James Erwin Fredrickson, Jr.
July 1, 1947 – December 13, 2024

James (Jim) Erwin Fredrickson, Jr. passed away peacefully on December 13, 2024 in Eureka, with his wife Kathy by his side. They were excited about making their 46th anniversary just days before on December 9. Jim was a native of Humboldt County, born to James Sr. (Erwin) and June Fredrickson on July 1, 1947 in Arcata. He attended Kneeland School while growing up, and graduated from Eureka Senior High School (Class of 1965), then attended College of the Redwoods the following year.

Jim worked over 45 years in the trucking industry until 2005, when he became disabled. He worked hauling freight, loading and hauling logs, lumber, pipe, cattle and anything that was required to be moved. Jim had fond memories of being taught to drive a cattle truck with live, moving critters by his long time friend Joel Van Vleck. He hauled and worked for most of the local trucking and lumber companies throughout the North Coast and Oregon including: Nielson Freight, Pacific Towing, Alto Bros Trucking, Baird Trucking, Simpson’s, Redwood Coast Trucking, Sierra Pacific Industries, Louisiana Pacific, Humboldt County, Georgia Pacific and his last employer, Foster Lumber in Vallejo.

To his delight and trucking career as a Teamster, he had an opportunity to work on one of the many Star Wars movies (Return of the Jedi), transporting stars and cast members around the various movie sets in Smith River. Jim was very knowledgeable about operating heavy equipment and was an asset to his employers. He enjoyed working and interacting with all of his trucking friends on the road, while they enjoyed laughing and telling jokes to pass the long hours on the highway. He could find humor in any situation.

Jim was a member of the Teamsters, Freshwater and Humboldt Granges, Native Sons of the Golden West and the Swiss Club. He loved spending time at his home on Kneeland that he and his wife built together on the family ranch. Jim looked forward to hunting season, cutting wood, and enjoying family and friends throughout the year. He also enjoyed playing rummy with his wife, Kathy, and cribbage with his father, Erwin and son, Terry. Jim and his father were very close, and he was proud of the fact that they shared the same name and birthday. He was also an avid fan of the San Francisco 49ers and Giants baseball. Jim had many loyal dogs throughout the years that brought him much joy. His last two dogs, Coco and Mazey, provided him comfort and companionship.

Jim is survived by his wife Kathleen (Kathy); his daughter Stephannie Fredrickson Sykes of Rio Linda, Calif.; his step-children Kimberly Wallace of Elk Grove, Calif., and Eric Wallace of Prineville, Ore.; his three granddaughters – Kaylee Joseph (Casey), Cheyenne Wallace, and Breana Fredrickson. He is also survived by his brother Duane Fredrickson (Karen) of Kneeland, and sister Darlene Shearer (Steven) of Eureka; nieces and nephews – Jason Fredrickson (Emily), Melissa Fredrickson Grace, Kevin Meyer (Barb), Lynn Hillegeist (Paul), Kelly Ramirez (Alejandro), Ryan Grammer, and many more relatives. He is preceded in death by his parents Erwin & June Fredrickson, his son Terry Fredrickson, his son-in-law David Sykes, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law Joseph & Lucille Arruda.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to Dr. Chris West and his Staff at Open Door Clinic, the St. Joseph Hospital ICU/PCU Staff, Palliative Team, and Home Health for their care and thoughtfulness; as well as Jim’s brother Duane Fredrickson, and good friends Vickie McCulley, Earl Morgan, John and Lynn Raymond, Jerry and Carol Crnich, and his nephews Jason Fredrickson (Emily) and Kevin Meyer (Barb) who were always there to lend him a helping hand when needed.

Memorial services will be held at Sanders Funeral Home on March 1, 2025 at 11 a.m. (1835 E St. Eureka) with a Celebration of Life following at the Humboldt Grange #501 (5845 Humboldt Hill Rd. Eureka). A private family burial will be conducted at the Iaqua Cemetery on Kneeland at a later date.

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

‘Jaydean Lee Parent
Aug 26, 1956 - November 10, 2024
Wife - Mother - Friend

Jaydean Parent was a wonderful, caring, generous soul who left too soon. She passed away peacefully Sunday, November 10, with her kitties on her lap, and her husband holding her hand.

Jaydean was born in Eureka, where she attended Lincoln, Winship and Eureka High. She always had a job, and started her career at the trophy store, working for enough to buy her 1965 Ford Mustang. Later she worked at Eureka Printing for Jerry Carter as a graphic artist, for Jody Lawlor and at North Coast Advertising for Jack Daly.

