UPDATE, AUG. 5: The problems have been corrected, according to an inspector, and and the Division of Environmental Health has cleared El Cora to reopen. Find the provisional clean bill of health here.  

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Health inspectors have temporarily closed El Cora Mexican Food in Garberville after finding cockroaches “in various life stages” on shelves in a food storage room.

Live cockroaches were also found on a wall behind packaged beverages and in a closet. Dead cockroaches and rodent feces were spotted on the floor of a grease trap room.

During the routine inspection on Friday, Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) division of Environmental Health identified multiple instances of food stored at unsafe temperatures and no chlorine in the dish machine.

DHHS suspended the establishment’s food operating permit until the operators make a few corrections, including hiring a pest control service, adding lids to food storage containers, undertaking a deep clean, repairing a dish washing machine and properly sanitizing all dishes.

Read the full report here.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Sheriff’s Office Looking for Missing, At-Risk 23-Year-Old Man Last Seen Near Honeydew

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the many agencies, organizations, volunteers, and community members who assisted in the successful search for 23-year-old Jake Jakubowski in the Honeydew and Mattole area.

 Jake was reported missing on the afternoon of July 30, 2026. Due to concerns for his well-being, the Sheriff’s Office immediately launched a coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. Search efforts began that same evening and continued through the night and into the following day without stopping until Jake was safely located. Jake had survived the ordeal without food or water while alone in the rugged wilderness, highlighting the urgency and importance of the coordinated search effort. Searchers covered miles of rugged terrain using ground teams, drones, SAR K9 teams, a fixed-wing aircraft, a helicopter, and other search resources.

 As local searchers worked overnight and into the next day, additional Search and Rescue volunteers from across California drove through the night to Humboldt County to assist with the next operational period. We are especially grateful to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES) for maintaining a strong Search and Rescue Mutual Aid System. When faced with a search covering a large area and very few clues, the ability to quickly request approximately 50 additional trained searchers and K9 teams is invaluable.

We also thank the members of the public who shared information and remained vigilant throughout the search. Community awareness ultimately played a critical role in Jake’s safe recovery after a citizen recognized him and contacted law enforcement.

 During this mission, there were instances where search teams were unable to access private property due to locked gates. While we respect private property rights, we encourage property owners to assist law enforcement during active missing person searches whenever possible. Search teams are there for one purpose only: to locate and safely recover a missing person. Every hour matters, and community cooperation can make all the difference.

 We especially want to recognize the incredible commitment of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Volunteer Team. These dedicated men and women are unpaid volunteers who leave their jobs, families, and personal commitments at a moment’s notice to help complete strangers. Their professionalism, training, and selfless service are an invaluable asset to Humboldt County.

This mission was truly a team effort. We would like to thank the many agencies and organizations that provided personnel, equipment, and support throughout the operation, including the California Rescue Dog Association, Marin County Search and Rescue, Mendocino County Search and Rescue, Trinity County Search and Rescue, Siskiyou County Search and Rescue, Butte County Search and Rescue, Santa Clara County Search and Rescue, Sonoma County Search and Rescue, Napa County Search and Rescue, California Search and Rescue, California State Parks, the United States Coast Guard, the California National Guard, CAL OES FIRIS, Humboldt County Public Works Roads Division and the Honeydew Store.

 One moment from this mission perfectly captured the heart of our volunteers. At lunch, there was one chicken sandwich left over from the Honeydew Store. The Incident Commander asked if anyone wanted the extra sandwich to refuel after the grueling search conditions. One SAR volunteer simply replied, “That one’s for Jake.” Later, after Jake was found safe and reunited with searchers, that same chicken sandwich was waiting for him in the Sheriff’s Mobile Command Center while he warmed up. It was a simple gesture that reflected what this mission was always about, bringing Jake home safely.

The Search and Rescue Team is a nonprofit organization that relies on community support for equipment, training, and operations. To learn more, become a volunteer, or make a donation, please visit www.HumboldtSAR.org.

 The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is grateful this mission ended with Jake being found safely and thanks everyone whose efforts made that possible.

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

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In the past year alone, they’ve helped catch suspected murderers, bank robbers and hit-and-run drivers. They’ve located dozens of stolen cars and helped send a wildland arsonist to prison.

They’re also distrusted and despised by privacy rights activists on the left and on the right. Just last month, police accused a suspect in Monterey County of yanking down three of them with his pickup.

