PREVIOUSLY

(PHOTOS) Stymied for Months by Insurance Investigations and Obtaining Permits, the Arcata Jan. 2 Fire Cleanup Began Today

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Press release from Environmental Remedies:

This week, Environmental Remedies and Mayfield Environmental began segregation of fire debris for waste profiling and characterization. As part of this process, our teams also made every reasonable effort to identify and set aside items that tenants were attempting to retrieve before debris is transported for disposal.

We successfully removed, transported, and disposed of non-friable asbestos-containing vinyl composite tile in accordance with regulatory requirements. Additional sampling performed by a third-party CIH returned negative results for asbestos, which is excellent news for the project moving forward.

With debris now properly sorted and characterized, trucks will begin transporting material to the appropriate landfills today, tomorrow, and into next week as cleanup operations continue.

Sincerely, Matthew Bane

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Press release from the County of Humboldt:

The Humboldt County Department of Aviation, in collaboration with the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association and the Arcata Fire District, will conduct a prescribed burn of the grass at the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV), located at 3561 Boeing Ave. in McKinleyville, to prepare for the upcoming Rumble Over the Redwoods air show.

The prescribed burn will help mitigate any potential risks when pyrotechnics are displayed during the air show. This work will also help with smoke management, aircraft and firefighter safety at the event.

This project will occur during optimal weather conditions and is anticipated to take place sometime between Saturday, Aug. 1 and Tuesday, Aug. 4.

What to Expect

During the prescribed burn, airport visitors and those in the vicinity of ACV should expect to see fire in a controlled area on airport property and personnel maintaining and putting out the fire. The fire may be visible from surrounding roads, homes or by air. Please plan accordingly.

There are no planned street closures and airport operations will not be impacted as a result of this prescribed burn.

The Department of Aviation would like to thank the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association and the Arcata Fire District for their partnership on this project.

The Rumble Over the Redwoods air show will take place at ACV on Saturday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 9. For more information about the event, please visit RumbleOverTheRedwoods.com.

For more information about ACV and the Humboldt County Department of Aviation, please visit FlyACV.com.

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Press release from the Arcata Police Department:

On July 30, 2026, at approximately 5:24 p.m., Arcata Police officers responded to the 2200 block of Ariel Way for the report of a residential burglary and assault that had just occurred.

The victim reported that a male suspect wearing a face covering forced entry into the residence, assaulted the resident, and then fled in the passenger seat of a white truck with oversized tires. The vehicle was last seen traveling southbound on V Street.

Within minutes, officers located a vehicle matching the description near Jackson Ranch Road and Highway 255. Officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop and detained two occupants of the vehicle while the investigation continued.  

The investigation determined that Carl Keeler was the suspect who forced entry into the residence and assaulted the victim. William Clark was identified as the driver who transported Keeler away from the scene following the crime. The victim was not seriously injured during the assault.

Keeler and Clark were arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the following charges:

• PC 459 - Burglary
• PC 182 - Conspiracy to Commit a Crime
• PC 240 - Assault
• PC 242 - Battery
• PC 31 - Accessory

The Arcata Police Department appreciates the quick response of our officers and the information provided by the victim, which led to the swift identification and arrest of the suspects.

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Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

Humboldt Bay Fire personnel quickly contained a vegetation fire that broke out behind the Bayshore Mall at 3300 Broadway in Eureka on Wednesday afternoon.

At approximately 2:00 pm, HBF responded to reports of a fire behind the mall. The first arriving unit found approximately a quarter-acre fire burning in light, flashy fuels. The fire was wind-driven with a rapid rate of spread. Firefighters immediately requested additional resources, including two more engines, a water tender, and a Battalion Chief.

Crews worked efficiently to contain the fire to just under two acres. Significant smoke from the incident impacted surrounding businesses and HWY 101. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to remind the community that these types of grass and vegetation fires can spread very quickly. Fire season is upon us here on the North Coast, and conditions will remain dry and extremely sensitive to fire danger through the month of October. We urge residents to remain vigilant and to practice fire safety.

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

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It will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 38, which would provide $8.4 billion for cutting edge immunology research and cures for heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s, as well as other diseases that may be vanquished with immunotherapies.

