Germaine Marie (Rivet) Mix, 88, a resident of Eureka, was called peacefully home
to heaven with her daughter and son-in-law at her side on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
Germaine was born on April 8, 1937, in Coleman, Wisc. to the late Edward Rivet and
Delima (Woulf) Rivet.
Germaine married William John Mix on October 14, 1961, at St. John’s Catholic Church
in Coleman, Wisc. He preceded her in death on April 10, 1981.
After a brief time in Milwaukee, Germaine and William settled in Menomonee Falls, Wisc.,
where they raised their family. In Menomonee Falls, Germaine worked as an office
manager/receptionist for Dr. Lee Dannenberg, ophthalmologist, and later as a
receptionist/medical assistant at Medical Associates. After retirement in 2004, she lived
in Wauwatosa, DePere and Oconto Falls before relocating to Eureka in late 2013 to
be closer to her daughter and her family.
Gerry was raised on their family farm in Coleman, Wisc., with her sisters, Audrey and
Marie, and her two brothers, Allen and Don. She had many stories of the farm work that
she and her siblings assisted with: picking rocks from the field, bailing hay, cutting corn,
caring for the farm animals and harvesting produce from the garden. Some of her
favorite times were spent when family and neighbors came to their farm to complete a
large task. Gerry’s mother Delima, would prepare a generous meal for everyone. The
kids would play as the adults worked; those were treasured times for all the kids as time
spent together was rare.
She talked often of enjoying time with the Woulf side of the
family, putting on “amateur shows” as part of family gatherings to entertain the adults.
She would sing with her sister Marie; Gerry sang harmony while Audrey and Allen
played the guitar. Gerry never lost her love of music and spent a great deal of time
enjoying a variety of genres.
One of her fondest memories was coming home from
school to a home smelling of homemade bread almost every day and enjoying some
warm from the oven. Of course she had many stories of walking to school in the cold
winter months for miles in the snow often laughing at the lack of warm winter gear we
have today. All of those experiences made her the strong, independent lady she was
throughout her life. She enjoyed school and graduated from Coleman High School in 1955. She was prom queen her junior year of high school in 1954.
Following high
school Gerry moved to Green Bay to live in an apartment with her cousins and work at
the Northern Paper Mill. She met her husband Bill and initially settled in Detroit,
Michigan. She missed home and her family, so they swiftly moved back to Wisconsin,
living in an apartment in Wauwatosa where she and Bill started their family. They
settled and raised their family in Menomonee Falls, remaining close to her sister Marie
and her family. The sisters kept their families close sharing holiday meals, celebrating
achievements and milestones as well as enjoying Sunday dinners consistently and
enjoyed just being family. Gerry and Marie talked almost daily discussing family events
and keeping current in the lives of their extended family. She prayed for everyone
through her years and was deeply moved by the current local and world news.
Despite her move to California in 2013 when she was 76 years old, her heart remained
in Wisconsin. She adored time spent with her sisters, nieces, daughter and
daughter-in-law in Door County, Wisc., one of her most treasured places on earth.
Many of us hold so many happy memories of those times. She loved visiting special
places like Kelly Lake, the family farm, schools and churches she had attended. She
enjoyed attending her class reunions and catching up with family and friends.
She
adored traveling; she loved the beauty and the peacefulness of the mountains. She
traveled to Yosemite, Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park and Crater Lake,
to name a few. Another favorite place was Jenny Lake in the Grand Teton National
Park. She enjoyed listening to music and watching the scenery while looking for
wildlife. She remained a loyal Green Bay Packer fan throughout her life among a sea of
San Francisco fans. She remained true to the green and gold! Gerry loved making
puzzles; (the family rule is no greater than 1000 pieces :-) reading and playing cards.