They’re called automated license plate readers. Every day, untold numbers of Californians drive past the thousands of cameras that at least 230 police and sheriffs’ departments have posted along roadways or installed on their patrol cars. The cameras in real time capture and read plate numbers, then cross-reference them with law enforcement databases of vehicles police want to locate, such as stolen cars, getaway vehicles or those that may be carrying a missing or wanted person.

Since 2019, California Democratic lawmakers have unsuccessfully sought to further restrict how police use the technology. They’re trying again this year with a bill that would add limits on how long police may retain license plate data, how they access it and with whom they share it.

Police agencies and officers’ unions across the state oppose the latest measure, which is similar to a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year.

“This bill is about one simple principle: Protecting the privacy and safety of Californians while ensuring law enforcement tools are used responsibly before it’s too late,” the author of this year’s legislation, Riverside Democratic Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, told the Assembly privacy committee last month. She did not respond to a request for an interview from CalMatters.

Critics of the technology cite high-profile examples of California police using license plate data inappropriately, including to stalk or harass innocent people. As CalMatters reported last year, California officers have repeatedly violated an 11-year-old state law that prohibits sharing the data with federal authorities and others outside the state.

404 Media also reported last year that a Texas cop searched a national license plate database to try to locate a woman who had an abortion, leading to fears that conservative states that criminalize abortion are accessing California’s plate data to hunt down patients or providers.

Cervantes’ bill would generally limit to 30 days the amount of time agencies could keep license plate data, unless it pertains to an active investigation or is part of a search for missing people. It also sets limits around who can access the data and adds training and search-tracking requirements.

Police and sheriffs’ departments would be prohibited from entering into contracts with camera companies that provide default access to plate databases that federal and out-of-state police can search.

That provision is in response to Flock Safety, a prominent license plate reader company that allowed federal authorities to search local license plate data as part of a pilot program, said Tracy Rosenberg of Oakland Privacy, one of the bill’s supporters.“(Police departments) learned after the fact, like our advocates did,” Rosenberg said. “And we all said, ‘What the …’ You know, pick your four-letter word.”

Flock Safety did not respond to CalMatters’ request for an interview, but the company says on its website that it doesn’t work with immigration agencies and it stopped its federal pilot programs. Local agencies have total control over the data Flock readers collect, the company said.“By default, sharing with federal agencies is disabled,” the company wrote. “ICE does not have direct access to Flock cameras, systems or data.”

Why police are opposed

At least 39 police agencies and officers’ unions oppose Senate Bill 1013. Combined, they have spent at least $5.6 million on legislative campaigns since 2000, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database.

Police say the technology has proven invaluable at helping them solve crimes.

Tustin Police Chief Sean Thuilliez, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, said the technology helped clear an innocent man. It also identified a suspected killer when a woman was shot and killed on a street in the Orange County city in May.

The woman had just testified against her ex-husband in a restraining order case, making him a prime suspect, Thuilliez said.But Thuilliez said that thanks to the city’s 102 license plate readers, eight of which are from Flock, detectives quickly ruled out her ex-husband and were able to apprehend her former boyfriend at the Mexico border. He’s now charged with first-degree murder.

“It’s technology mixed with good investigative work,” he said in an interview. “But within one weekend, we were able to arrest the suspect for this person’s murder.”

The Berkeley Police Department noted similar successes after 52 Flock cameras were installed last year. In a report to the Berkeley City Council, the department noted license plate readers had been used in 121 cases, contributed to 58 arrests and led to the recovery of 37 stolen vehicles.The department noted its rate for solving robbery cases climbed from 34% in 2024 to 49% the following year, thanks in part to the license plate data.“The technology has fundamentally improved how officers patrol and how detectives investigate crimes spanning a range of serious offenses including robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, burglary, weapons violations, organized retail theft, stolen property and DUI,” the report said.

Why Newsom vetoed last year’s bill

Such investigative success stories may have helped persuade Newsom to veto last year’s bill, which would have required police to dump their license plate data within 60 days.

In his veto message, he said the restrictions on sharing data and forcing departments to purge it could hinder officers’ ability to solve cold cases and find missing people.

Newsom also said there was no money in the budget to pay for the mandatory California Department of Justice audits last year’s bill would have required.

To address Newsom’s concerns, this year’s proposal allows police to retain data to locate missing people and it makes a state audit program contingent on future funding.

