Well, what do you know? Looks like clear skies are in the forecast on the Humboldt coast tonight, so you might as well cast your eyes skyward this evening to catch the slightly rare occurrence the heavens are brewing up. 

For starters, tonight is 2025’s “wolf moon.” (Awooo!) That’s the name given to the first full moon of the calendar year, so named because long ago people believed that wolves were more likely to be heard howling during winter months. (Is that true? Seems dubious.)

But adding to the sky fun: at approximately 6:04 p.m. tonight Humboldt-time, the moon will occult Mars — which is just a fancy way to say that the moon will pass in front of Mars. (A more fun way to say that, we’d argue, is to say that the moon will EAT Mars, but astronomers like the language they like.) 

After being consumed, Mars will spend over a half an hour inside the moon’s cheese-filled digestive tract until 6:43 p.m., when … well, if we were to continue with our analogy, you could say the moon will… eh, never mind.

Mars will reappear at 6:43 p.m., children. Have fun. 

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BY THE WAY: There’s even more reasons to stare upward this month. Four planets will be especially bright — a “planetary parade,” according to the excitable NASA nerd in the clip below. Watch and learn! 

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As fires rage through Southern California and exacerbate the state’s insurance crisis, the California Senate has no one in charge of its Insurance Committee due to questions surrounding a federal corruption investigation.Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire said he is waiting to hear from federal prosecutors about Sen. Susan Rubio, who’s been questioned in a federal corruption probe, before making a decision about reappointing her to her previous position as chair of the Senate Insurance Committee.

“We have requested and are awaiting additional information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office before finalizing any decisions,” McGuire’s office told CalMatters in an email.

Rubio, a Democrat from Baldwin Park, said she’s “currently not involved” in the federal corruption investigation that has already ensnared a handful of other officials in San Bernardino County, Compton, Commerce and Baldwin Park.

Federal officials have not identified Rubio by name in the case. However, there is nobody else matching the description of “Person 20,” who is accused in recently released federal court documents of asking for $240,000 in bribes from a cannabis company and accepting $30,000 in illegal campaign contributions. The allegations stem from when Rubio was a member of the Baldwin Park City Council.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is overseeing the case. A spokesperson declined to comment about who Person 20 is or say when – or if – charges would be filed against them.

Experts in federal corruption cases suggest that McGuire is right to be concerned.

At CalMatters’ request, three former federal prosecutors reviewed the court documents.

The prosecutors – one of them a former U.S. Attorney – said there’s no way the U.S. Department of Justice would make public that much identifying information about a suspect in a corruption investigation if they didn’t think they could convince a jury of his or her guilt.

“If federal prosecutors are putting that level of detail — especially in a public corruption matter — into a public-facing document, they are fairly confident that information is 120% correct,” said Carrie H. Cohen, a former assistant U.S. Attorney in New York and former chief of the public integrity bureau at the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

Mark D. Chutkow, the former chief of the U.S. Attorney’s public corruption unit and criminal division in Detroit, said “it would appear that there is more due to drop in this case.”

Chutkow said when it comes to public corruption cases, federal prosecutors typically have their sights on the “highest-ranking public officials and not necessarily on … middle persons and the bribers themselves.”

“This Person No. 20 would be a higher-ranking (official) and the more important target of the federal investigation,” he said. “So one would think that they would want to finish the job.”

Last week, Rubio declined to be interviewed by a CalMatters reporter as she departed the Senate after the first floor session of the new year. Instead, her office responded with an emailed statement.

“It’s unfortunate that Senator Rubio continues to receive questions based on a case that she is currently not involved with,” her spokesperson, Matthew Z’berg, said in an email. “Senator Rubio’s focus is on serving the constituents of the 22nd Senate District and addressing important issues affecting California families.”

Spokesperson says Rubio didn’t want insurance chair

Rubio did respond to Senate Pro Tem McGuire’s decision not to give her a committee leadership post when he recently announced his assignments for the two-year session that kicked off last Monday.

Last session, Rubio chaired the Senate Insurance Committee. The post was listed as a “vacancy” on McGuire’s list.

Z’berg said that Rubio told McGuire she wasn’t interested in being the insurance committee chair any more. She “encouraged (McGuire) to appoint a new chair to be announced with all other assignments.“She also conveyed to him that by leaving the position open, he would be feeding into false narratives and speculation,” Z’berg said.

