Have you ever wondered what exactly the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District does, who runs it, and how on earth did they manage to get a $426 million federal grant for a Heavy Lift Terminal for building offshore wind turbines? Tune in for a conversation with Chris Mikkelsen, the District’s new Executive Director.

For more info:

• Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal Project
• The Biggest Federal Grant in Humboldt History?

This story will have no great, if any, impact on the history of Humboldt County for it is a simple one. Yet for 50 years it has haunted my memory, and to the best of my knowledge it never has been told until now.

Besides, back there was a lovely and even then ancient Indian lady who lived a lonely and almost incredibly heroic life and thus deserves more, if only this bit more, than the nameless pauper’s grave to which she must have been consigned.

It is the story of Blind Annie. What her true name may have been, or her age, none of us ever knew. She could have been 80 or she could have been 120. Her sculptured face, weathered by sun, wind and salt spray to a rich and beautiful mahogany, kept her secret, and it is probably true that she herself did not know the number of her years, Annie reputedly was one of the few survivors of the atrocity of Indian Island in Humboldt Bay — the Massacre of the Innocents — of 1860. This, though unprovable, is not improbable, since legend held that “a young girl” had escaped the wanton slaughter by means of throwing herself into the bay and drifting with the outgoing tide on a log, or other flotsam, to the sandy beach just north of the point where Elk River enters the bay south of Bucksport.

Since our encounter here occurred during the mid-1920s, Annie’s apparent age would come well within the span of years to make that a possibility.

She lived in a rude one-room cabin perhaps a dozen yards above the high tide line, and legend also held that she had built it herself. This, too, bears weight because the principal construction was of vertical log slabs much in the fashion of the older Indian homes along the Klamath and Trinity Rivers, I clearly remember the shallow-ridged roof, and how she could have managed that is part of the mystery, for Annie was a tiny woman. One could see daylight through it from the inside, in many places, yet when it rained not a single drop came through. There was no floor, and a small wood fire inside a circle of stones in the center kept her reasonably warm and served her for cooking during inclement weather. Otherwise, she cooked outside, within a similar circle of stones. She had few utensils, needed nearly none. That, then, sets the basic picture.

So, why did we not simply ask Annie if she truly was a survivor of the white mob’s massive brutality back there on Indian Island? We did, on several occasions. And in each case, the soft spoken lady became totally mute, the dim light in her eyes retreating into their darker depths. And she would speak no more that day. We soon stopped asking.

Now — who were “we,” of all the previous references herein? “We” were the members of Troop 20, Boy Scouts of America. The writer was a Second Class Scout in the Owl Patrol. We had “adopted” Annie. In the beginning she was what then was called a Troop Project. In a very brief time, Annie became a Love Project for each and all of us. The project was to keep her well supplied with firewood and kindling, which we garnered from up and down the beach, sawed and split, and stacked against the wall of the cabin within easy reach, with the kindling placed inside in a corner, out of the weather.

Annie soon come to know each of us individually, by passing her hands over our faces, our hair, asking its color and the color of our eyes, and measuring our heights against her own. One of her almost incredible accomplishments was that she came to identify each of us when we walked alone, past or near to her, by our footsteps — in the sand. For a long, long time she delighted in not telling us how she managed this, but she finally yielded. It was by sound, faint as it was.

“You no weigh same,” she grinned.

The ancient lady was self-sufficient so far as sea foods, then plentiful on the long, sloping shore, were concerned. She caught crabs simply by wading out in little more than ankle- deep water and feeling for them. These she cooked in a small galvanized wash tub, which she filled with salt bay water from a finely woven basket. She was adept with a fishing line, using tube worms and clam necks for bait.

Clams she dug with an instrument which she herself devised, and I have never since seen another like it. It was, basically, a tree limb about five feet long, with one short branch for her foot near the digging end. The blade she had fire-hardened, then flattened and polished with stones, so that it was as good as any shovel ever manufactured. Annie in fact spurned the “real” shovel and most other implements we brought her. The clams she cooked simply by placing them on the hot sand near the fire, the fish on stocks set at an angle over the coals. The eggs we brought her periodically she simply buried in the same hot sand.

A big treat for Annie, whenever we could get them in season, was fresh berries, domestic or wild, although she managed well with some nearby wild blackberries herself, , judging by feel when they were ripe.

Her bathing and what little laundry she had were done in the waters of the Elk River mouth, regardless of the weather. And then we grew older, and went our ways, and when I returned to Humboldt County many years later, all trace of Annie, and even of the old cabin, had vanished.

As I said, this story is no epic, but whoever the kind and lovable old lady may have been, she now shares a tiny niche in the history she shared and, to this degree, made.

Annie was far from blind. She was only sightless.

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Ed. note: Annie’s sister, Jane Sam, told her story of surviving the the Indian Island massacre. Historian Jerry Rohde refers to this story in this article.

