August 11, 2024

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Nancy (Vance) Evans-Sundberg. Nancy was born to John M. and Laura Vance on August 31, 1946 in Eureka. She was the youngest of four children. Nancy was a fifth generation of the Vance and Ohman families of Humboldt County. Her favorite childhood memories were of the family house and ranch in Carlotta and spending her summers camping at “the acre” on the Van Duzen River.

Nancy attended Elk River School, Jacobs Junior High, and Eureka High School where she graduated in 1964. She married Gary Evans after graduation and they had two daughters; Janie in 1965 and Jennifer in 1967. They spent 10 years in the Bay Area and returned to Eureka in 1976 to start the CPA firm Aalfs, Evans & Co. Nancy and Gary later divorced, but maintained their friendship.

In 1982, Nancy attended Frederick and Charles Beauty College and became a licensed Cosmetologist. She returned to get her cosmetology teaching license and taught at the local beauty college. She enjoyed teaching and sharing her knowledge with others. In 1984, Nancy purchased Valley West Hair Care and in 1985 her daughter Janie joined her at the salon. They worked side by side for 33 years.

In 1991, Nancy reconnected with Victor Sundberg, a longtime family friend, and they married in 1993. They were able to blend their families and create fond memories over the next 31 years. They enjoyed spending time with their family, taking trips to visit Vic’s children in Alaska and the San Juan Islands, spending summers at the cabin in Trinity Village, taking drives, and boat and bird watching at Humboldt Bay.

Nancy enjoyed her profession and looked forward to socializing with her many regular clients. In her own words, “I truly love my job! I suspect it will be one great event that will get me out from behind the chair for good.” In 2018, Nancy was diagnosed with Fallopian tube/Ovarian cancer and spent the following nine months living with her daughter Jennifer, and son-in-law Carl, in Sacramento while receiving care at UC Davis. She closed the salon in 2019 after 36 years in business.

Nancy was naturally artistic and creative. During her time living in the Bay Area, she took art classes at the University and continued to explore all forms of art throughout her lifetime. She had many hobbies: reading, gardening, knitting, cooking, painting, drawing, and jewelry making, to name a few. Her latest hobby was making ‘Stamping Up!’ greeting cards. She enjoyed her yearly crafting trips with her daughters and friends, going to craft fairs, open artists tours, and antique fairs with her daughter Jennifer and researching genealogy with her daughter Janie. Nancy had been a proud member of Soroptimist International of Humboldt Bay, where she enjoyed giving back to the community and socializing.

Nancy loved being a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was very involved in raising her granddaughter Brittney, and then her great-granddaughters Kynadi and Austyn whom she adored. She loved spending time with the girls and was affectionately given the nickname “WaWa.” The great- grandchildren were the light of her life. She loved to tell anyone who would listen the funny things they did or said, and looked forward to their next adventure. She attended every school and sporting event, dance recital, picked the girls up from school, read every book, and sewed every overly loved doll, blanket and stuffed animal. She was the only great- grandmother on the playground climbing equipment or going down the slide. All the girls were given the most precious gift in this world- her unconditional love.

Her daughters describe her best: “Her laugh was the first thing you would hear when she came into the room, it would make your heart smile. Her generosity, kindness and fairness kept those she knew on the right path. She stood up for those who couldn’t fight for themselves, and somehow made you like yourself more after being with her. She built you up, she made sure you knew how special you were, and she always saw the good in everyone; even those that didn’t have much ‘good; to show. She was the best mom, making the simplest nights into lifelong cherished memories. She overly celebrated every holiday, made every birthday a special event, and built so many family traditions that we still cherish: Friday night popcorn and root-beer float night, advent calendar gifts at Christmas, stocking stuffers of Mandarin oranges and nuts, and your favorite homemade birthday cake. She had a hug that can could be felt to your core. She brought love, laughter, understanding, compassion, and the ability to make even the bad situations feel ‘OK.’ Her spirit will live on in those who knew her, because a love that strong will be felt for a lifetime. She touched our souls and we are forever thankful, and blessed beyond words, to have felt that kind of love.”

Nancy battled cancer for six years yet always maintained her positive, happy, and stoic outlook on life. As she and her body grew more tired, she opted to be home on Hospice where she passed surrounded by her family.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Victor Sundberg; Daughters: Janie Johnson and Jennifer (Carl) Stolnacke; Step-children: Shan (Steve) Wilbur and Shawn (Eileen) Sundberg; Grandchildren: Brittney (David) Duran, Rachel (Brendan) Flynn, Erin (Tanner) Jitmongkonul, Taylor (Jason) Monie, and Lexi Sundberg. Great-Grandchildren: Kynadi, Austyn, August and Cooper; Sister Patrica Briggs; Brothers: Harry Vance and John (Sharon) Vance; Brother-in-law Scott (Pat) Sundberg; Nephews: John Vance, and Stephen Sundberg; Nieces: Penny (Troy) Combs, and Sara (Drew) Alldredge; Great-Nephew Tyler (Kammi) King; Cousins: Evelyn Ley Coleman and Bill Ley; and ex-husband and friends Gary (Debra) Evans.

