Nature, red in tooth and claw — sometimes with your blood. Modern living offers few opportunities to get up-close and personal with the incredible variety of life out there with a solid ability to really mess you up, but people find a way to make it happen regardless. So! Out of these options, organized by category, which is the strangest that’s found a way to injure you? (We’re keeping it local, and also excluding microscopic lifeforms because there are, like, 10 trillion of the things. No time to include all of ‘em.)

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An Oakland nonprofit dog rescue organization has filed a civil lawsuit against Miranda’s Rescue owner and founder Shannon Miranda over allegations of animal cruelty and fraud.

According to the suit, filed in Humboldt County Superior Court yesterday, Rocket Dog Rescue in Oakland transferred an untold number of dogs to Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna after Shannon Miranda described his operation as “a rescue and training facility in a rural environment that was particularly well-suited for dogs that struggled in an urban setting.”

Rocket Dog allegedly paid Miranda a transfer fee for each dog he accepted into his program. He represented that “dogs entrusted to his care would be trained and placed for adoption and that, if euthanasia ever became necessary, [Rocket Dog] would be notified first so it could decide whether to retrieve the dog,” the suit says.

Earlier this year, Miranda told Rocket Dog staff that three dogs they’d transferred to his facility on March 1 — named Paddington, Paulie and Scooby — had been “successfully placed with loving adoptive families,” according to the complaint, which goes on to say that this claim was a lie.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office recently informed Rocket Dog that the remains of Paddington, Paulie and Scooby were among the 117 dog carcasses exhumed from a field at Miranda’s Rescue during a three-day search of the property last month. 

The multi-agency criminal investigation into Miranda’s Rescue is ongoing.

When Rocket Dog contacted Miranda to demand an explanation, he “expressed surprise” and said “he believed someone else at his facility may have euthanized or killed the dogs after they had allegedly been returned,” the lawsuit says. “Plaintiff subsequently learned that those dogs had never been adopted and had instead remained in Defendant MIRANDA’S custody until their deaths.”

The suit, which names as defendants Miranda and all aiders, abettors and co-conspirators, seeks unspecified punitive damages for four causes of action: 

• negligence - animal cruelty for failure to exercise reasonable care in the custody, supervision and protection of Paddington, Paulie and Scooby;
• negligence per se - animal cruelty for “maliciously and intentionally” killing the dogs in violation of state law;
• fraud - intentional misrepresentation for claiming that dogs entrusted to his care would be housed, evaluated, rehabilitated as appropriate and placed into adoptive homes, and for claiming that Paddington, Paulie and Scooby had been successfully adopted into loving homes; and
• trespass to chattels (meaning the intentional interference with someone else’s personal property) by acting with “oppression, fraud, and malice and with conscious disregard for Plaintiff’s rights and property interests.”

The civil lawsuit, first reported by John Chiv, was filed by San Rafael attorney Paul H. Nathan, who did not respond to a message left with a receptionist. Rocket Dog had likewise not responded to a request for comment by the time this post was published. 

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PREVIOUSLY

• Search Warrant Served at Miranda’s Rescue Amid Allegations of Felony Animal Abuse, Fraud and Conspiracy
• Fortuna, Ferndale and Rio Dell Pause Animal Services Contracts With Miranda’s Rescue as Sheriff’s Office Investigation Continues
• Miranda’s Rescue Search Warrant Reveals Eight Dead Dogs Have Been Recovered; Sheriff’s Investigator Believes Miranda Killed Them for Financial Gain
• ‘This Case Remains a Priority’: Sheriff’s Office Issues Update on Miranda’s Rescue Investigation, Asks Public to Come Forth With Information
• BREAKING: At Miranda’s Rescue, Multiple Agencies, Including the FBI, Execute Search Warrant Authorizing Excavation
• (VIDEO) More Than 700 Dogs From Miranda’s Rescue Remain Unaccounted For, Sheriff Honsal Says; Excavation of Grounds to Continue for Several Days
• ‘It’s Gruesome’: Investigators Dig Up More Than A Dozen Dog Carcasses at Miranda’s Rescue on Day Two of Excavations
• ‘This Investigation is Just Getting Started’: Sheriff’s Office Uncovers 117 Dog Carcasses, 21 Skulls and ‘Hundreds of Bones’ at Miranda’s Rescue
• Humboldt County Explains Why It Hasn’t Yet Shut Down Miranda’s Rescue
• (VIDEO) Humboldt County Sheriff Details Evidence From Barn ‘Kill Zone,’ Offers Updates on Miranda’s Rescue Criminal Investigation
• Shannon Miranda Admits Sending Fake Adoption Texts About Dogs He Shot Dead, Affidavit Says
• Microchips From Dogs Exhumed at Miranda’s Rescue Tied to 38 Registered Owners, Including Six Shelters or Rescue Orgs

PREVIOUSLY

• New Bicycle Skills Park Might be Coming to the Arcata Community Forest

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It is a good summer to be a cyclist. 