Cribbage and Scrabble were two of her favorites. She loved painting pottery, painting
rocks, bowling and playing golf in her younger years. She enjoyed trying new recipes
through her life; entertaining and making special dinners and treats for family always
served with a beautiful table setting. She enjoyed visiting with friends and attending
local events. She loved walking the dog most dear to her heart, Luna Star. She is now
taking her on heavenly walks as they are together in heaven. She enjoyed attending
church services at the Faith Center as she focused on her relationship with GOD. She
appreciated and enjoyed the worship music that set the tone for the sermon.
None of life’s adventures would compare to the love she had for her grandson Hayden.
Her move to California was to be able to share in his life and play an active role in his
care; and that she did! She loved teaching him, laughing with him on adventures and
cherished each special milestone as he grew up. She devoted much of her time
cheering for him at all of his sporting events: baseball, basketball, BMX biking and
watching him ride his dirt bike. She was only kept home with severe weather, like rain,
wind and cold. She sat in the front row and all could hear her cheering him on. She
enjoyed supporting Hayden through his years of school and participated in fundraising
events to support not only Hayden, but many of his friends. She arrived here in
California as Gerry Mix. But as the years passed and her love for Hayden and his
friends and their families grew she became known to all lovingly as “Grammy Gerry.”
She loved watching Hayden and his friends grow up through the years. She attended
plays and sporting events to support each one of them with encouraging words and hugs.
Thank you to all of our friends and family that were so caring and supportive of
Grammy Gerry through her years here with us. She adored her name and her role as
Grammy to each and every one of you. Grammy Gerry is greatly missed- her smile, her
giving spirit and her constant support for each one of us. We pray she is peacefully in
her heavenly home watching over those she loves and enjoying the beauty of heaven.
Germaine is survived by her son David (Marilyn) Mix of Wausau, Wisc.; daughter, Jean
(Michael) Flynn of Eureka; son, Paul (Rachel) Mix of Tulsa, Okla.; sisters, Audrey
Rhode and Marie Janik of Oconto Falls, Wisc.; brother, Donald Rivet (Judy) of Green Bay,
Wisc.; grandchildren Connie Mix, Billy Mix and Hayden Flynn as well as many nieces,
nephews and cousins.
In addition to her parents and husband, Germaine was preceded in death by her
brother, Allen Rivet; sister-in-law, Patricia Rivet; brothers-in-law, Ransom (Buck) Rhode
and Donald Janik.
We would like to thank Hospice of Humboldt for their support not only for Gerry, but for
our family. Your guidance and care was amazing and made each day easier allowing
us to focus on our time together.
We would also like to thank Gerry’s special caregivers Megan and Jennie. You were
both angels to us! Your kindness, professional care and loving personalities truly
carried us through. You are so very appreciated and loved.
In lieu of owers, donations can be made in Germaine’s name to Hospice of Humboldt.
Services for Germaine will be held
July 25, 2025
Rhode’s-Charapata Funeral Home and Cremation 235 E Main Street, Coleman, Wisc. 54112 Visitation: 1 p.m. Service: 2 p.m.
August 6th, 2025
Faith Center Foursquare Church 1032 Bay Street Eureka, CA 95501 Visitation: 10:30 a.m. Celebration of Life 11 a.m. Refreshments to follow
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Germaine Mix’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
Screenshot of today’s Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting.
###
After nearly a decade of planning and negotiations, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a water diversion agreement that will support PG&E’s plan to decommission the aging Potter Valley Project and demolish its two dams — Scott Dam and Cape Horn Dam — on the upper stretches of the Eel River.
The historic agreement marks a major turning point in a years-long effort by federal, state, tribal and local agencies to craft a “two-basin solution” that meets the needs of communities in both the Eel and Russian River basins, which have long been at odds over ownership and control of water diverted from the Eel River.
“This agreement has been a long road,” Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director Hank Seemann said at today’s meeting. “There’s been give and take, and I think there’s a lot of mutual respect on both sides. I think it’s an achievement to work together and not have a zero-sum game, but create something that is attentive to each party’s needs and also provides a strong foundation for moving forward in collaboration.”