An enormous thank you to the UC Davis doctors and staff, chemotherapy staff at Providence in Eureka, and Hospice of Humboldt. At this time no services are planned. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of Nancy’s favorite local organizations in her name: Humboldt County Historical Society, Soroptimist International of Humboldt Bay, or Hospice of Humboldt.

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Eureka has officially joined the big leagues! At a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon, city officials and community leaders celebrated the grand opening of California Welcome Center Eureka – the city’s state-designated visitor center.

“I think it’s huge for our area,” Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery told the Outpost. “This is going to be a real game-changer for the City of Eureka and will help us promote the beauty of the entire region. It’s an honor to have this designation, and it’s going to be great for the city.”

As a newly minted Visit California Welcome Center, the Eureka Visitor Center will help service travelers and by providing destination, attraction, performing arts and accommodations brochures, as well as regional merchandise and tickets to local attractions and events.

Although California Welcome Centers are independently operated – usually by visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, city governments, private entities or some combination thereof – each center is subject to strict standards developed by the California Office of Tourism. Under these rules, the “California Welcome Center” designation must be prominently displayed on the outside of the building and the visitor center must be open seven days a week with established hours of operation.

It took the city three years to get through the state’s lengthy designation process. First, the city had to relocate the visitor center from its former location on Broadway, next to Harbor Lanes, to a space that met Visit California’s requirements. After the big move to 108 F Street, the city had to wait for a request for proposals (RFP) for new state-designated Welcome Centers. In November 2023 the city submitted a proposal and hosted Visit California’s RFP selection team for a site visit. And, as it turns out, Eureka’s proposal was the only one chosen to receive the state designation!

“This is something we’ve hoped for for a long time,” Swan Asbury, the city’s economic development manager, told the Outpost. “This helps promote Eureka across the state, and it also plugs us into the Visit California marketing efforts. It just helps get Eureka out there further and helps us up our game.”

Keep scrolling for more information from the City of Eureka and pictures from today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony!

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Press release from the City of Eureka:

The City of Eureka, in partnership with Eddy Alexander, is thrilled to announce that the Eureka Visitor Center has officially been designated as a Visit California Welcome Center.

We have worked for the past three years to achieve this designation as a key tourism goal and are excited to see it come to fruition. The journey began with relocating the Visitor Center to a space that met Visit California’s requirements. We then waited and prepared for Visit California to announce a request for proposals (RFP) for new Welcome Centers. In November 2023, Eureka submitted a proposal and welcomed a site visit from Visit California’s RFP selection team. We are proud to share that Eureka’s proposal was the only one chosen to receive this designation!

This milestone elevates Eureka’s profile as a tourist destination, demonstrating our dedication to our local hospitality industry and showcasing our city’s unique charm and attractions to residents and visitors alike.

We are also proud to join Visit California, which will help promote Eureka across the state and provide opportunities for Eureka to be included in Visit California’s extensive marketing efforts. The 22 California Welcome Centers throughout the state share the mission of ensuring every visitor has the best experience possible. They prioritize the local perspective and are staffed with personal travel concierge experts prepared to offer information to enhance and enrich your visit, regardless of your interests in the arts, local culture, or ecological attractions.

If you haven’t visited us yet, we invite you to do so. We are located in the heart of Old Town, next to the Gazebo, at 108 F Street. Our doors are open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm, and we often stay open later to support events happening in the area. 

This location is also home to part of our City of Eureka Economic Development Team and Eureka Main Street. We welcome our community to visit, explore our services, and to direct visitors to our location.

We can’t wait to welcome you soon!

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From the Eureka Police Department:

On August 28, 2024, the Eureka Police Department, supported by the California Highway Patrol and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Investigator Unit, conducted a DUI Checkpoint on 4th Street near Commercial Street in Eureka. The checkpoint ran from approximately 7:45 p.m. to 11:30 a.m.

During the operational period of the checkpoint a total of 700 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. Of those vehicles, 645 were screened by officers. 55 vehicles were not screened due to traffic congestion. 49 vehicles were pulled aside for further screening by officers.

There was one arrest made during the checkpoint and the driver was for DUI (Alcohol/Drugs), Failure to obey a Peace Officer, Driving on a suspended license, and Possession of a controlled substance.