Earlier this season, construction began on a mountain bike park in the McKay tract in Eureka; the Annie and Mary Trail in Arcata was extended to West End; and now, another bike park in the city’s community forest is open for use. 

Volunteers put a few finishing touches on the Landing Chaser Skills Park last Thursday, opening up the park for mountain bikers of all skill levels. Named for its location at an old forest landing — a site for stacking cut logs before they’re hauled to a mill, staffed by a “chaser” — the one-acre park features a rocky climbing trail, a trail with several large wooden platforms that riders can drop off of, and, by the end of the summer, a “skinny features” area with balancing beam-like logs. It’s adjacent to the top of the Peanut Butter and Jump trails, two other pieces of purpose-built bicycle infrastructure.

It was constructed mainly by Arcata city staff over the last couple months, but the original proposal for a park came from a group of mountain bike riders from the Humboldt Composite, a county-wide racing team for sixth-twelfth graders, and the Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association, who were looking for a place to practice riding some types of terrain that are hard to find here in Humboldt. Much of the park’s final design is theirs. Brenda Odell, a coach with the Humboldt Composite, told the Outpost that Humboldt’s trails are usually rock-free; a boon for many riders, but they often compete in other areas of California where the trails are choked with them. 

She said she was excited to have a place her younger riders could practice. Grayden Larson, a high school senior and team captain, agreed. He’s been on the team since the seventh grade, and said that many of the races they left town for presented some difficulties they couldn’t always prepare for, especially those newer to the sport. Training at the park offers a new way to get in good practice. 

“It’s a really cool thing that the city of Arcata is helping us make and doing for the young guys in our community,” he told the Outpost. “It’s really fun for all skill levels, not just beginners. People like me, and some of my friends, have been riding for a long time. Even still, it’s a super-fun, new addition to jumps and trails out there.”

Community members have been asking the city for a while to build a park with a variety of options for differently skilled mountain bikers, Arcata’s Director of Environmental Services Emily Sinkhorn told the Outpost. Some of the platform drops are only a few inches and end in a ramp, ideal for someone just starting out. Some are higher. It’s also easily accessible, just up one of the old logging roads from Redwood Park or the Fickle Hill parking lot. 

She hopes that the park will siphon away fast riders from other areas of the forest more heavily used by pedestrians, keeping them centralized in an area where the risk of smacking an unaware hiker is lower. 

PREVIOUSLY

• At DEA Hearing in Virginia, Sheriff Honsal Will Testify Against Cannabis Rescheduling on Behalf of Nebraska, Idaho and Indiana
• At DEA Hearing in Virginia, Sheriff Honsal Testified in Favor of Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, According to People in Attendance

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Honsal. | File photo.

The Humboldt County government ponied up roughly $2,700 in travel expenses for Sheriff William Honsal’s recent trip to Arlington, Va., where he testified at a DEA hearing on behalf of three states opposed to downgrading marijuana’s status under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). 

According to emails obtained by the Outpost via a public records request, the political organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana three states, which oppose the proposed reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to the less-restrictive Schedule III of the CSA, have offered to reimburse those costs.

Honsal flew via United Airlines from Humboldt County to Washington, D.C., on July 16 and returned two days later, with a layover in San Francisco on the way there and in Chicago and Denver on the way back. The tickets cost $1,945.02, including extra fees for preferred seating on each flight, according to a receipt from the airline.

Honsal spent two nights in the DoubleTree Crystal City Hotel by Hilton, which cost $642.77. He was also charged $48 for parking at the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport. 

On July 17, Honsal testified as a key expert witness for three states that oppose the federal government’s push to relax weed’s legal status: Nebraska, Indiana and Idaho. The group Smart Approaches to Marijuana participated in the hearing on behalf of those states, with legal representation from the D.C.-based firm Torridon Law PLLC. [CORRECTION: The firm Torridon Law PLLC was representing the states directly.]

In a June 26 email to Honsal, Torridon associate attorney Chase T. Harrington reminded the sheriff of his upcoming appearance and said, “We will be in touch to prepare your testimony and get ready for the hearing.”

In a July 2 follow-up email to Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Executive Secretary Katie Hill, Harrington offered recommendations for a hotel (the DoubleTree) and ground transportation (Uber), adding, “Please ask [Honsal] to send us all receipts—we will reimburse for travel.”