Scott Dam at Lake Pillsbury — a key component of the Potter Valley Project. | Photo: PG&E
If you’re new to this topic, here’s a little background on how we got here: PG&E has been looking to rid itself of the 100-year-old Potter Valley Project — a hydropower system that diverts water out of the Eel into the headwaters of the Russian River for municipal and agricultural use in Mendocino, Sonoma and northern Marin counties — since at least 2018, and the Potter Valley powerhouse stopped generating power in 2021.
The project license expired in April 2022, and just one month later, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directed PG&E to develop a plan to surrender its license and decommission the project to make way for dam removal.
In 2023, county officials began negotiating a water diversion agreement with Sonoma Water, Mendocino Inland Water and Power Commission, Round Valley Indian Tribes, California Trout, Trout Unlimited and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. The parties came up with a plan to create a new water diversion facility — New Eel-River Russian Facility (NERF) — and establish the Eel-Russian Project Authority (ERPA), which will oversee construction, operation and maintenance of the NERF. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with the parties earlier this year.
During a lengthy presentation at today’s meeting, Seemann explained that the 30-year agreement sets “co-equal goals” that support the recovery of native fish populations — including Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead and lamprey — while maintaining a reliable water supply to the Russian River basin. The agreement also sets diversion rules for each season based on the natural flow regime and historic fish runs, with the bulk of diversions occurring in the winter and early spring.
Seemann | Screenshot
“Humboldt County’s position going into these negotiations is that our first preference — our strong preference — would be for Eel River water to stay in the river, but we would consider this agreement if there were strong protections and benefits for the Eel River,” Seemann said. “And, speaking for staff, we feel like this agreement does provide strong protections and benefits.”
Under the agreement, PG&E’s water rights would be transferred to the Round Valley Indian Tribes, who would then lease them back to the ERPA for $750,000 per year, which amounts to 21 percent of the estimated operating costs of the NERF. The staff report notes that the annual payment could increase if public funding covers more than 75 percent of construction costs for NERF.
Following staff’s presentation, Brian Johnson, senior policy advisor for Trout Unlimited’s Pacific region, urged the board to approve the agreement and underscored his organization’s support for dam removal.
“We support this, knowing full well that many of our members would prefer to just see the diversion go away,” Johnson said. “We feel pretty strongly that’s not the right approach … because not doing so and allowing a water war could easily lead to delay in dam removal, or in a worst case scenario, a diversion that isn’t conditioned to protect the Eel River.”
Alicia Hamann, executive director of Friends of the Eel River, expressed enthusiastic support for the agreement, noting that her organization was founded for the very purpose of “freeing the Eel.”
Hamann | Screenshot
“As Friends of the Eel has emphasized many times, to reap the benefits of dam removal on the Eel, it has to happen quickly,” Hamann said. “This deal makes an important shift when it comes to the way that flows are managed in the Eel, diverting only a percent of natural flows that the Eel can spare, and only during the appropriate wet season. … While we are one of those groups that would prefer to see the diversion ended, we feel confident that the flow schedule developed by the technical team will protect habitat in the Eel and set appropriate seasonal boundaries.”
During the board’s discussion on the matter, Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo called the agreement “a wise and a reasonable approach that gives us the best chance of moving forward,” though she also said she would prefer to keep Eel River flows in-basin.
Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson praised the county’s attorneys, Destinee Valeska and Joel Campbell-Blair, for their work in representing the county throughout the negotiation process and voiced support for the agreement.
Wilson | Screenshot
“This has been a lot of work to get to this place, and we’re gonna have a lot of work moving forward, negotiating [with] the institutions and organizations, and the work that’s going to be done to restore the river and bring back the fish,” Wilson said. “These fisheries are part of the broader health of the ecosystem — it’s not just in the main stem.”