Rubio also took a thinly-veiled shot at McGuire, suggesting that he’s playing politics by leaving the seat vacant due to speculation McGuire is eying a run for California Insurance Commissioner when he terms out in 2026.“Insurance issues affecting consumers across the state are of particular interest to him,” the statement read. “It is a critical issue that he has been very vocal about in the past, and will likely continue to do so.”In a statement emailed Friday, McGuire said “we’ve been leading on consumer-focused insurance reform for years — it’s personal for me because of the wildfires that have devastated the communities I represent. And this year will be no different.“The Southern California fires make it all the more clear how critical this issue is. Any premise that any legislation would be delayed is unequivocally BS,” he said. “A committee has been formed and we will name an insurance chair in the very near future.”The Insurance Committee is not scheduled to meet until March. Bills need to be in print for at least 30 days before legislators can act on them, so any new insurance-related legislation introduced this week wouldn’t be heard until at least February.

Is Sen. Rubio “Person 20”?

The recently released federal documents are a plea agreement signed by former Baldwin Park City Attorney Robert Tafoya. Federal officials released the agreement late last year. In the agreement, Tafoya says he helped facilitate bribes to local officials from companies seeking marijuana permits.

The Los Angeles Times was the first news outlet to report that Rubio matched the description of “Person 20.” The plea agreement describes Person 20 as a public official, in a position to be able to fire the city attorney, who won a primary for state office in 2018. No other local officials match the description.

The plea agreement says Person 20 sought $240,000 from a marijuana company seeking a city permit, but the company refused to pay that much so the deal fell through. Person 20 also sought and received $30,000 from Tafoya in a scheme to drum up support for Person 20’s 2018 state campaign, the documents say. Tafoya said he agreed to pay Person 20, in exchange for assurance he’d keep his city job and get state work from Person 20 after the election, according to his plea agreement.

Tafoya admitted to federal tax evasion and bribery charges in 2023, but prosecutors kept the plea agreement secret until last month since Tafoya had agreed to participate in the ongoing investigation.

“I have no idea who Person 20 is, but I am completely confident that the U.S. Attorney’s Office would not include these declaratory statements about Person 20’s actions unless they were very confident they could prove the truth of those statements in a court of law,” said McGregor Scott, a twice-appointed former U.S. Attorney based in Sacramento.Rubio has not directly answered whether she’s “Person 20.” She told the LA Times in a statement that she “volunteered hours of her time” aiding the authorities in their investigation and that she “has no reason to believe that she would be included in any criminal allegations.”

State Sen. Susan Rubio speaks during a session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Feb. 20, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Senate reviewing ethics complaint

Bill Essayli, a Republican Assembly member from Corona, requested the Assembly and Senate ethics committees to take up investigations after the LA Times report last month. Essayli spent about four years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office that unsealed Tafoya’s plea agreement.

Essayli said he has no first-hand knowledge about this case since he left that job in 2018, but he said the allegations outlined in the plea agreement are troubling enough for the Legislature to act on its own without waiting for prosecutors. His ethics complaint also doesn’t identify Rubio by name.“When the Biden DOJ actually makes specific allegations like that against a sitting legislator, I don’t think we can wait as a public body for that investigation to play out – criminal investigations can take years to develop,” Essayli told CalMatters. “Meanwhile, this individual is still sitting in office. They still wield power in the name of the public, and they could be engaged in the same activity.”

Erin V. Peth, the chief counsel for the Senate Ethics Committee, told CalMatters Essayli’s complaint is under review, but provided no other details.

No woman California legislator has ever been indicted on public corruption charges while in office. Several male Assemblymembers and senators have been charged with such crimes over the years.

In 2010, state charges were filed against Los Angeles County Democratic Sen. Roderick Wright for voter fraud, perjury and other crimes stemming from him lying about actually living in his district. Then-Gov. Jerry Brown later pardoned Wright.

In 2016, a federal judge sentenced San Francisco’s Democratic Sen. Leland Yee to five years in prison for doing political favors in exchange for campaign cash.