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The story above was originally printed in the May-June 1976 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

I write this obituary in loving memory of Barbara Jean Kanen, born October 8, 1948. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 9, 2024. I know obituaries are usually short and to the point, but there is no way to quickly sum up this amazing woman’s 75+ years of life. She deserves to have books written about her, but this will have to do for now. Hopefully by the end of this you’ll feel like you know Barb a bit better.

Where do I start? Barbara, Barb, Barbie, GG, Grandma Um, Grandma Jean, she really was a woman of many names. Please call her whatever you want to call her, just never call her Babs.

Barbara was born in Washington, and she was raised in Humboldt County where she remained her whole life. Barbara was the second oldest of 4 sisters, whom she absolutely adored.

Barbara spent her early life on farms and ranches while her father, Lowell Kanen, worked as a ranch hand and caretaker. She occasionally could be found helping him, but more often up to no good. She used to tell us stories about teasing bulls with brooms, dangling from the barn rafters, laying in fields playing dead waiting for the vultures to come get her, harassing the cattle, and generally being up to no good. When she wasn’t helping her dad and causing trouble, she was helping her mother, Bobbie Kanen, out with the more domestic side of life. Barb loved cooking, gardening and sewing with her mom, but she had some other hobbies as well. Such as giving bouquets of poison oak, jumping out of a second story window (at the age of 2) and in general giving her mom a run for her money. Eventhough Barb was the second oldest of her siblings, she was typically the leader in trouble making, teasing boys, and getting into trouble.

Barbara attended Fortuna Junior Academy, until the 10th grade where she went to Rio Lindo Academy and Lodi Academy to complete her high-school education.

She had developed a knack for baking and spent several years working at the little bakery in Fortuna, called Better Bread Bakery, and wedding cakes were her favorite to make. She made dozens of wedding cakes over the years.

Barbara got married in 1969, the following year her oldest daughter, Robyn was born. In 1972 her youngest daughter, Janet was born. She took in her son, Tim several years later. Barbara divorced 16 years into her marriage and continued raising her children as a single mother. Barbara went on to raise her oldest granddaughter, also named Robyn, as well. She taught us all of the skills we needed to be strong independent women, and that it’s possible to make it on your own.

Barbara was a devout Seventh Day Adventist and truly lived her life for God. She dedicated over 20 years of her life to volunteering as the Dorcas director for the local SDA church community service center, helping the homeless, running food drives and toy drives, filling bellies with warm food and giving people a warm place to sleep. She had an incredible singing voice, she often enjoyed doing the special music for the church service, singing hymns and praising God. She was also one of the church florists for many years and provided the church with bouquet arrangements for church service. Barb really did dedicate her life to volunteering for the church in every shape and form.

Barb was also a Pathfinder leader for several years, teaching multiple badges and honors, including the sewing and birdwatching honor, organizing camping trips, backpacking trips, camporees and fundraiser events.

She also spent many years helping with the SDA Redwood Area Camp Meeting meal program, treasury and coordination.

Barbara was a professional yenta, jack of all trades, animal lover, and a force of nature on her own. She had an answer for just about everything, a solution and a method, followed by 3 alternate options if the first answer wasn’t right. Barb was fiercely independent, hard headed and opinionated. She had a deep love for the outdoors and spent many deer seasons hunting with a bow & arrow, camping, backpacking, and exploring.

Along with her love for the outdoors of course came a love for birdwatching, agate hunting, wildflower picking and weather watching. I have spent countless hours, and I mean countless, sitting in the car being as quiet as a little kid could be waiting for whatever fancy bird she was prowling for to show up. Does anyone else remember calling the Audubon hotline for local rare bird sightings? I sure do.

In the first part of spring we would go pick wildflowers and she taught us how to perfectly press them, identify them, and she taught us what they could be used for. We have spent hours at the beach sifting through sand, building sandcastles and comparing who got the biggest agate of the day. She loved chasing storms, sitting in the rain, and watching the surf get way too close for comfort.

Aside from her love of birds and flowers, Barbara found tons of joy in her hobbies, primarily sewing and embroidery, painting and making floral arrangements. With her love of sewing she also became titled the family seamstress. She spent many years quilting with the church ladies making baby blankets for families and church members in need, sewing clothes for her girls, making dresses and blouses for herself, and every year at Christmas her grandkids got a set of homemade PJs. Barb also loved music, you could find her humming along to Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, or a hymn almost constantly.

She shared her love of sewing with her daughters and granddaughters, she taught us to embroider and make our own clothes, she taught us how to fix, repair and maintain anything and everything, she taught us survival skills, hunting, cooking, baking, cleaning and above all she taught us patience.