On Monday of last week, Hill emailed the receipts to Harrington as requested and directed him to include a federal per diem rate for meals and incidental expenses, which, in the D.C.-metro area, is currently $92. (It’s unclear whether Honsal will get that for all three days of his trip or just his one full day in Arlington.)

Honsal has declined to answer the Outpost’s questions about the nature of his testimony and his reasons for voluntarily agreeing to testify as an expert witness for three anti-marijuana states. 

On Friday, the Outpost followed up with the Sheriff’s Office to ask whether Honsal’s travel expenses have been reimbursed yet. Public Information Specialist Erin Inskip said she would reach out to the business office that day to check on the status of the request. She has not yet gotten back to us.

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CORRECTION, July 29: This post originally misidentified Torridon Law’s client in the DEA hearing. It was the states of Nebraska, Idaho and Indiana. The Outpost regrets the error.

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About half of Blue Lake’s water storage has been caught in limbo during years of negotiations between the city and a beneficiary of the trust that owns the land it’s stored on.

The city may move this week towards taking 1.89 acres of land through eminent domain, following a lengthy series of problems in lease negotiations to access a 400,000 gallon water tank and other key city-owned public water infrastructure.

In response, a trustee of the property has filed a lawsuit seeking $1,375,000 from the city.

A lingering easement deal with Blue Lake resident Erin McClure seemed finally resolved earlier this year. She sought an updated agreement after a century-old lease expired over a decade ago.

The council agreed to an easement deal in April, with the city paying her the first annual fee of $6,000 to kick off the agreement.

The deal would have come with a lump sum of $60,000 and free water, in exchange for the city’s continued use of the tank and water infrastructure that date back to the early 1900s from when McClure’s ancestors developed the city’s water system.

But negotiations hit another snag this spring, according to the city’s account. To get title insurance for this easement, something attorneys for the city deemed essential, McClure and other beneficiaries needed to sign written consent to the transaction.

Attorneys cited concern that McClure may not have the authority to execute the easement deed under the trust’s terms.

However, according to the city, McClure refused to coordinate the other beneficiaries to sign off on the easement.

“McClure stated she is unwilling to obtain beneficiary consents, will not seek court approval, and will not even provide her own written consent in her capacity as a beneficiary,” according to a city council meeting staff report.

But from McClure’s position, the agreement was already executed, according to a city account.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts to get her cooperation on the insurance issue, and the subsequent official termination of the proposed deal earlier this month, the city manager is now asking the council to cease negotiations and start the process of purchasing about 1.89 acres including the tank site, waterline, access road and pipes through eminent domain.

“The City’s goal has always been and continues to be that we reach a mutually agreed upon negotiated agreement with Ms. McClure, and the City will continue to participate in good-faith negotiations as part of the proposed [Uniform Relocation Act] acquisition process,” Blue Lake City Manager Jennie Short wrote the staff report.

“However, if agreement cannot be reached, or if the property owner continues to be unable to provide insurable title, the proposed process can culminate in action by the courts to grant ownership of the tank site with easements to the City while ensuring that just compensation is paid to the property owner.”

Tonight, the council will consider contracting with a real estate law office for property appraisal and acquisition of the site. The council is asked to authorize $25,000 for property acquisition.

In a letter, the law office indicates it “will attempt one final settlement prior to initiating condemnation proceedings.”

McClure’s lawsuit, filed in Humboldt County Superior Court Friday, claims the city has refused to enter into a lease after over a decade of attempts.

The lawsuit claims the water tank issue has diminished the property value of the 75-acre ranch by $500,000, deprived McClure from using her property, which has allegedly sustained damages of $878,000.

McClure has also taken to Facebook, accusing the city of bullying her for over a decade.

“I’m standing up for all the American people who are threatened in this way. At some point somebody needs to put their foot down. I’ve been willing this entire time to do what was best for both the City and McClure Trust,” she said in a message to the Outpost.

“For over 100 years my family had a lease with this City without problems. My goal was to carry on in the same manner but the City wanted something else. Now here we are. This is not good for anyone. The American people are tired of having their property taken. I hope I can make a difference.”

The item is on the meeting’s consent agenda, typically approved without discussion.

The meeting is Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in Skinner Store with a Zoom attendance option. Click here for the full agenda.

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PREVIOUSLY: Yurok Tribe to Become First in the Country to Co-Manage Land With National Park Service Following Historic Return of Tribal Property at Orick Mill Site

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Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

ORICK, Calif. (July 28, 2026) – Save the Redwoods League transferred 125 acres of land in the heart of Yurok ancestral territory back to the Yurok Tribe through a transformational agreement that prioritizes tribal land-management practices, creates a new public space and permanently protects critical salmon habitat. 