In 1984 Jaydean married Mike Parent. They enjoyed over 40 wonderful years together, buying and remodeling a house into a home,and had a son named Andrew. Andrew was Jaydean’s pride and joy, and they had a special bond. They loved each other very much.

She was the kindest person you could ever meet, a devoted cat mom to countless feline companions throughout her life. A loving wife and mother, she also had a green thumb and love for 1970s and 1980s rock music. She loved to bake with her son, and everyone waited at Christmas for her famous cranberry bread. She loved arts and crafts, old movies and films, and hangouts out with her family. Halloween was always her favorite holiday, decorating the house with fake spiderwebs and barfing pumpkins.

Jaydean was preceded in death by her parents Aldean Dilling, Tom Dilling, Richard Chain, her friend Dana and her loving pets. She is survived by her husband Mike, her son Andrew, her sister Noel and her husband Chris, their kids Jack, and Katie. Her all time favorite Aunt Judy and her husband John, and their kids, Becky, and Katie. Her friends, Lauren, Janeane, Marion, All her great facebook friends, and her loving pets. A special thanks to our wonderful neighbors Jen and Kenny, and Derick and Julia, Bob, Rendel and Tasha, Ron and Sarah, Jeff and Jyoce.

A celebration of life will be held in the spring amidst blooming flowers and singing birds, a fitting tribute to a life filled with beauty and love.

We will forever remember Jaydean’s warm smile, her generous spirit, and her unwavering love. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

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

Photos: Humboldt Bay Fire.

Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

At approximately 9:08 am on Tuesday, December 17th Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) was dispatched to a reported structure fire on the 1800 block of Circle Dr. Several reporting parties stated flames and smoke were visible from a residence at that location. HBF responded with a full first alarm assignment consisting of four fire engines and a Battalion Chief.

Engine 8114 arrived on scene first due and reported heavy fire and smoke showing from the porch and attic area of a single-story residential structure. E8115 arrived on scene and established a water supply while E8114 began attacking the fire. Additional units arrived on scene and confirmed that everyone was out of the structure. Fire control was achieved in approximately 10 minutes. At the time of the fire the structure one resident was home. She was able to exit the structure on her own with no injuries.

The pre-fire value of the home was approximately $375,000 with estimated fire loss totaling $60,000. Fire crews did an excellent job protecting the majority of the interior of the home and contents through aggressive fire attack and salvage work. PG&E responded to the scene and secured the gas and electrical service from the residence. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to remind everyone that smoke detectors save lives! Smoke detectors give you crucial early warning that there may be a fire in your home and allots you time to escape. Once you’ve exited a home go to your family meeting place and ensure that everyone has made it out.

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At last night’s meeting, the Eureka City Council unanimously voted to appoint Councilmember Leslie Castellano, the city’s First Ward representative, as Mayor Pro Tem for the second consecutive year. 

Castellano | Screenshot

Councilmember Scott Bauer made a motion to appoint Castellano, noting that she “has done a great job” during her time in the position. Councilmember Renee Contreras-De Loach agreed and offered a second to the motion, which passed 5-0, with Councilmember Kati Moulton appearing via Zoom.

What exactly does the Mayor Pro Tem do, you ask? The Mayor Pro Tem is an appointed position that is essentially second-in-command to the Mayor. If the Mayor is absent, the Mayor Pro Tem is the person who presides over city council meetings in their place. In some cities, the Mayor Pro Tem takes on additional responsibilities, like training new council members.

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Other notable bits from last night’s meeting:

• Remember last month when a group of determined city employees braved a so-called bomb cyclone and bitter sea winds to hang up Christmas decorations at the Old Town Gazebo? That ordeal was a part of the Mayor’s Holiday Lighting Fundraising Campaign, which raised nearly $23,000 to light up Old Town for the holiday season. The city council approved a proclamation in support of the initiative.
• The city council finalized plans for the Harris Medical Center Project, a multi-use housing development and medical facility slated for the former Apostolic Faith Church on Harris Street, near Henderson Center. 
• The city council received a presentation on design standards and neighborhood character from Cristin Kenyon, the city’s director of development services. The presentation was the third and final installment in a series that looked into the city’s past, present and future design standards and how those decisions have influenced Eureka’s aesthetics and zoning regulations. The council discussed different aspects of the city’s current design review process and how it could be improved upon but did not take any formal action on the item.
• The city council also approved an amendment to the city’s Private Sewer Lateral Ordinance that will give eligible property owners a little more flexibility in making city-mandated repairs to their sewer lines.
• The city council finalized the results of last month’s General Election.
• The city council also went through the annual process of appointing its members to boards, commissions, working groups and various local committees.