Board Chair Michelle Bushnell expressed her support as well, adding that “this is the best outcome that we can move forward with right now.” Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone and First District Supervisor Rex Bohn agreed, with both noting that this “is the best we can get.”
“So let’s just be the best we can and accept it,” Bohn said.
Bushnell made a motion to approve the agreement, which was seconded by Wilson and approved in a unanimous 5-0 vote.
The remaining parties still have yet to vote on the agreement. PG&E’s final license surrender application and decommissioning plan must be submitted to FERC by July 29. While the document is under review, PG&E will conduct several more studies to assess mitigating impacts for dam removal, which is still “several years” out.
[WEDNESDAY UPDATE: All of the signatories have signed off on the water diversion agreement. PG&E has not agreed to any terms of the agreement as of yet.]
A clarification from Friday’s article: Storz doesn’t own Royal Crest Mobile Estates. They only manage the day-to-day operations for the actual owners, something no one from Storz mentioned during repeated phone calls asking for comment.
The Outpost has received a letter from Anthony Rodriguez, a lawyer representing the California Limited Partnership that owns the Royal Crest Mobile Estates (they are nameless in the letter, but from what we can find, they’re called “Royal Crest Investors LP.” As for the identity of the people who own that organization, they remain anonymous).
To sum the 14-page letter up, Royal Crest Investors LP does not want the Fortuna City Council to pass a Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), and also rejects the idea that they don’t treat their residents fairly.
In a separate email to both the Outpost and Fortuna’s city councilmembers, he also denied that people who live at the park who complained about the rent raises or any subpar infrastructure were censured by the owners.
“Preliminarily, I must note that there have been suggestions the park is owned by a large corporation, that it is only concerned with profits, with no concern for the well being of its residents,” Rodriguez writes. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Rodriguez says the rent increases (about 21% over the last four years) are a reflection of money invested into the park’s infrastructure, $727,000 over the last five years to fix problems caused by earthquakes and fires, as well as inflation (also about 21% nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but the data on California shows its CPI rose more like 19%).
He also claims that a 1985 court case, Sierra Lake Reserve v. City of Rocklin, gives his client the right to raise rent on mobile homes to get a solid return on infrastructure investments.
Additionally, Rodriguez says that the homes in the park are worth way above market price, and therefore the rent should also be higher. Data in the letter, pulled from public records, show that the homes are selling for about $52,000 more on average than they were purchased for ($84,600 vs. $32,500), although the time elapsed in between those sales isn’t mentioned.
Because the price of mobile homes has an inverse correlation with the lot rent, the high sales price of these houses suggests to him that the rent is far below what it could be. In fact, the thinking goes, the low rent could exacerbate a housing shortage in Fortuna by making the original sales price of the home unaffordable.
But the main concern is making a return, and that’s the main summation of the argument — with a hint that they’re not above some court battles.
“The recent rent increases at Royal Crest Mobile Estates barely allow the parkowner to keep pace with the excessive inflation that has occurred since 2021, let alone recover a fair return on the hundreds of thousands of dollars in capital improvement due to factors beyond the parkowner’s control,” reads the letter. “…Rent control in mobile homes parks routinely results in litigation to determine the appropriate rent level, and in some cases, even results in closure of the property. As a result, the relationship between mobilehome parkowners and residents can easily become adversarial, creating unwanted stress, anxiety and expense for all concerned. In order to avoid these negative consequences, my client respectfully requests the City Council to reject rent control at this time.”
The mobile home owners in the park think the RSO they’re proposing is perfectly fair and allows for a healthy profit.
“I think that, yes, from a company perspective, this is their investment, and it’s what they’ve chosen to do, which is fine, but it needs to be reasonable as well,” said homeowner Layne Moon in an interview with the Outpost last week. “And, you know, they should make a profit, but not a gouging profit.”
“Mr. Wilburn was located and in good health,” the Sheriff’s Office writes. “We are currently providing assistance and will be clearing the scene shortly.”
###
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
Wilburn.