Newsom’s press office declined to say whether he has a position on the latest bill, which has advanced through the Legislature with only Republicans voting against it. The measure is now pending before the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Meanwhile, at least one Republican lawmaker is taking the issue to Congress. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky recently shared a meme of a “Don’t Tread on Me” snake wrapped around a camera. The riff on the yellow Gadsden flag says, “Don’t Flock me.”“I’ll soon be sponsoring a bill to withhold federal money from municipalities and police departments that deploy Flock (and other style) cameras to surveil law-abiding citizens,” Massie wrote on Facebook.

Rosenberg of Oakland Privacy said she understands the cameras’ usefulness to California police, but she thinks they’ve become ubiquitous. Police, she said, also shouldn’t have a permanent pass to keep “mountains” of data for as long as they want.

“There is kind of a balancing act. We as human beings also need some camera-free space,” she said. “We don’t want to be on camera every minute of every single day.”

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

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Lawmakers have returned to Sacramento ready to hammer out — and potentially spike — several legislative deals before they adjourn for the year on Aug. 31 and hit the campaign trail.

Think of this year’s end-of-session as a bonus episode to last year’s saga over climate and energy policy. Much of the unresolved business has roots in the deal that renewed the state’s carbon market. But new topics have entered the plot too, and Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón will bring a different dynamic to negotiations among the “Big Three.”

As usual, much of the negotiating will take place at the leadership level behind closed doors. Here are five deals we’re watching this month.

Climate fund a centerpiece to budget talks

How to spend the state’s main climate fund will be a primary sticking point this month after Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats failed to reach an agreement in time for the June budget.

Now, they have less than a month to settle their differences. Assembly Budget Committee Chair Jesse Gabriel, an Encino Democrat, told reporters in June that the climate budget would be “at the top of the list” for negotiations during the summer recess.

Newsom and lawmakers last fall reauthorized the state’s carbon market, which charges companies to pollute and deposits the dollars in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for climate programs. The deal also set the order in which projects would receive funding.

But that revenue source, which was estimated to generate $4 billion a year, could shrink by half under new climate rules the Newsom administration adopted this year, endangering funding for various legislative priorities and angering Senate Democrats, who in turn threatened to block Newsom’s funding proposals and presented alternative spending plans in June.

Legislative leaders agreed to use $115 million of the fund for Newsom-backed electric vehicle incentives and another $1.25 billion to backfill the state fire department’s budget. But still at stake is funding for the controversial high-speed rail project, which was set to receive $1 billion a year until 2045. Projects such as safe drinking water, affordable housing and transit are also at risk of losing funding.

Separately, top leaders put off negotiations over Proposition 4, the voter-approved $10 billion bond for climate projects. Last year, state lawmakers fought to secure a piece of the fund for pet projects, some tangentially related to environmental protection, in their own districts in a secretive process that even many lawmakers bemoaned.

Tech-backed California Forever seeks a deal

California Forever, the tech billionaires-backed group seeking to develop swaths of Solano County farmland, is hoping to get a carve-out on environmental rules for the development.

For months, the group and its labor union allies told state lawmakers the relief was necessary to help California land a deal with Saronics Technologies Inc., a Texas-based shipbuilder they said was eyeing California for its next shipyard. The group wanted the state to streamline environmental reviews and override county restrictions for the development, but no legislation materialized as opponents accused the group of bypassing local resistance and sidestepping environmental regulations.

The shipbuilder announced last month that it would build in Texas, a decision California Forever blamed on state lawmakers. “We were passed over because … our approval process cannot accommodate the required speed without special legislation, which was not passed in time,” the group said in a statement.

“California and Solano County must not miss the next opportunity,” it continued.

California Forever has spent $455,000 since last year lobbying state lawmakers and the governor’s office, according to its lobbying report released Friday.

The proposed development appears to have Newsom’s blessing. The governor’s office called a meeting Thursday to discuss the project with a couple of Solano County supervisors, California Forever representatives and Assemblymember Lori Wilson and Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, who represent the region.

Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, who rose to the role this year, will be a key player in end-of-session negotiations for the first time. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters/Pool

Dee Dee Myers, who heads the governor’s office of business and economic development that’s been pushing for the development, was also present. In a memo last month, her office called the region a “world-class industrial site” and touted the importance of building a shipyard and an advanced manufacturing hub in the area.