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You can find a recording of last night’s meeting at this link. See you next year, Eureka City Council! 

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PREVIOUSLY: Arcata City Council Approves Long-Planned Old Arcata Road Improvement Project, Including Installation of Controversial Roundabout

IT IS FINALLY DONE!!!!

The construction project from Jacoby Creek Road to Sunnybrae is now complete (except for a few minor items) and it is marvelous. There is now sidewalk all the way and bike lanes on both sides with crosswalks and flashing crossing signs. There is also added parking across from the Grange, which was necessary because when there were events, traffic would park on both sides of the road and it would be down to one lane. The drainage ditch had underground culverts installed with pavers on top so it is safer to park, ride a bike and walk. Riding my bike to Sunnybrae used to feel like I was riding over train tracks. It is so smooth now.

Before the Jacoby Creek roundabout, people would be driving on Old Arcata Road towards Jacoby Creek School up to 48 miles per hour in the 25 mph zone. I was able to verify the speed because there was a radar speed sign as one would approach the school. Now, the traffic is much safer for all people in a car, on a bike or walking. There are still a few problems but they are minimal compared to the improvements that were made!

Now I would like to discuss the elephant in the room! It is particularly sad how the work crew from GR Sundberg was treated by the vehicle drivers. I heard stories about people yelling, cussing and spitting on them. The vehicle drivers would also ignore the flaggers by driving right past them, almost hitting them.

What was particularly sad was that adults with children in the car were displaying such horrible behavior and teaching the children that it was the way to handle a situation. Imagine if those adults saw their children being talked to like they talked to the flaggers and workers. Would they object to that treatment? Adults, please set an example and stop what is becoming common practice in today’s society. It was only a few and you know who you are!

People serve us every day no matter where we go. We need them to be there or we would not be able to get what we need. We don’t know what people are going through in their lives. One worker at the site opened up to me that he had cancer and has a port for his infusions. I said I wanted to write a letter to the editor and asked if I could mention his situation and he said, yes. We don’t know their financial, physical or emotional struggles they have just to serve us. I told the worker I make it a goal of mine to make someone smile every day and am particularly kind to those who serve me. I say “Thank You For Working” and smile. I hope I change someone’s attitude every day. Please help to pass a smile on to others. You may be the only positive interaction they have that day and it will mean a lot.

Paul Nicholson

Bayside

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If you’re anywhere near Arcata and can spare some time this afternoon, you may want to make your way down to the parade route, fill your lungs with air and make some noise for the Arcata High School football team and its stalwart cheerleader squad, who will be celebrating Saturday’s nail-biter, overtime victory in the state championship game with a procession through town. 

The parade will commence from Arcata High’s campus at 1:30 p.m., proceed along 16th Street to H and then down to the plaza for a victory lap before returning to campus.

It has been a remarkable season for this Tigers squad, which won the school’s first-ever North Coast Section championship, first-ever NorCal Regional crown and first-ever Division 6-AA state championship by defeating Portola in SoCal over the weekend.

The Biden administration today approved California’s groundbreaking mandate phasing out new gas-powered cars just weeks before the incoming Trump administration poses a threat of overturning electric vehicle and climate rules.

The granting of the waiver by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows California to move forward in requiring 35% of new 2026 model cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions, 68% in 2030 and 100% in 2035.

The EPA also today gave the go-ahead to a 2020 California regulation requiring reductions in nitrogen oxides — a key ingredient of smog — emitted by heavy-duty trucks and buses.

The Trump administration is likely to challenge the approved waivers through the courts and deny other California vehicle standards yet to be greenlit.

At a campaign event in Michigan earlier this year, Trump dismissed the possibility of any state banning new gas-powered cars, declaring, “I guarantee it — no way.”

For longer than half a century, California’s vehicle emissions rules have been the driving force for dramatic improvements in the state’s air quality, especially in the smoggy Los Angeles basin and San Joaquin Valley. Cars, trucks and other vehicles are the biggest sources of smog-forming gases and soot, which cause asthma and heart attacks and other serious respiratory problems.

“California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “Today’s actions follow through on EPA’s commitment to partner with states to reduce emissions and act on the threat of climate change.”

Congress granted California the authority to set its own vehicle emissions standards in a 1967 clean-air law. But each standard set by California requires a waiver from the EPA before it can be implemented.

“California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks.”
— EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan

Under the federal Clean Air Act, the EPA can only legally reject a waiver if it’s “arbitrary or capricious,” unnecessary for addressing air pollution or technologically infeasible due to inadequate lead time.