On July 22, 2025, at approximately 11:55 a.m., deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
(HCSO) responded to the area of the Eagle Prairie Bridge, Rio Dell, for the report of a missing person.
Through their investigation, it has been determined that William Andrew Wilburn (age 59) fled from
personnel with the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department after they were attempting to provide aid.
Wilburn is described as white male adult, 5’9”, 200 lbs., bald, with blue eyes (see attached
photograph). Wilburn was last seen wearing black pants, a black vest, and carrying a red milk crate.
HCSO Search and Rescue, Boating Units, and Drone Teams are actively in the area. If you happen to
see Mr. Wilburn, please contact HCSO immediately at 707-445-7251.
On July 21, 2025, at 1440 hours Humboldt Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call of a two-vehicle crash on US-101 near MPM 76 in Mendocino County.
A Porsche Macan, driven by Justino William Faenzi-Glass (43), was traveling northbound on US-101 towards a Honda CRV traveling southbound. For reasons still under investigation, Faenzi-Glass allowed the Porsche to cross over the solid double yellow lines and collided head-on with the Honda. CHP personnel arrived on scene at approximately 1450 hours. At approximately 1505 hours, the solo occupant of the Honda was pronounced deceased. The name of the Honda driver is being withheld pending the notification of the nest of kin by the Mendocino County Coroner.
Upon evaluation, Faenzi-Glass was determined to be Driving Under the Influence and was placed under arrest for 23153(f) VC, 191.5(a) PC, 273a(a) PC. Faenzi-Glass was transported to Mendocino County Jail and booked on the above charges.
Faenzi-Glass was travelling with two juveniles, neither of which were injured and were released to a relative on scene.
Additionally, at 1809 hours Humboldt Communications center received a second 9-1-1 call of a two-vehicle crash on US-101 near MPM 80 in Mendocino County. A gray Acura TSX, driven by Zachary Nathan Mostad (29), was traveling southbound on US-101 towards a white Ford Explorer traveling northbound. Due to Mostad’s level of impairment, Mostad allowed the Acura to travel onto the oncoming lane of traffic and collided with the Ford. Mostad was determined to be Driving Under the Influence and was placed under arrest for 23152(f) VC. Mostad was transported to Howard Memorial Hospital for a complaint of pain to his left shoulder and later booked into Mendocino County Jail.
The passengers of the Ford were uninjured and drove away from the scene of the crash.
The Garberville Area CHP would like to thank the citizens who stopped at both collisions to render aid. The following agencies assisted with this investigation: Cal Fire Laytonville, Caltrans, and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
If anyone has any additional information, please contact the CHP Garberville Area Office at (707) 932-6100.
On July 21, 2025, at approximately 6:53 PM, Eureka Police Department (EPD) patrol officers and Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) responded to a fully engulfed van fire in the parking lot of a business in the 800 block of Broadway. HBF personnel quickly initiated fire suppression efforts. Unfortunately, the van’s driver was found deceased at the scene.
Following standard protocol, EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit and Major/Fatal Injury Traffic Investigations responded to investigate the incident.
Preliminary Timeline of Events (approximate):
6:46 PM – Fortuna Police Department contacted EPD’s Communications Center to report a stolen vehicle: a New Life Service van.
6:47 PM – The van’s owner informed EPD the vehicle may be entering Eureka, though the information was second-hand.
6:50 PM – California Highway Patrol advised EPD the van was speeding northbound on U.S. Highway 101 and may have hit a guardrail.
6:50 PM – A witness reported to EPD the van was traveling north on Broadway, driving into oncoming traffic.
6:51 PM – EPD received a call reporting a fully engulfed van on fire on the 800 block of Broadway, with one person still inside.
6:53 PM – An EPD officer arrived on scene and confirmed the van had been involved in a collision and was fully engulfed in flames.