“California is better positioned to attract billions of dollars in investment, tens of thousands of new good-paying jobs and a more resilient supply chain than it has been in decades,” the memo said. “And no project represents this opportunity more clearly than the proposed Solano Shipyard and Solano Foundry.”

Will Newsom’s wildfire plan benefit utilities?

Newsom is also proposing legislation to address growing wildfire risks in California but is not giving specifics.

Consumer advocates, wildfire survivors and insurers say he’s trying to reduce utilities’ liability for causing wildfires, shift wildfire recovery costs to insurance policyholders and make it harder for fire victims to get compensation or legal representation — claims Newsom’s office declined to address.

Newsom spokesperson Anthony Martinez said discussions about potential legislation followed a California Earthquake Authority study in April that examined ways to better prepare California for natural disasters. The study was required by a last-minute deal Newsom and state lawmakers struck last year, which required utility companies to pay into the state’s wildfire fund while allowing them to shift certain costs onto customers.

Wildfire Survivors First, a utilities-funded coalition despite its name, is lobbying state leaders to adopt several proposals listed in the study, arguing they would reduce wildfire risks and make property insurance more affordable.

Most legislative leaders were tight-lipped about the potential package. Sen. Ben Allen, a Los Angeles Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said he would “carefully review” any legislation and urged against proposals to “simply shift around the costs consumers pay.” Democratic Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents Eaton Fire survivors, said she would oppose last-minute deals to cap compensation for fire victims.

Business and labor clash over antitrust proposal

Lawmakers will determine the fate of a controversial bill that would give Californians the ability to sue large companies in state court for using monopolistic practices to stifle competition.

The bill, known as the COMPETE Act, has infuriated the business community and set the California Chamber of Commerce on a warpath. The powerful industry group has called Assembly Bill 1776 “the largest expansion of antitrust law in world history” and warns its members that the legislation would “leave every business of every size in California vulnerable to massive legal liability.”

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas will be negotiating deals with Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Business advocates also argue that the bill gives predatory law firms a new way to shake down California businesses by opening the floodgates for what’s known as “private right of action” lawsuits. For years, business owners have complained about California laws that allow activists and a cottage industry of lawyers to bombard them with cash demands and lawsuits over disability access, product warning labels, labor complaints and consumer privacy.

The legislation, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, a Davis Democrat, has support from labor-friendly progressive lawmakers, but also some who have more moderate records such as Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains and Senator Melissa Hurtado, both Central Valley Democratic lawmakers.

Several of the state’s most powerful unions have lined up as co-sponsors, including the California Federation of Labor Unions, SEIU California and the United Food and Commercial Workers.

The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate appropriations committee on Aug. 10.

Counties seek reprieve from costly assault claims

Los Angeles County is leading a behind-the-scenes effort to limit lawsuits from Californians who allege they were abused as children by public employees while in county or school district custody.

The effort comes in response to a deluge of lawsuits that followed a 2019 law that dramatically expanded the time people have to sue for the alleged abuse. Survivors now have until they turn 40 to file claims, rather than the previous cutoff of age 26 or within five years of becoming aware of trauma caused by the alleged abuse. The resulting litigation and settlements have cost counties and school districts billions of dollars.

Last April, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $4 billion settlement with 6,800 people who claimed they suffered abuse while in county juvenile detention facilities. Some of those cases dated back more than 65 years.

Lawmakers attempted to broker a compromise, Senate Bill 577, at the end of last session that would satisfy survivors and roll back the scope of the law to provide some financial reprieve to cash-strapped counties and school districts. But that effort, led by Sen. John Laird, a Democrat from Santa Cruz, couldn’t gain traction, and Laird eventually shelved the issue.

Now, public employee unions are pushing for a reprieve again, largely to avoid potential pay concessions from their financially burdened public employers. Negotiations will likely take place at the Democratic leadership level between Limón and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.

On Thursday, July 30, 2026, Stanley Eugene Johnson peacefully passed away, surrounded by the love of his family. He was 77 years old. While we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a life filled with faith, laughter, and an unwavering love for his family.

Stanley was known by many names throughout his life — Stan the Man, Tanley, Dad, Brother, Uncle, Son, Papa, and Pops. But perhaps the titles he treasured most were those of husband, father, and grandfather.

Stanley was born on January 28, 1949, in Portland, Oregon, to Eugene and Miona Johnson. Stanley was the third of 7 children.