None of EPA waivers to California has ever been revoked. But the Trump administration in 2019 attempted to revoke one that the Obama administration granted for California’s 2012 zero-emission car mandate. The Biden administration, however, reinstated it in 2022, which has triggered lawsuits by oil companies and Republican-led states.

The stakes are high since the state’s air pollution ranks among the nation’s worst. Failure to meet federal health standards for smog and soot could result in economic sanctions, including the loss of highway funds.

“This might read like checking a bureaucratic box, but EPA’s approval is a critical step forward in protecting our lungs from pollution and our wallets from the expenses of combustion fuels,” Paul Cort, an attorney with the environmental group Earthjustice, said in a statement. “The gradual shift in car sales to zero-emissions models will cut smog and household costs while growing California’s clean energy workforce.”

A Hyundai Ioniq 6 charges at an Electrify America charging station in Oakland. Under California’s mandate, 100% of new car sales must be emissions-free in 2035. Photo by Camille Cohen for CalMatters

The Newsom administration has been pressing the EPA this year to approve all eight California clean-vehicle rules that still needed the agency’s go-ahead. Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to press the Biden administration to act before Donald Trump takes over the White House on Jan. 20.

“Clean cars are here to stay,” Newsom said in a statement. “Automakers and manufacturers have made it clear they intend to stick with California and consumers as we move toward clean cars that save people money. Naysayers like President-elect Trump would prefer to side with the oil industry over consumers and American automakers, but California will continue fostering new innovations in the market.”

Nevertheless, the transition to electrify transportation faces headwinds even in the Golden State. Electric car sales, once surging, have plateaued this year. Sales through the first nine months of this year were up only 1.2% over the same period last year, according to state data. That compares to a 56% increase in sales the previous year and 38% in 2022.

The November election has already influenced some decision-making at The California Air Resources Board, which enacts the state’s air pollution and climate rules. Earlier this month, the board at the last minute pulled back a proposed rule ramping up sales of zero-emission motorcycles. That decision came in part due to Trump’s election, a person familiar with the board’s thinking said. The state will instead offer incentives for people to buy electric motorcycles.

The EPA still is considering six other California clean air rules, including ones that phase out diesel trucks and require cleaner locomotives, commercial ships and off-road diesel vehicles like tractors and construction equipment. The most controversial are the regulations for trucks and locomotives.

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to review whether the oil industry has the legal standing to try to overturn a lower court’s decision that allowed California to set low- and zero-car emission standards for model years 2015 through 2025.

The new waivers approved today could provide more opportunities for legal disputes in the Trump 2.0 era. Those battles could once again reach the conservative-leaning Supreme Court. The justices earlier this year did away with a 40-year-old judicial rule of thumb, known as “Chevron deference,” which has been key for setting climate and environmental policy. The principle, rooted in a 1984 decision, obligated judges to yield to a federal agency’s interpretation when determining how a Congressional law should be applied.

Congress has passed little direct legislation on climate change and the EPA has relied on interpretations of older environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act.

Efforts to overturn California’s authority may also extend to Congress. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to revoke federal rules approved during a certain timeframe at the end of an administration. Legal experts, however, debate whether that law would apply to EPA actions related to California’s clean-air waivers.

Republicans may attempt to repeal the Clean Air Act provisions that empower California, but such efforts would likely encounter resistance, including potential Democratic filibusters. Historically, bipartisan support for combating air pollution has thwarted similar moves to alter the Clean Air Act.

California’s clean-car mandate is also central to its climate strategy and has helped make the state a national leader in climate policy, with 11 states and Washington, D.C., adopting or planning to adopt its zero-emission car sales mandate.

The state’s history and economic influence also position it as a formidable opponent. Many automakers, aware of California’s large market share, have opted to negotiate with the state rather than resist. In 2020 BMW, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and Volvo agreed to adhere to California’s standards through 2026, irrespective of federal actions. Stellantis pledged compliance with zero-emission car sales requirements through 2030, even in the face of federal or judicial opposition.

For 2026 models, 35% of sales in California must be zero emissions under the state rules; through September, they are only 25.4% of sales this year.

The phased-in mandate allows sales of new plug-in hybrids as well as battery-only cars, and the state says some gas-powered cars are expected to remain on California roads for more than 25 years.

Many obstacles stand in the way of electrifying cars, including the need for more public fast chargers. State officials estimate that California needs a million public charging stations in six years — almost 10 times more than the number available to drivers a year ago — and 2.1 million by 2035.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group, published a memo last week saying that it “will take a miracle” for all of the states that follow California’s rules to reach 100% new zero-emission cars by 2035.

“There needs to be balance and some states should exit the program,” the automakers said.

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