In addition to this arrest the following enforcement actions were taken:

• 9 - Field Sobriety Test were administered to drivers.
• 9 – Citations were issued for Driving While Unlicensed or Driving on a Suspended License
• 2 – Citations issued for Open Containers
• 1 – Citation for a Registration Violation
• 4 – Vehicles were towed

The Eureka Police Department would like to remind everyone to be safe this holiday weekend and don’t drive impaired. We would also like to thank the California Highway Patrol, the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Investigative Unit and the City of Eureka’s Public Works Division for their assistance with this operation.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Press release from the County of Humboldt:

Make your voice heard on local climate initiatives at the Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan public meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Wharfinger Building, located at 1 Marina Way in Eureka.

Background

The County of Humboldt is working with incorporated cities and community partners, including the Humboldt Waste Management Authority, Humboldt Transit Authority, Humboldt County Association of Governments and Redwood Coast Energy Authority, on the Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions countywide. The plan identifies strategies to lower emissions from vehicle travel, electricity use, natural gas consumption and other local sources of greenhouse gases. The plan’s emissions reduction goals align with California’s state targets of reducing emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.

The County of Humboldt’s Planning & Building Department has released the latest draft of the Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan for its 30-day public review period, which ends on Friday, Sept. 13. Review the plan at humboldtgov.org/climateactionplan. 

Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan Public Meeting

A public meeting to discuss the plan with the community will occur on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Wharfinger Building, located at 1 Marina Way in in Eureka. All interested community members are encouraged to review the document and share their input. 
For more information and background on the Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan and how to submit public comment, please visit humboldtgov.org/climateactionplan.

How to Attend on Microsoft Teams

Members of the public may attend the public meeting on Microsoft Teams by visiting Microsoft Teams and entering the passcode X5dQYx. To access on the phone, please call 949-508-0813, and enter the meeting id: 140 136 751 #.

The County of Humboldt is committed to providing equal access to all county programs, services and activities through the provision of accommodations for individuals with qualified disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). With 72 hours prior notice, a request for reasonable accommodation for the public meeting can be made by calling 707-268-3722.   

For more information, please call 707-441-2634, email macevedo@co.humboldt.ca.us, or visit the Planning & Building Department office located at 3015 H St. in Eureka.
Review the Humboldt Regional Climate Action Plan

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PREVIOUSLY: Harbor District to Consider Issuing Permit to Allow Repair (Rebuild?) of a Fallen Billboard in Humboldt Bay Tidelands

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The Humboldt Bay Harbor District’s Board of Commissioners last night decided that they need more information before green-lighting the repair/rebuilding of a billboard that’s been lying face-down in Humboldt Bay since winter.

In a 3-0 vote, with Commissioners Craig Benson and Patrick Higgins absent, the board opted to require an initial study under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before ruling on a permit application from OutFront Media, the advertising company that owns the billboard.

Harbor District staff had characterized the project as a “repair” of an existing billboard, though plans to re-erect the thing involved removing the existing uprights and using an excavator to pile-drive a dozen new posts 10 feet into the ground. Staff’s assessment found that the project was exempt from CEQA review because the new structure would be located on the same site and have the same purpose and capacity as the one being replaced. 

But at last night’s meeting, Division 3 Commissioner Stephen Kullman suggested that there may be unusual circumstances in this case due to the ongoing construction of the Humboldt Bay Trail, among other factors.

In an email, Harbor District Director of Development Rob Holmlund explained that since this stretch of Hwy. 101 is not a state-designated scenic highway, impacts to the beautiful bay view don’t automatically trigger CEQA review. But there can be an exception to otherwise CEQA-exempt projects under special circumstances.

The CEQA initial study could find that the project is indeed exempt from further review, or it could require more of it — either a Negative Declaration, a Mitigated Negative Declaration or a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Holmlund explained.

The Board also voted to continue the item to a “date certain,” scheduled for November 20th. If the Initial Study is done by then, the board will decide which path to take next.

It’s not that California lawmakers shouldn’t aim high, but in an election year, they might avoid taking on bills that could upset voters — their own, or voters of their colleagues.

But that’s not always the case.

In the final days of this session, some Democratic lawmakers are pushing bills that seem ripe for Republican attack ads.

Take Assembly Bill 1840 by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, which would expand the state’s “Dream for All” down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers to undocumented Californians.

The bill has prompted criticism from Republican lawmakers, some of whom cited the state’s budget troubles in their opposition. It also drew “no” votes from four Democrats in the Senate Tuesday, where it ultimately passed 25-14. Wednesday, the bill passed through the Assembly on a 45-15 vote and was sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Senate Republicans immediately urged Newsom to veto the bill, calling it the latest in “a long litany of taxpayer dollar giveaways…that encourage and reward illegal immigration.”