As a young boy, his family lived in several communities throughout Oregon before eventually moving to Humboldt County and building their home in the Metropolitan area. It was there that he formed many lifelong friendships.

As a young boy, Dad spent many summers with his extended family in Oregon, where he picked strawberries in the fields to earn spending money. Those summers held a special place in his heart. He often looked back on those carefree days spent with his cousins with a smile, and the stories from those summers remained some of his favorites.

Stanley graduated from Fortuna Union High School in 1967, where he was voted Class Clown — a title that perfectly reflected his quick wit, infectious sense of humor, and ability to make people laugh. Following graduation, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tennessee and Kentucky. The experience left a lasting impression on him and laid the foundation for the faith that would guide him throughout his life.

After returning home from his mission, Stanley attended College of the Redwoods, where he met the love of his life, Rita Rovai. Dad loved telling the story of seeing mom in their Marriage and Family course and knowing right then and there that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her. They were married on September 26, 1970, and together built a beautiful life centered on faith, family, and love. They were blessed with three daughters, Angela Sara, Amy Kristin, and Kelsey Sommer.

For a time, Stanley and Rita lived in Long Beach where he served in the Navy Reserve before moving to Portland, Oregon, where Stanley worked for Safeway and Howard Cooper. They eventually returned to Humboldt County to be closer to family, where Stanley began his career with Pacific Lumber (PALCO).

In the early 1980s, long before personal computers became part of everyday life, Dad saw their potential. Our family was one of the first in Scotia to have a home computer and he eagerly immersed himself in learning everything he could. He built computers, taught himself programming and connected with other computer enthusiasts in neighboring towns years before the internet became part of everyday life. His passion and vision eventually opened the door to a new career path at Palco, leading him from the monorail to timekeeping and eventually into the IT department, retiring in 2010.

Stanley often spoke with pride about his service in the US Navy Reserve as a cook and his love of cooking became one of the many ways he cared for his family. He was known for his homemade soups and fresh baked bread, always happiest when he had something to share with those he loved. Years before social media influencers, Dad was sharing his bread making tips on YouTube. If you search, you just might still find one of those videos. A lasting reminder of the joy he found in teaching others and sharing what he loved.

Throughout his life, he was dedicated to serving others. He worked with the youth through his church, served on the Scotia Union School District Board, and was a karate instructor who earned the rank of brown belt.

Retirement suited Stan well. He found joy in the simple thing; watching his grandchildren play sports, photography, making homemade bread and soup for his family, playing pickleball and bocce ball, and, of course, spending time with his favorite “son”, Levi. If you know, you know.

Even as his health declined, Dad’s humor, gentle spirit, and mischievous twinkle in his eye continued to lift the hearts of those around him. Dad’s final year was a testament to his strength and unwavering faith. The love and support of family and friends carried him through his most difficult days, and for that we are forever grateful. Our family extends our heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited, prayed, called, and stood beside us during this journey. Your kindness will never be forgotten.

Stanley is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 56 years, Rita Johnson; his daughters, Angela (Doug Bragg) Johnson-DeMatos and her children, Lourenco and Santa DeMatos; Amy (Ven) Letter and their children, Madisyn, Kobe, and Matthew Letter; and Kelsey (David) Moesta and her son, Kees van Dissel. He is also survived by his brothers, Jack (Patsy) Johnson, and Bill Johnson; his sisters, Diane (Dennis) Betts, Ronda (Chris) Raven, and Wendy (Steve) Backlund; Brother-in-law, Kim Miller; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Eugene and Miona Johnson; his sister, Wilma Johnson; his parents-in-law, Louis and Mary Rovai; his sisters-in-law, Linda Rovai, Paula Rovai Miller, and Vickie Johnson; and his brother-in-law, Louis Rovai Jr.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 8, at 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1444 Ross Hill Road, Fortuna, California. A private graveside service will follow later.

Dad’s legacy lives on in the laughter he shared, the faith he lived, the family he adored, and the countless lives he touched. More than anything, Dad will be remembered for the way he made people feel. Whether it was through a joke, a warm loaf of homemade bread, words of encouragement, or simply the twinkle in his eye. He will be deeply missed and forever loved. 

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

Mary Hester Sanger
December 1, 1949 – June 4, 2026

Mary Hester Sanger passed away on June 4, 2026, at the age of 76. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, resilience, and a profound love for her family, her community, and the natural beauty of Humboldt County.