Included in that is more than $4 billion for one, unnamed institute. The legal language behind the proposition gives no outward indication where that $4 billion would go other than pages of oddly specific language that outlines the parameters the lucky recipient must meet to qualify for the windfall.

That might not mean much to the average voter who is trying to parse 14 propositions as they fill out their ballots.

But a CalMatters analysis shows that the ballot language criteria were tailored in a way that very likely excludes all but one institute in the entire state: the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, whose prominent donor and co-founder is the chief backer of the proposition.

The analysis raises the question of why the framers took such care to construct a highly specific set of criteria that seemingly points to a single eligible institute without naming it in the bond.

“It is very clearly designed to support a specific nonprofit,” said Sarah Hill, a professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton who studies California’s ballot process. She said Prop. 38’s language is “oddly specific with numbers,” which on its own should raise the suspicion of voters.

“Why is it just this one institute that you have designated that’s going to get half the money?” she asked, posing a question she believes voters too will wonder.

The split design of the bond measure might also trouble voters, Hill added. As written, the bond measure would mete out more than $4 billion to one unnamed institute and over $4 billion to select nonprofit and public university researchers who apply for grants on a competitive basis.

It’s as if the bond backers are saying, “it’s OK that some of it is going to a specific nonprofit because the rest is much broader, much more general,” Hill said. “They’re trying to get people to focus there, but would half of the money still be designated for one nonprofit? Essentially, yes.”

Hill doesn’t know why the bond measure’s backers are hopeful it’ll pass. One possible reason she gave: Enough voters won’t scrutinize this thoroughly and they’ll support it because it promotes medical research into recognizable diseases. “They’re hoping the way this goes, the voters will just think it sounds nice, which sometimes works,” she added.

There’s recent history that a confusing ballot measure targeting just one entity passes, albeit barely. In 2024 voters approved Proposition 34 by 50.9%. It placed limits on how health care providers spend money. Never explicitly mentioned in the measure’s text was that it appeared to apply to only one organization: the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Backer of bond is also co-founder of immunology institute

The billionaire co-founder of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gary K. Michelson, is one of the two ultrawealthy chief backers of Proposition 38. The institute first became a nonprofit in 2022. Michelson has given it at least $120 million since then. Michelson is the board chair of the institute, which is housed at a research center owned by UCLA.

Prop. 38’s language allocates half the bond money to one unnamed nonprofit that must meet very specific criteria:

• It’s a nonprofit founded before 2025;
• It focuses on immunology and immunotherapy research rather than research broadly;
• It’s affiliated with a University of California campus with a medical center that serves a minimum number of patients. Currently only UCLA meets that threshold;
• It must meet a minimum square footage requirement for the size of the research institute;
• It received a minimum dollar amount in donations from funders, including for specific research endeavors.

A UCLA spokesperson, Phil Hampton, confirmed that among all nonprofit entities affiliated with UCLA, only the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy could satisfy the stipulations of Prop. 38.

The website supporting the proposition touts it as an effort to award grant dollars to scientists working on drug therapies for incurable diseases, but makes no mention of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy as a likely recipient of half the bond revenue. Michelson and a nonprofit that he founded, the Michelson Center For Public Policy, donated at least $8.2 million to the Yes on Proposition 38 campaign. Another campaign donor and institute co-founder, Meyer Luskin, has given at least $5 million.

A former science research administrator publicly opposes the proposition. Robert Kaplan was an associate director at the federally funded National Institutes of Health — the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research. He said concentrating half the funding to one unnamed institute is unfair. “There is a lot of talent in immunology, immunotherapy research in California,” he said in an interview. “All the institutions are scrambling, and so tracking a huge portion of it to one institution, I think, is a bad idea.”

Kaplan also worries the bond measure is too focused on one discipline — immunotherapy — at the expense of a wider array of biomedical research. He’s currently a senior scholar at the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center.The Michelson Center for Public Policy, where Michelson is the director, has given between $1,000 and $9,900 to CalMatters.