“This project represents a truly just approach to the restoration of culturally important landscapes and tribal communities. I hope it sets a national standard for collaboration between environmental protection groups and Tribal nations,” said Joseph L. James, the Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “I sincerely thank Save the Redwoods League for working with the Tribe to make this dream a reality.”

“‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway shows what is possible when people come together with a shared commitment to healing the land and honoring its history,” said Steve Mietz, President and CEO of Save the Redwoods League. “What was once a degraded and abandoned mill site is now full of life again—a place where people can connect with the majesty of the redwoods and the living culture of the Yurok Tribe. We are deeply honored to support the return of this land to its rightful stewards.”

The ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project creates a new tribally owned and operated recreational area on Prairie Creek, a Redwood Creek tributary located off U.S. Highway 101 at the base of Bald Hills Road in Orick, Calif. Save the Redwoods conveyed the property to the Yurok Tribe on June 30, 2026. 

The space, known as ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway, will open for recreational access on August 1, 2026, in Orick, Calif. at the southern end of Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP). Information about ‘O Rew is available at https://o-rew-redwoods-gateway.square.site/.

This park-like property features an information kiosk resembling a traditional Yurok house and interactive interpretive exhibits driven by Yurok perspective and language in both audio and written formats. These exhibits and amenities provide opportunities to learn about the restored landscape, the Tribe’s culture and its reciprocal relationship with the redwood ecosystem. Additionally, there is a pedestrian plaza with lunch tables, ADA-accessible trails and an elevated vantage point offering a panoramic view of the restored site and surrounding forest. 

The freshly laid trails introduce a new segment of the California Coastal Trail and connect with RNSP, providing easy access to some of California’s most prolific old-growth coast redwood stands, including the popular Lady Bird Johnson Grove. ‘O Rew is now an ideal place to spend quality time with family and friends, while learning about the Yurok Tribe’s connection to this land. The Yurok Tribe will be hosting public and private events and programs at ‘O Rew for the tribal membership, local communities and the visiting public. 

In the near future, the Yurok Tribe aims to construct a cultural center further highlighting the distinct history and living culture of the Tribe and the extraordinary natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the region. The Yurok Tribe also plans to build a traditional village on the site, including plank houses and a sweat house. 

Restoring ‘O Rew

Save the Redwoods League purchased the property in 2013 with the intent of restoring a severely degraded section of Prairie Creek and expanding recreational access and connectivity in the area. It was covered by 20 acres of asphalt from a former lumber mill and an 80-acre cattle pasture. The stream channel was reduced to a trench flanked by invasive plants. In 2021, after more than five years of collaborative planning and design, Save the Redwoods, the Yurok Tribe, California Trout and numerous other local agencies, professionals and partners began a five-year restoration of Prairie Creek and construction of the Gateway. 

“When the mill operated on this property, it was a source of conflict for the Yurok people. Now, it is a point of pride and a place where our people feel welcome,” said Yurok Tribal Heritage Preservation Officer Rosie Clayburn Katri. “I’m really excited about what this property will look like after a decade of Indigenous land management.” 

The ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project presents one of the very few opportunities in rural Northern California to see the evolution of a large-scale stream restoration project. Over five years, the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation and Yurok Fisheries Department built a one-mile-long braided channel, two off-channel ponds, 20 acres of wetlands and 20 acres of upland habitat designed by more than a dozen groups with restoration expertise. The Yurok Revegetation Crew planted nearly a half-million native seedlings in the ground, spanning 50 species, including redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and many other native plants to facilitate the restoration of highly productive fish and wildlife habitat. As the native plants and trees mature, the stream will appear as though it had never been disturbed. 

Prior to attempted colonization, North Coast streams were filled with downed trees. Beavers, natural tree mortality and heavy storms constantly dropped wood into the creeks, which in turn created dynamic habitat types required for peak fish production. The restoration crew installed numerous large wood features in the stream. The whole logs, coupled with the creek’s hydraulic force, create deep pools, scour fine sediment, improve water quality, slow flows, recharge underground aquifers and create cover for baby fish. 

Hundreds of endangered juvenile coho salmon, along with western pond turtles and great blue herons, are already using habitat created early in the project. The restoration site is also attracting bears, elk, deer, condors, waterfowl, songbirds, wading birds, raptors and riparian predators such as belted kingfishers, an important indicator of good water quality.