Mary devoted much of her life to caring for others, working for many years as a nurse and midwife. Through her skill, kindness, and steady presence, she guided countless families through some of life’s most meaningful moments. Those who knew her professionally remember her as a dedicated caregiver whose compassion extended far beyond the walls of a clinic or hospital.

In the 1970s, Mary made the journey to Humboldt County as part of the Back-to-the-Land movement. What began as a search for a different way of living became a lifelong home. She fell in love with the towering redwoods, winding rivers, and rugged coastline, embracing the region’s independent spirit and strong sense of community. Humboldt County remained close to her heart for the rest of her life.

Mary was a passionate advocate for protecting the environment and preserving the natural world she loved. She believed deeply in the importance of addressing climate change and supporting efforts to safeguard the forests, rivers, wildlife, and ecosystems of Northern California for future generations. Her appreciation for nature was reflected not only in her beliefs but in the way she lived her life.

Mary was preceded in death by her husbands, Werner Sanger and Kevin Coles. She is survived by her sons, Matthew Sanger and Nathan Sanger, and by her four beloved grandchildren, who brought her endless pride and joy. Her love for her family was unwavering, and she cherished every opportunity to spend time with them.

Those who knew Mary will remember her for her strength, generosity, intelligence, and caring nature. Whether through her work as a nurse and midwife, her environmental advocacy, her friendships, or her devotion to her family, she lived a life centered on helping others. She touched countless lives with her warmth and compassion, leaving an enduring impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Mary’s memory will live on in the family she loved, the community she called home, and the many people whose lives she enriched through her kindness and care.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 2 p.m. at Beginnings in Briceland. Family and friends are warmly invited to gather to celebrate Mary’s remarkable life, share memories, and honor the compassion, strength, and love she gave so freely to others.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of kindness or donations to organizations that support nursing, midwifery, climate action, or the preservation of the natural landscapes of Humboldt County that Mary treasured throughout her life.

Please contact Matt Sanger at mcs2178@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

No Damage Yet

Blues pianist Little Willie Littlefield sat at the edge of my bed holding his index finger upright and close to my face.

It was three o’clock in the morning. We were staying in San Francisco at Harry Duncan’s apartment. I’d played drums that night with the Little Willie Littlefield trio at a nightclub in the city. Also on the bill was Albert “the Master of the Telecaster” Collins and his band, for which I was also the drummer.

Harry had booked Littlefield and Collins to play at the Monterey Jazz Festival Blues Afternoon on Saturday, Sept. 16. Harry scheduled a week-long tour prior to the festival for the pick-up band to get the music tight.

Dead seriously, Willie said, “Paul, don’t ever bend this finger,” while staring into my eyes. “I’m a cop.”

He was starting to scare me. He was a slight man, about five-foot-six-inches, dressed in a natty blue sport coat and white shirt. He had been full of musical fun on stage earlier that evening, joking with the crowd and his band — me and my bass player friend, Kip Maerkelein. But his intensity and remarkable transformation from the fun-loving musician with whom I’d performed a few hours earlier perplexed me. 

“What do you mean Willie?” I asked. “I’m a cop,” he repeated. “You met my wife, Jenny, tonight. I own three cars. They’re parked in my garage.”  

I had no idea why he had to tell me that. “Willie, we need to get to sleep,” I said. “We start the tour tomorrow.” He didn’t want to go to bed, but I gently persuaded him to leave my room.

The next morning Willie was bright-eyed and friendly, not a trace of the menacing “don’t ever bend this finger” man of the night before. I figured he probably had a little too much to drink.

That day we’d drive four hours to Garberville, Calif. for both artists to play at the original Mateel Community Center, located in the town’s old Fireman’s Hall. The following day only Albert and the band would play at Vance Log Cabin on Second Street in Eureka. Our last show before Monterey with both artists would be Rancho Nicasio, a historic roadhouse located in the rural ranchlands of western Marin County.

Littlefield, born in El Campo, Texas in 1931, was playing boogie woogie, jump blues and R&B regularly in Houston by the time he was 16. At 18 he made his first record, “Little Willie’s Boogie,” which was a hit in Texas. In 1952 he recorded “K.C. Lovin,’” written by the famous songwriting team of Leiber and Stoller. (Although Willie claimed he wrote the original.) It was later recorded by Wilbert Harrison as “Kansas City,” which became a huge national radio hit. 