Also in 2016, a federal judge sentenced Sen. Ron Calderon of Montebello to 42 months in federal prison for receiving over $150,000 in bribes. His brother, Assemblymember Tom Calderon, was sentenced to a year in prison for laundering his brother’s bribe money.

Following the Yee and Calderon indictments, voters in 2016 approved Proposition 50, which gives legislators the authority to suspend a disgraced colleague without pay. Doing so requires a two-thirds vote of the lawmaker’s chamber.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Charred skeletons of beloved homes. Desperate homeowners endangering their lives as they hose down their burning roofs. Emergency workers carefully carrying a body bag out of the rubble. An American flag in blackened tatters.

The images arriving in the wake of the wind-driven wildfires in Los Angeles County are haunting, giving all of us a window into the pain, grief and devastation facing hundreds of thousands of people.

CalMatters contributing photographers Ted Soqui and Jules Hotz were dispatched to Pacific Palisades and Malibu, along the Los Angeles coast, and Altadena, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, to chronicle the impact of one of the worst disasters in California history.

As of Sunday, an estimated 12,000 houses, businesses, schools and other structures have been damaged or destroyed, at least 24 people have died and about 150,000 people were ordered or warned to evacuate.

The Eaton Fire burns in the community of Altadena. Because of overwhelming demand, firefighters were unable to get water from hydrants that ran dry, as homes and businesses burned, on Jan. 8, 2025. Photos by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

People fleeing the fire carry their belongings as they evacuate their homes during the Palisades Fire, near Sunset Boulevard and the Pacific Coast Highway, on Jan. 7, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

First: Super Scooper firefighting aircraft load up with water off the coast of Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025. Last: Firefighters attempt to put out a fire at a home in Altadena, on Jan. 8, 2025. The community was devastated by the Eaton Fire. Photos by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

A person uses a hose to spray water on the flames of a house to prevent the Eaton Fire from spreading to more homes in Pasadena on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Burned homes smolder in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, on Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

First: A burned and tattered American flag waves on a flagpole after the Palisades Fire on Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters Last: A fireplace remains standing after a home was burned down by the Eaton Fire in Altadena on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Firefighters work to put out a fire in the rubble of a home that burned on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, as a result of the Palisades Fire. Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

First: Smoke from the Eaton Fire and surrounding wildfires fills the air around downtown Los Angeles. Last: A vivid sunset as smoke from the Palisades Fire fills the sky in Santa Monica. Jan. 9, 2025. Photos by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Emergency crews remove a body from a burned home off Pacific Coast Highway, near Pacific Palisades, on Jan. 9, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters

Two people survey the damage of their home that was burned to the ground in an Altadena neighborhood during the Eaton Fire on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Regina Anglin (Wood) left this world peacefully, at the age of 74 on November 25, 2024 surrounded by family at her bedside after a brief illness.

Born Regina Louise Wood on March 1, 1950 to Bernard and Margaret Wood in Omaha, Nebraska, Gina (as she was known) was the fourth of what would become 12 Wood children.

Gina was preceded in death by her loving husband, Steven Harvey Anglin; her grandchildren, David Woodruff, Marriah Woodruff and Christopher McClaren; her siblings, Thomas, Barbara and Joseph Wood; and her parents, Bernard and Margaret Wood. She is survived by her siblings, Christine Burton, Catherine Phipps, Margie Wood (Virginia), Michael Wood (Katie), Bernie Wood (Lidia), Lori Wood, Angela Papstein and Charles Wood (Mundz); her stepdaughter, Annette McClaren; her stepson, Will Woodruff (Dawn); and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

She attended St. Bernard’s High School in Eureka and worked for 45 years as a pharmacy technician at St. Joseph Hospital until her retirement. Gina had a deep faith in God and was an active member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, where she fostered many friendships.

To those who had the privilege to know her she was the most kind, gentle and sweetest person in the world. She had a love of gardening and the outdoors, sewing, quilting, soap making and camping, throughout her life she shared these passions freely with friends and family.

A celebration of life for Gina will be held on Saturday February 15, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. at Seventh Day Adventist Church: 4251 F Street, Eureka.

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

Howard Quintin Baer, 82, of Bayside, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2024, at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa. Born on September 20, 1942, in Mt. Vernon Ohio, Howard lived a life full of love, dedication and service to his community.