The potential for cures through immunotherapies is huge because most diseases involve the immune system, the bond measure backers say. California science research has been rocked by funding cuts ordered by the White House that led to hundreds of cancelled federal grants. While many of those grants were restored, the Yes on Proposition 38 campaign says ongoing federal funding instability necessitates state investment in immunology and immunotherapies.Should Prop. 38 pass, bond payments will cost taxpayers $500 million annually for 25 years, bringing the cost of the $8.4 billion bond to more than $12 billion, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The office said costs to the state may be less if the drug therapies developed through the bond’s research funding generate profits that are then routed back to California’s coffers.

What bond backer says

CalMatters presented its findings to the The Yes on 38 campaign. In a lengthy email response, Claudia Briggs, the campaign’s spokesperson, said Prop. 38’s language isn’t uniquely tailored to the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. She defended the detailed eligibility criteria written into the bond proposition.

“We wrote the measure to ensure a highly qualified nonprofit could receive funding,” she wrote. “We can’t speak to the specific institutes that may or may not qualify across California.”Briggs wrote that the eligibility criteria were “intentionally designed to ensure that whichever institute is selected is prepared to accelerate lifesaving research immediately while maintaining the highest standards of scientific quality, accountability, and stewardship of public funds.”

She explained that the eligibility criteria were crafted to “ensure the selected institute is primarily focused on immunology and immunotherapy research, already has significant resources before receiving bond funds, has an adequate physical facility to accommodate multiple labs and research programs, and has an existing close working relationship with at least one UC campus in order to establish the foundation for the cross-collaboration that will be important to the success of the measure.

”Drugs created through research funded by the bond would have to be discounted at 20% for California residents and 10% of any revenue from the drugs developed through bond-funded research would go back to the state’s general fund. If the revenues repay what the state spent on the bond and there’s money left over, the spare cash would return to the special account supporting the goals of the bond.

The bond measure language says that if no institute qualifies, the California Department of Public Health can adjust the criteria to select a winning institute.

How the bond seemingly points to one institute

The bond proposition language says that the institute receiving the $4.2 billion must be affiliated with a University of California campus housing a medical center with more than 3.5 million outpatient visitors and at least 35,000 inpatient admissions.According to the UC’s latest fiscal audit, only the UCLA medical center and its affiliated sites registered more than 3.5 million outpatient visits in 2025, with 4.1 million visits. UC San Francisco came in second with 3.4 million visits. UCLA’s website says its medical system admits at least 46,000 people for inpatient care.Based on that criteria, only an institute affiliated with UCLA is presently eligible for the $4.2 billion fund.

The bond measure also requires that the research entity measures at least 200,000 square feet and has a “primary” purpose of “conducting research in the fields of immunology and immunotherapy.” Press releases from 2024 indicate that the institute will occupy between 360,000 and 500,000 square feet of space on UCLA-owned property.

The institute’s stated purpose is to be an “invention factory” for “life-saving drugs, vaccines, diagnostics” and to “end disease as we know it within our lifetime.” It initially received $200 million in support from the state budget that helped to secure the UCLA research space.

One of the other requirements of Prop. 38 is that the nonprofit receiving the $4.2 billion be an entity that’s received at least $250 million in philanthropic support. The California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy has received a reported $250 million.

Another bond measure requirement is that top officials from the affiliated UC campus sit on the unnamed institute’s board. Four top UCLA administrators are listed on the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy’s board of directors, including the campus chancellor, Julio Frenk, and the school’s vice chancellor for research, Roger Wakimoto. The institute’s webpage, labeled “Board of Directors,” lists the senior UCLA personnel as “UCLA Board of Directors.” At least four UCLA officials must sit on the institute’s fiduciary board, according to a 2023 term sheet of the affiliation agreement between UCLA and the institute. The UCLA personnel are named as directors in the institute’s most recent Form 990 tax filing.

Prop. 38 is highly specific about two donations that must be at least $50 million each that seem to only apply to the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. The bond language says one donation is to support “a rapid vaccine development program” and the other supports “a microbiome research program.”

Michelson and his wife donated $50 million to two research programs with near-verbatim descriptions that match the bond language as part of their $120 million contribution to the institute, according to a press release. The microbiome research will be conducted in collaboration with the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, which Luskin and his wife helped establish through a $20 million donation they made with another couple.

Other grants limited to select researchers

While an unnamed institute is to receive half the money from Prop. 38, the other half will be meted out to a narrow array of public and nonprofit-based researchers in California through a competitive grant application process.