Arambula, a Fresno Democrat, said the measure is part of representing his constituents, who struggle with being able to purchase a home despite working and paying taxes. He is up for re-election, but primary results indicate he is likely to win.

“Thus far, the Dream for All program has not had the diversity that we are used to seeing within our state benefit from the program, so we need to make sure that we’re passing policies that are inclusive,” Arambula told CalMatters.

Sen. Dave Min, an Irvine Democrat running for Congress this fall, voted against the bill — not because it’s an election year, though. He also did not vote for a previous version of the program proposed in 2022.

“I believe that the problem in California with our housing is that it’s too expensive and that is a bigger problem than down payment or lack of down payment assistance,” Min said. “I believe that that program and programs like it have the effect of increasing our home prices.”

But Arambula said ensuring a social safety net for all is important because of a “broken” immigration system, election year or not.

“We have to make sure that representation means that we’re standing up for every person who’s in our district, not just those who can vote for us,” he said. “We have so many people in our state who are not able to benefit from the programs despite the fact that they pay their fair share of taxes, and are working hard and helping our economy to continue to improve.”

As of 2021, California was home to about 2.4 million undocumented immigrants, who paid about $51.4 billion in state and local taxes, according to the latest numbers available from USC’s California Immigrant Data Portal.

Even if the bill wins final passage and is signed into law, its impact is uncertain. The California Department of Finance told KCRA that the program has no money to give anyone — undocumented or not — because lawmakers didn’t appropriate funds for it this year.

Matt Gunderson, a Republican candidate in a congressional seat in Orange and San Diego counties, is already using the bill to attack his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mike Levin, though there’s no clear connection between Levin and the state proposal.

“Mike Levin owes voters an explanation as to whether he supports giving taxpayer dollars to help illegal immigrants buy homes,” Gunderson said in a press release Wednesday.

Arambula isn’t the only ambitious lawmaker trying to push through a hot-button bill before the Legislature adjourns Saturday.

Sen. Dave Cortese revived Senate Bill 94 from the inactive file on Aug 13 It would allow some convicted felons to appeal for shortened sentences if the crime was committed before June 5, 1990, and they have served at least 25 years. It would not include anyone convicted of first-degree murder of a police officer, of three or more people, or of a “registerable” sex offense.

Republicans blasted the bill as a “pro-criminal” measure that would retraumatize victims or family members who may have to testify again at parole hearings. Republican legislators and crime victim advocates held a rally last week at the state Capitol to oppose the bill.

Cortese, a Democrat from Campbell, has defended the bill, saying it was a “conservative, narrow bill tailored to a specific subsection of our incarcerated population who may not have received the same sentence had they been convicted in the present day.”

On Wednesday, Republicans slammed a similar bill from Berkeley Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner that would allow inmates serving at least 15 years to seek relief if there have been any changes in sentencing laws to make them eligible for a reduced sentence.

“Rapists, drug dealers, murderers, child molesters and worse. These are the people that legislative Democrats care about, really?!” Senate GOP leader Brian Jones of San Diego said in a statement.

Aside from partisan differences, public safety bills have also been a major sticking point this year in the Legislature among Democrats, with some concerned that the pendulum is swinging back too far towards measures that disproportionately impact communities of color.

Cortese said he has been working to balance the various concerns on the bill for the last two years, and that it has been significantly amended.

“The payoff for that is not necessarily getting the bill signed into law,” he told CalMatters. “That’s the goal. But sometimes the payoff is just to get your hearing and get a vote on it, and we’re still trying to do that.”

Cortese is up for re-election this year, but like Arambula, is likely to win.

An Assemblymember makes notes before the appropriations committee hearing on Aug. 15, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Dan Schnur, a politics professor at UC Berkeley, USC and Pepperdine University, said it is more difficult to pass a politically risky bill just weeks before an election than in an odd-year session when there is a full year for voters to calm down or forget.

“Sometimes, a piece of legislation is time sensitive so there’s no choice but to move forward in an election year,” he said. “But it’s almost always easier to persuade a reluctant colleague to cast a controversial vote when their re-election is still off in the distance.”

In Cortese’s view, though, there’s never a perfect time for a bill.

“I think the best policy for a Legislature is just keep doing what you think is the righteous thing to do, regardless of what the polls say or what popular opinion is saying from one day to the next, because it’s very fickle,” he said.

And if it doesn’t pass this year? “I hope it’s this year,” Cortese said. “But if it’s not, we just need to keep working on it. I will do that, either way.”

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