Initial Findings:
The stolen van was traveling north on Broadway at a high rate of speed when it veered off the road, jumped the northeast curb at W. Grant Street, and continued north along the sidewalk.
It entered a parking lot in the 900 block of Broadway, crossed W. Washington Street, broke through a fence, and collided into two parked vehicles—one of which was occupied.
The impact scattered debris, injuring three pedestrians.
The van caught fire upon hitting a curb, then became engulfed, igniting one of the vehicles it struck.
A total of 12 vehicles were damaged in the incident.
The occupant of the parked vehicle and the injured pedestrians were transported to a local hospital with minor to moderate injuries.
The van’s driver, a female, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office is working to confirm the driver’s identity and notify next of kin.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant information is asked to contact EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit at 707-441-4300.
Operational Updates: Firefighters had a productive day on the Butler Fire July 21 as cooler temperatures moderated fire activity. With temperatures in the low 80s and humidity up to 45 percent, firefighters were able to construct handline more directly on the fire’s edge and complete control lines around a number of spot fires and slop-overs from the day before.
Crews completed handline around the previous day’s spot fire near Tripp Point on the north end of the fire. Firefighters mopped up along the Salmon River Road corridor, extinguishing interior pockets of heat that still threatened the roadway.
Across the Salmon River in the Crapo Creek drainage, crews constructed direct handline from the river up to Yellow Jacket Ridge. Crews also built handline from Sawyers Bar Road up to Yellow Jacket Ridge along the fire’s eastern perimeter in Murderers Gulch.
Overnight firefighters took advantage of moderating weather conditions to conduct strategic firing operations to reduce available vegetation between the fire and structures around the confluence of the Salmon River and its north fork.
Crews extinguished or contained fire that had spilled or spotted into the Knownothing Creek drainage the previous day. They evaluated options for indirect control lines along Hotelling Ridge, while also identifying structures and infrastructure needing protection.
The west side of the fire stayed within control lines bordering the boundaries of the 2024 Boise Fire and 2023 Pearch Fire.
The Red Fire remains stable with no growth in days. Infrared flights have shown progressively less heat around the fire’s perimeter and interior.
Photo: Six Rivers National Forest
Evacuations: Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office expanded its evacuation orders July 20 to include zones to include zones SIS-1802 and SIS-1903. The following zones continue to be under evacuation orders: FRK-1709 (Forks of Salmon), SIS-1703, SIS-1704 (Butler Creek, Lewis Creek, Bloomer Mine residents and Nordheimer Campground), SIS-1707-A, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, SIS-1710, SIS-1803-A, SIS-1804, SIS-1805 and SIS-1808.
The Siskiyou Office of Emergency Services has established a dedicated phone number to assist people with their evacuation needs: 530-340-3539.
Zones SAW-1713, SIS-1705, SIS-1712, SIS-1803-B, SIS-1811, SIS-1906 and SIS-1907 are under an evacuation warning, where residents are advised to be prepared to evacuate if conditions become more threatening. The latest evacuation information can be found at https://protect.genasys.com.
Closures:
Butler Fire: Salmon River Road between Butler Flat and Nordheimer Campground remains closed as rocks and burning debris continued to fall onto the roadway.
National Forests: The Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests issued a joint closure order July 16 within the vicinity of the Butler Fire. The closure includes Nordheimer and Oak Bottom campgrounds. The Pacific Crest Trail remains outside of the closure area, but hikers are advised to exercise caution.
Weather and Fire Behavior: A local red flag warning is in effect today with a 20 percent chance of dry thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon. Outflow winds are expected out of the northeast with gusts up to 40 miles an hour, which could result in multi-directional fire spread and spotting up to a mile.
Fire Safety and Prevention: The Six Rivers National Forest implemented level 1 fire restrictions July 21. Restrictions cover a range of potential fire-igniting activities, such as building and maintaining campfires in certain areas, smoking, and operating spark-causing equipment and other tools.
For more information, visit the forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/sixrivers/alerts. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