About ‘O Rew

During the mid-1800s, there was an attempt to forcibly remove Yurok people from their homeland, to expedite exploitation of the region’s natural resources, such as salmon and old-growth coast redwood trees, many of which were milled at the ‘O Rew property.  Throughout this devastating period, the Tribe lost more than 90 percent of its land, including ‘O Rew and nearby Owr-rekw. For decades, the ‘O Rew property served as a stark reminder of this tumultuous era. However, it is now a place where Yurok people can reconnect with the land and feel at home for the first time in generations. 

Before Save the Redwoods League purchased and conserved the site in 2013, for more than 50 years, it operated as a lumber mill. While the mill was in operation, large portions of the land were paved over, and much of the natural channel and floodplain of Prairie Creek was buried. For more than 10 years, Save the Redwoods partnered with accomplished restoration experts, including the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation and Fisheries Department and California Trout, to plan and undertake a full restoration of a critical stretch of Prairie Creek on the site for the benefit of federally listed coho salmon and steelhead. 

The Yurok Tribe’s participation in the ‘O Rew Project is part of a long-term effort to reclaim and restore culturally important landscapes across its ancestral territory. 

California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said, “The Yurok Tribe has cared for these lands since time immemorial, and today’s milestone honors that enduring relationship while opening a new chapter of stewardship for future generations. The return of ‘O Rew is a powerful example of what’s possible when conservation is guided by tribal leadership, and California is proud to support this work alongside the Yurok Tribe and Save the Redwoods League. We hope this serves as a model for how partnership can strengthen both people and the places we cherish.”

The ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project was funded by the following: Save the Redwoods League, California State Coastal Conservancy, California Wildlife Conservation Board, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Ocean Protection Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Park Foundation and The Cantus Foundation. California Trout and numerous local professionals and partners have provided essential expertise in the planning and implementation of the project.

It is with deep sorrow and broken hearts that we announce the passing of our beautiful daughter Marissa Antoinette Lopez, who left us on July 7, 2026. Marissa — a beautiful soul and treasured daughter — found eternal peace at the tender age of 30. May she eternally rest in the sweet arms of Jesus Christ.

Marissa was born in Pasadena on May 7, 1996 to proud parents Sheryl Ann Borodinsky and Robert Caballero Lopez Jr.

Marissa spent her early years in Frazier Park, California and her adolescent and teen years in Las Vegas. She went on to move to Sonora, California and then to Eureka.

Marissa was very talented in many ways. She enjoyed skateboarding, camping and playing football with her brothers when she was a young child. She had the nickname “Misha Fisha” & “Fish” by her closest friends and family. She was called “Littlebear” by her mom and she called her mom “Motherbear” and her dad “Fatherbear.” She later adapted the nickname “Senor” to her beloved father in her teenage years.

Marissa played percussion in her high school band at Desert Oasis High School in Las Vegas, where she graduated from in 2014. Marissa had a passion for music at a very young age and it followed her throughout her life.

Marissa played drums and guitar in her spare time and was always tapping on everything with her drumsticks. She carried her drumsticks everywhere she went and was always tapping a tune. She enjoyed going to concerts and watching bands play live. She saw many bands play live while living in Las Vegas. It was something she loved to do and was a special bond between her and her mom.

Marissa was a lover of animals and was always feeding and loving strays. She had a beloved cat named Buddha from age 4 to age 25. Her first job right out of high school was at a local Veterinary Hospital in Las Vegas.

At the age of 20 Marissa moved to Sonora, where she worked in the local jail as a cook. At the age of 25, Marissa ventured out on her own to Eureka. Marissa loved the coast and also had a deep love for the Redwoods. She loved the fact that one direction was the beach and the other was the forest.

Marissa loved serving and protecting others as she was a security guard at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka and was also a carrier with the United States Postal Service. Marissa was hardworking, dependable and always put her best foot forward. Marissa was always trying to help others and put others before herself.

Marissa was loving, caring, selfless and witty. Those who knew her loved her and knew the beautiful woman Marissa was. She will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her.

Marissa is survived by her mother Sheryl Ann Borodinsky, her father, Robert C Lopez Jr. aka “Senor”, sisters Madeline Marie Lopez, Marlena Martinez, Dolores Alcantara, brothers Daniel S. Argueta, Fredy S. Argueta Jr. Aunt Lisa Aguilar, uncle Armando Aguilar Sr. , Aunt Michelle Antoinette Buono, who Marissa was named after, cousins Bobbi Jo Evans, Armando Aguilar Jr. and Gloria Lorraine Davis and many more cousins too many to list but whom she loved.

My heart is broken. I will miss and love you until I see you again in heaven. Marissa, you will forever be my “Littlebear” and I will forever be your “Motherbear.” I love you, my beautiful daughter.

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