A council selected by the chancellors of seven of the 10 UC campuses, officials from other universities and nonprofit researchers will select the winning grant proposals. The three UCs excluded are UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. The winning proposals must be specifically in the areas of immunology and immunotherapy and can only come from employers who are represented on the council.

These grant winners must maintain a close relationship with the institute chosen to receive half the bond money.

That institute will help decide which projects led by other nonprofits are funded. The bond language says the “council shall confer with the institute … in making final decisions regarding the funding of grant proposals.”

The winning applicants must also all offer the institute “the opportunity to substantially participate in and collaborate on any clinical trials conducted as part of the funded research.”

The bond language extends that opportunity as well to the UCLA campus by name.

Asked why UCLA has a privileged role in conducting research funded by the bond money, Briggs, the spokesperson for Yes on 38, cited UCLA’s status as the largest health facility network in the UC system that “provides more than 3.5 million outpatient clinical visits each year.”

And by being in Los Angeles, “it has immediate access to the state’s largest and most diverse population center and potential medical patient base.”

Clare Bugenig passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family after a courageous four-and-a-half-month battle following a spinal cord injury. He was 71 years old. Always a firecracker in life, it was somehow fitting that Clare went out with a bang.

Clare was born on April 13, 1955, in Eureka, California, to Francis and Phyllis (Perry) Bugenig. He grew up alongside his siblings Marilyn Philipps (Jon), Bobbe Steinbrecher (John), Lawrence “Lou” Bugenig (Brandi), Mary Jane Kunz (Alan), Nancy Hawes, and his late brother Jerry Bugenig.

Growing up, Clare loved spending time with his family at the Perry Ranch in Blocksburg, a place that remained close to his heart throughout his life. Some of his fondest childhood memories were made there, working cattle, riding horses, and enjoying the ranching lifestyle. He participated in 4-H, raising sheep and steers that he proudly sold at the Humboldt County Fair. He also loved attending gymkhanas with his family, where his dad, Francis, hauled the kids and horses from event to event.  Clare was always the littlest cowboy on the biggest horse, named Hornet. 

Clare attended Ferndale Elementary School, where he made quite an impression on his teachers, and Principal Charlie Lakin, who reportedly introduced him to the infamous “Big Bertha” paddle on more than one occasion.

Sports became one of Clare’s lifelong passions. He excelled in football, basketball, and other athletics throughout grammar school and high school. As a defensive back for Ferndale High School, he helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back North Coast championship football teams in 1972 and 1973, earning numerous All-County honors while playing for Coach Carlson. He graduated from Ferndale High School in 1973.

After high school, Clare attended College of the Redwoods before transferring to California Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, where he graduated in 1978 with a degree in Agricultural Business.

Following college, Clare worked for Tooby Brothers in Fairfield before returning to Humboldt County. He worked for Production Credit Association alongside Jim Rice and later for the Bank of Loleta under Bruce Roberts. In 1979, he returned home to help his parents, Francis and Phyllis, with the Perry Ranch cow-calf operation. Around 1995, he began purchasing the cattle herd from his parents, continuing the ranching tradition he loved. He also spent many years assisting his father-in-law, Gerald Genzoli, with artificial insemination through American Breeders Service, building lasting friendships with many local dairymen. From 2002 until 2009, Clare co-owned Humboldt Fence Company with Russ Renner before later working alongside Carlos Alejandre at Windy Point Fence Company.

Clare married Teresa Genzoli in 1977. They enjoyed vacationing with their good friends George and Tina Toste and Steve and Debbie Renner and their families. 

Teresa and Clare welcomed two children, Ann Marie in 1982 and Adam in 1986 — two of the greatest joys of his life. He was immensely proud of both of them.

Some of the family’s best memories were spent branding cattle, shipping calves, horseback riding at the ranch, skiing at Mount Shasta, taking trips to Disneyland and Great America, and simply enjoying time together. Clare was deeply involved in his children’s lives, coaching youth basketball and football for many years and rarely missing their games. True to form, every game was usually followed by a detailed review of what they could have done just a little better — a tradition his children came to appreciate as one of the many ways he showed his love.