Howard is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Kathy Baer; his daughter Cindy Matney; his son Greg Baer; his beloved granddaughters Jenae Hagler and Madeline Marie Baer; and his great-granddaughter Hayden Hagler. He was predeceased by his parents and siblings.

Howard was a devoted educator and school administrator who touched the lives of countless students and colleagues. He began his teaching career as an auto shop teacher and later became the principal of Arcata’s Pacific Coast High School, a position he held for many years. After moving from Ohio to Stockton when he was 18, he then moved to the Arcata area in 1963, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Humboldt State University.

Outside of his professional life, Howard was known for his kindness, wisdom and unwavering commitment to his family. His hobbies revolved around working with his hands through woodworking, house projects and, most notably, car projects. His most beloved car was his 1978 Ford Fairmont station wagon, affectionately known as “the wagoon,” which had a very strong 2.3L engine as evidenced while climbing the hills of Highway 299. He also owned and tinkered with other classic cars such as a Model A, Rambler station wagon, Ford Thunderbird, Mercury Park Lane convertible and his son’s 1967 Mustang.

Howard was a long-time member and officer of the Humboldt Model A Club. He held the position of vice-president for many years and planned all the meal gatherings and car cruises with meticulous work, determining restaurant venues, keeping a card file, and arranging lodging for some of the most memorable trips including Fort Bragg, Gold Beach and the Rouge River. Even after he took ill, Howard continued to phone members about monthly arrangements. His home and garage (shop) hosted club picnics and some of the Christmas gatherings and many “tool talks,” where he was always generous with his car advice.

Howard was also known for his dry sense of humor, often bringing laughter to those around him. He had a unique way of answering many questions with the ending caveat, “unless it rains…”

Summers were spent with his family at Trinity Lake, where Howard taught both of his children to water ski, creating cherished family memories that will last a lifetime.

Howard’s legacy of dedication, love and service will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Howard’s memory will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, former students and all those he inspired and mentored throughout his life. He will be deeply missed.

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

Grace Louise Baker Cates passed away peacefully November 23, 2024 at the Ida Emmerson Hospice House in Eureka at the age of 91. She was born August 27, 1933 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma to Aubrey and Alda Baker, the 6th of 7 children. She had successfully conquered lymphoma several times, undergoing treatment without much complaint. She had decided if it returned she would not seek any type of intervention and those wishes were fulfilled by the compassionate discharge planning staff at Providence St. Joseph Hospital and Hospice of Humboldt.

Grace often talked about her time as a child growing up in Oklahoma and some of the mischief she and her siblings got into. Once she told a story of she and her brothers being outside in a field by a wood pile. Her brothers asked her to hold an object (maybe a piece of wood?) over her head while they tried to shoot it. She didn’t mention what their weapon was, hopefully not a BB gun! Grace also reminisced about her mother baking fresh bread and biscuits. She said she could still remember how wonderful they smelled right out of the oven! She recalled going to church as a young girl and even though she hadn’t attended church for many years her faith was so important to her.

The Baker family moved west to southern California in the 1940 and after several moves to other places finally settled in Humboldt County. Grace began her education in Oklahoma and eventually graduated from Arcata High School in 1951.

Grace married Robert “Bob” Cates on May 25, 1953. They welcomed four children in the next several years, Sharon Louise, Brenda Sue, Robert Dale and Richard Lee. During the early years of their marriage they lived in Arcata, Willow Creek and finally settled in Eureka where they raised their family. Grace and Bob were married for nearly 37 years when he passed away on April 8, 1990.

Grace had several jobs throughout her life, the first as a young waitress at the Samoa Cookhouse. She was also a telephone operator in Arcata in the 1950s. She said she worried that she wouldn’t make the correct connection and also said that some people on the other end of the line could not always understand her quiet voice. it flustered her until she realized she couldn’t understand a lot of them either!

Bob owned and operated the Texaco station across from Chin’s on Broadway and then later on the corner of 4th and R streets in the mid 1970’s. Grace would show up every night just before closing time to get the readings off the gas pumps. She was almost always accompanied by her children, most of them appearing so shy they could barely speak. She probably told them to be on their best behavior, especially if anyone other than their father was there. Grace was later the bookkeeper for Finnegan and Nason Auto Supply in Henderson Center for many years until her retirement.