Littlefield performed constantly throughout the country and recorded for a handful of labels, including Ace and Modern. In 1977, Harry found him playing in San Jose nightclubs. He asked him to perform a set at the1978 Monterey Jazz Festival Blues Afternoon, which he was booking.

At the same time, Harry reached out to Collins, the legendary Texas blues guitarist, about also playing at the festival. Harry said he had dubbed Albert the “Master of the Telecaster” and the name stuck.

Collins was an electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. He was noted for his powerful playing and his use of altered tunings and a capo. His cousin, Lightnin’ Hopkins, introduced him to the guitar at an early age.

Over his 40-year career Albert recorded numerous albums including, “Truckin’ with Albert Collins” and a 1985 collaboration with Robert Cray and fellow Texas guitarist Johnny Copeland, “Showdown,” which won a Grammy. 

Collins was an inspiration to a generation of Texas guitar players, including Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. 

At the time of the tour, I was living in Arcata. Garberville, the second stop, was located about an hour south in Southern Humboldt. That area had become the epicenter of marijuana growing in the country. Well-hidden pot farms in the remote mountains near Garberville were cultivating the nation’s most powerful sinsemilla (which translates to without seeds) pot in the country. Money was flowing. Pounds were selling for $3,000 to $5,000.

Albert Collins, guitar, Paul DeMark, drums, Kip Maerkelein, bass playing the Mateel Community Center Fireman’s Hall, September 1978.

The Mateel Community Center had risen out of the vibrant counterculture in Southern Humboldt. At the Mateel, the Little Willie trio delivered a mostly smoking set of boogie woogie blues. But Willie, presumably because he was playing solo in San Jose nightclubs, also played schmaltzy versions of songs like “Mona Lisa” and the cha cha “Never on Sunday.”

Albert and his band – Harry Duncan on harmonica and vocals, Mike Henderson, guitar/vocals, Ron Stallings tenor sax, Kip Maerkelein, bass and me on drums – played a mixture of his driving instrumental shuffles and slow blues. 

At one point Albert walked into the crowd in Garberville with his 50-foot guitar cord and was lifted onto a big man’s shoulders while he kept playing. (Thanks to Gary Glassman for that memory.) The excited crowd loved the charismatic Collins.

The next night the Albert Collins Band played for a full house at well-known hospitality entrepreneur Chris Smith’s Vance Log Cabin in Eureka. Little Willie was given the night off. 

After the show we packed up our equipment. Our next show was in two days at Marin’s Rancho Nicasio club. Little Willie, Harry and I would stay in Humboldt that night and drive to San Francisco the next day. Collins, a veteran road warrior, was going to drive his Econoline van all night to the Bay Area. He always had it together. 

Albert maintained a cool look, which was his brand. He wore a tight, caramel-brown-colored-leather jacket and sported a thin mustache and a soul patch. To me, he epitomized cool. Most of his songs and albums mentioned something about coolness – “Frosty,” “Don’t Lose Your Cool,” “Sno Cone” and “Ice Pickin’.”

He was friendly, but a man of few words. If you asked him how he was doing, he’d invariably say, “I feel better than a government check, or a cashier’s check,” with a laugh. 

As the band was standing outside the Vance Log Cabin at 2 a.m., Little Willie said to Collins, “Albert, I called ahead. It’s fogged in. You can’t drive.”

This was 1978. No cell phones and no phone booth in sight. Albert looked at Willie and shook his head in amazement. “Harry,” Albert said, “keep this guy away from me.”

No Damage

The Rancho Nicasio nightclub held up to 200 people with tables and chairs, a stage and sizable dance floor. On the night we performed, I played an opening set with the Little Willie trio followed by the Albert Collins Band. 

Before the first set, Willie re-introduced me to his wife, Jenny, and stepson, Jerry, who sat at a table in the center of the room. 

“Is Willie a police officer,” I asked Jenny when Willie left. “He told me he’s a cop and owns three cars.”

Jenny laughed. “No, he’s not a cop and he doesn’t own three cars,” she said. “I’m the one who drives.”

Harry had told Willie to cut out the schmaltzy songs like his take on Nat King Cole’s ballad “Mona Lisa.” He told Willie to focus on the driving barrelhouse boogie woogie blues songs he was famous for.

“That’s what I booked you to play at Monterey Jazz Festival,” Harry told him. 