Clare’s love of sports never faded. After high school, he continued playing city league basketball for decades, finally “retiring” from senior league competition in his fifties.

One of Clare’s greatest commitments to the community was his service to the Humboldt County Fair. He joined the Fair Board in 1986 and faithfully served for 37 years, including serving as Board President from approximately 2002-2003. He cared deeply about preserving the fair and its agricultural traditions for future generations. 

Another passion of his was the Sonoma County Trailblazers, where he spent nearly 45 years participating in annual trail rides. Those who rode with Clare know that every trip came with laughter, unforgettable stories, lifelong friendships, and more than a little harmless debauchery.

In June 2017, Clare married Cindy Olsen, whom he met while serving together on the Humboldt County Fair Board. It was a classic scenario of “Country Boy” and the “City Girl.” Clare was outgoing while Cindy was shy, and together they learned to appreciate each other’s worlds. They shared a love for the San Francisco Giants, the 49ers, and traveling together. Their adventures took them on American Cruise Lines throughout the South, where Clare especially enjoyed touring Graceland. Cindy also introduced Clare to her love of disco cruises. Clare enjoyed having a drink with Kool & the Gang and the Village People. Earlier this year, they crossed another item off their bucket list by seeing John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve. 

More than anything, Clare will be remembered for the way he lived. He was hardworking, fiercely loyal, ready to give someone a nickname or “clarify” them with a quick witted remark, never afraid to tease someone he cared about, and always willing to lend a hand. He loved his family, his friends, his community, and the ranching life.

During the final months of his life, Clare was overwhelmed by the incredible love shown to him. Countless friends and family members visited, prayed, encouraged him, and reminded him just how deeply he was loved. Those acts of kindness brought great comfort not only to Clare, but to all who loved him.

Clare is survived by his wife, Cindy Bugenig; his children, Ann Marie Tyrrell (Brian) and Adam Bugenig (Molly); his grandchildren, Reece Lozoya (Vincent), Ryder Tyrrell, Payton Clarence Bugenig-Chase, Madelynn Darst, Francis and Tilly Bugenig; his great-grandchildren, Milo and Kailani Lozoya; his siblings Marilyn Philipps (Jon), Bobbe Steinbrecher (John), Lawrence Bugenig (Brandi), Mary Jane Kunz (Alan), and Nancy Hawes; along with numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Phyllis Bugenig, and his brother, Jerry Bugenig.

Clare leaves behind a legacy of laughter, hard work, service, friendship, and family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

A  celebration of life will be held on August 9, 2026 at 2 p.m. at “The Barn” by Fernbridge, Ferndale, Calif. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Clare Bugenig Scholarship Fund/Humboldt County Fair at 2439 “S” St., Eureka, California 95503.

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

David Paul Anderson (“Carson City”), 57, of Eureka

David Paul Anderson, lovingly known as “Carson City” to his close friends, passed away at the age of 57. David was a devoted husband, proud father, loyal friend, and a man whose strength, humor, and steady presence will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.

David is survived by his loving wife, Barbara; his sons, Christian and Stefan; his daughters, Erica and Shavon; his mother, Leah; his siblings, Amy, Jessica, Kurt, and their families; along with several beloved grandchildren and a great-grandson whom he loved dearly.

Before becoming an electrician, David proudly served as a member of the United States Marine Corps, making it out before Desert Storm — something he jokingly reminded people of whenever military stories came up. Prior to his military service and career as an electrician, he also served his community as a volunteer firefighter in Carson City.

In his younger years, David shared a passion for motorcycles with his father and brother, spending countless hours working on bikes, riding, and racing motorcycles together. Those memories remained some of his favorite stories to tell over the years.

David loved sports of all kinds, especially NASCAR and Motocross. If there was a race on TV, chances were good David had an opinion about it — and probably thought he could’ve driven better himself. He also enjoyed working on and racing RC cars, a hobby that brought out both his competitive side and his inner kid.

Those who knew David will remember him as loving, caring, stern when he needed to be, funny when you least expected it, and calm in the middle of chaos — a full military man through and through. He believed in hard work, taking care of family, and never backing down from life’s challenges.

David leaves behind countless memories, stories, laughs, and lessons that his family and friends will carry with them forever.