Family meant everything to Grace! She was a dedicated and loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and definitely a bit of a worrier when it came to the well-being of all those she cared about. She lost her father at an early age and lovingly cared for her mother until her death. She always, always thought of others before herself. She loved preparing Sunday dinners that she graciously shared with anyone who showed up. There was always plenty of delicious food, especially her fresh, homemade buns. She also enjoyed playing Skip-Bo and Aggravation with her mother and her sister Nell. It seems like the table was always set up for some sort of competitive game. Her children remember Sunday drives when they were young that often included a picnic lunch. Some of Grace’s favorite foods were good peanut brittle, Winco strawberry ice cream (yes, it absolutely had to be Winco brand for Grace!), lots of bananas but not too ripe, chocolate and Chinese food.

In later years, especially when Grace was no longer driving, she passed her time with daily phone calls and sometimes visit from family and friends, watching TV (she didn’t miss an episode of Days of Our Lives, she even learned how to stream it!) and tackling many, many word search books. She said she didn’t really like to read books much but thoroughly enjoyed her magazine subscription to Good Old Days. Lately though, she thought the stories in the magazine were too recent; not from the good old days she remembered. She also found some articles that caught her interest in the Humboldt Historian and really looked forward to the Thursday edition of the Times Standard that included the TV guide for the upcoming week.

As Grace’s health and ability to navigate on her own declined her family encouraged her to get an alert bracelet so she could easily contact someone if she fell, etc. Being a bit stubborn she would not even consider it. Much to the amazement of the firemen who came to help her up on more than one occasion, Grace had learned to talk to “Alexa”. Her newfound friend Alexa was able to do the work of the alert bracelet and was someone to talk to besides! She did not want anyone to fuss over her but was so happy when then did anyway. “Oh Hon, you didn’t have to do that!” was a familiar phrase from Grace.

Grace definitely had an opinion on most everything but didn’t always verbalize it. She was so very sweet and kind. She hardly, if ever, spoke harshly about anyone. The only person she had a hard time tolerating will be inaugurated as our president on January 20th for the second time. That would have been a depressing day for Grace and we are grateful God’s plan was that she didn’t have to be here to witness it. Grace, you can truly rest in peace now.

The last 10 days of Grace’s life were spent in the hospital and eventually the Hospice House. She was so very grateful to be surrounded by family and close friends and was most happy that her son Dale was able to be with her during that entire time. She was ready for her journey here to be over and to be reunited with all those who had gone before her.

Grace was predeceased by her parents, her husband Bob, her siblings, Aud, Nell, Elsie, Virginia, Alvin and Doris, her daughter Brenda, her son Rick and numerous nieces and nephews. She is survived by her daughter Sharon Rogers (Larry), son Robert Dale Cates, grandchildren, Jennifer, Phoebe, Adam, Matthew, Lori and Tyler as well as several great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

There will be no formal service for Grace. Please remember her by thinking of someone you know who lives alone. Make the time to call them and more importantly, if possible, take the time to visit them. Ask questions about their life and what matters. Or sit in silence together. Watch daytime TV together. Share laughter, some cookies and a smile. Make the time spent together meaningful to you both and know that your presence was priceless.

If you wish, kindly make a donation in Grace’s name to Hospice of Humboldt, 3327 Timber Fall Ct., Eureka, CA 95503.

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

“All go to one place; all are of the dust, and to dust all return.”

— Ecclesiastes 3:20.

That was true, at least until the Civil War era. Then a desire to preserve bodies led to a new way of dealing with the dead: toxic embalming, water-tight coffins and concrete vaults. For many of us who try to live simple, low-impact lives, our deaths present a dilemma. We can’t go simply or sustainably into whatever comes next.

But there is another way. Imagine breaking down quickly, wrapped only in a shroud or in a biodegradable casket, eighteen inches under the soil, your nutrients being taken up by a tree. Michael Furniss, soil scientist and green burial enthusiast, is working to make that a reality in Humboldt. Michael joins the show to discuss the green burial movement, the science behind natural burial, and efforts to create a conservation burial ground in Humboldt.

For more, check out Sacred Family Groves.