When we were on stage getting ready to play our set, Jenny shouted at Willie from the audience. “Don’t take your shoes off, Willie.”

“I’d like to begin the night by taking my shoes off,” Willie responded over the microphone. I saw Jenny frowning and shaking her head. 

We played a swinging version of “One Scotch, One Bourbon and One Beer,” an Amos Milburn song from 1952.

“We’re going to play a variety of things,” Willie said. Speaking to his wife and stepson, he said, “Jenny, Jerry, no damage yet.”

I thought the back and forth with his wife from the stage was highly unusual. After we played a very slow “Mona Lisa,” I saw Jenny shaking her head again. 

“Jenny, no damage yet,” Willie told her over the mic. After the set, Willie said to Jenny, “The people love the trio.” She said nothing as Willie continued talking about the music, ignoring her while laughing. 

This “no damage” exclamation happened throughout our one-hour set. After that tour, no damage entered the subculture lingo of my friendship circle. “No Damage” became the theme of the Hey Juan Barnstormers softball team that I was a part of. It also became the marketing logo of my son Julian DeMark’s artist website. 

In another nod to Little Willie’s influence, in the mid-’80s I formed a rhythm and blues/reggae band in Southern Humboldt, No Damage. It included Rod Deal, Danny Wymer and Doug Cox and we played clubs like The Cellar in Garberville and the Old Town Bar and Grill in Eureka. 

The Albert Collins sextet played a blistering set of his instrumental blues shuffles, slow blues songs and tunes from his new Alligator Records album “Ice Pickin.” A solid warm-up for our Monterey set we’d play in two days.  

The Monterey County Fairgrounds has hosted the annual Monterey Jazz Festival continuously since 1958. It is still going strong. The venue was famous as the stage for the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, which featured Janis Joplin’s breakout performance, Otis Redding, The Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix. It was made into a film, “Monterey Pop.”

It holds 7,500 seats and features a 12-foot-high stage. In addition to Albert Collins and Little Willie, other acts included Ruth Brown and Jimmy Witherspoon. The afternoon was sold out on a beautiful late-summer day. 

Producer Jimmy Lyons and his stage crew told the musicians backstage that our sets were to last no longer than 45 minutes. After that, the curtain would close and our music would have to stop. 

The Little Willie Littlefield trio played a swinging set of boogie and barrelhouse blues – no cocktail lounge songs. The crowd dug it and so did I. Willie had delivered a fine set. He was beaming backstage and received enthusiastic congratulations. 

The Albert Collins Band played a couple of warm-up blues standards without Albert before Harry introduced him. We kicked off with an uptempo, swinging shuffle. Albert was a consummate performer, from his cool look to his ferocious guitar playing. He inspired me to play with intensity.

He sang some slow blues like “Angel of Mercy” and Guitar Slim’s “Things that I Used to Do.” We played his driving blues shuffle instrumental “Don’t Lose Your Cool,” and Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want me to Do?” 

His last song was “Frosty,” a famous instrumental shuffle from his debut album. Albert liked to play an extended solo on it. He walked toward the edge of the stage with his 50-foot guitar cord. Then he disappeared from the musicians’ view as he descended the 12 feet of stairs to the audience level.

Meanwhile, the time limit for our 45-minute set was ending. The backstage crew signaled forcefully for us to stop playing. But we kept going because we knew if we stopped, Albert would be hung out to dry. His guitar solo would simply crash and burn because we couldn’t make eye contact with him to end the song together.

Producer Lyons came out to the stage and took the mic as the curtains were closing.

“Albert, Albert come back,” he said plaintively. “The set’s over.” Albert never heard him. The curtain closed and the crew surrounded us and demanded we STOP NOW! We finished the verse and stopped. Predictably, Albert fell off the musical cliff and stumbled to a chaotic crash landing.

Albert ascended the stairs and Lyons reprimanded him. “I’m really sorry Mr. Lyons,” Albert said. 

Collins needed no apology for his performance until that moment. He was incendiary. The audience loved him. 

It was an honor to perform with Albert Collins and the talented Little Willie Littlefield, two distinctly different Texas blues musicians, on that grand stage.  

During that week-long tour, I never did bend Willie’s finger. I didn’t dare.

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Paul DeMark is a graduate of the Humboldt State University journalism program. Thank you to Pamela Long for editing and Julian DeMark for photo scanning.