Barbara lived life on her own terms, and nobody could change that. She was stubborn and loving, and was pretty sure she was always right. Most of the time, turns out, she was.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Lowell & Bobbie Kanen, and she leaves behind her two daughters, Janet, and Robyn, her adopted son, Tim, her granddaughters, Kitana and Robyn, and her great grandchildren, Marshall, Saphira and Christina. She preceded her 3 sisters and their husband’s in death, and far too many distant relatives to list. Of course we have to mention her precious dog Bella.

Barb absolutely adored her family, but her great grandchildren were really the light of her life in these recent years.

There’s a lot more I could say about Grandma Jean, no words can sum up her life, but I hope this gave you some insight into the kind of woman she was.

Barbara’s celebration of life will be held March 10, 2024 at 1 p.m. in the Fortuna Seventh Day Adventist Dining Room. Please join us in her memory.

In lieu of flowers please make a small donation to Fortuna Dorcas, or the SDA church flower fund.

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Charles Earl Clinton went home to be with Jesus at the age of 87, on January 8, 2024, with his wife, Patti holding his hand. He was born in March 1936, to J.D. and Mamie Clinton in Hochatown, Oklahoma.

In 1956, Charles left Oklahoma upon graduation from Eagletown High School to never again farm. He came out to Roseburg, Oregon, with friends looking for work. After a short period of time, he moved to California and eventually settled in McKinleyville.

Charles was drafted into the US Army in 1959. His basic training was in Ft. Hood, Texas; then he was sent to Ft. Lee, Virginia. He had to leave his dearly loved 1956 Chevy in Hochatown because he couldn’t afford the additional car insurance to keep it on base. When Charles was shipped to Germany, he served in Kaiserslautern and Pirmasens. After released from active duty to serve his remaining time in the Army Reserve, he was recalled, during the Berlin Crisis, and sent to Ft. Lewis, Washington, to complete his remaining service obligations.

Charles worked in the lumber industry for many years before being hired by the City of Arcata and spending his last 23 years as a backhoe operator. He retired from the City in 1998.

Charles loved hunting and fishing. His pride and joy were his two deer mounts, Bucky and Bucky II. He relished showing these to any and all who stepped in our home, including workmen off the street. He prized his North River fishing boat and spent many a day on the ocean fishing for salmon.

Charles was a friend to all in our neighborhood. His family is grateful for the kindness and help he received from our neighbors in his final years. From baked treats, to help around the property and chopping wood, we knew they were quick to make themselves available.

Charles especially enjoyed the time he spent with his son Mike. He loved Mike with all his heart and wanted to see him or talk to him every day. Mike was always available to help him with every need.

Charles was predeceased by his parents, Joseph Daniel (J.D.) Clinton and Mamie Clinton, and his seven siblings: Joseph Clinton, Janelle Penner and spouse Deryle, Marvena Shelley and spouse Jerry, Beatrice Smith and spouse Ken, Inez Hudson and spouse Bennie, Patsye Roberts, Nelda Coulter and spouse Howard, his aunt Vivian Johnson, his nephew Daniel Shelley; and good friends Bill Hogan, Al Benham and Jim Dimmick.

Charles is survived by his wife Patricia Clinton of 38 years, his son Michael Clinton (Katrina) of McKinleyville, his daughter Earline Pickens of Locksburg, Arkansas; his step-sons Walter Butterfield (Jamie) of Haiku, Hawaii, and Chris Butterfield (Dawna) of Hillsboro, Oregon; his grandchildren Nichole Zubiri (Cameron), Haley Gentry, Taylor Butterfield, Dana Butterfield, Jacob Butterfield, and Alyssa Kramer; his great grandchildren Walker Zubiri and Kannon Kramer; his brother-in-law Jerry Roberts; numerous nieces and nephews; and his best buddy Earl Dimmick.

Charles spent his final days in Mad River Community Hospital surrounded by his loving family. In fact, he was moved to a larger room to accommodate us. The family wants to thank the caring support that Charles and family received from the staff at MRCH.

To abide by Charles’s wishes (“no big to-do”), a private family service was held for Charles at New Heart Community Church on January 21, 2024. His ashes will be spread at his favorite hunting and fishing places.

Bill Richard Diffin, aged 49, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2024, in Fortuna. Born on September 16, 1974, in Modesto to Clara Diffin and the late William Richard Diffin, Billy, as he was affectionately known, was a beacon of joy and generosity throughout his life.

A proud alumnus of Fortuna High School, Billy was wholeheartedly devoted to his family, prioritizing their care and welfare above all else. He was a familiar face and a friend to many, known for his unwavering willingness to lend a helping hand and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day. Beyond his dedication to his loved ones, Billy and Clara were members of the Rio Dell Baptist Church community.

Billy’s passion for life was evident in his personal interests. An avid storyteller, he enjoyed recounting life’s moments while indulging in his favorite shows. His playful spirit came alive through his love for food, especially his fondness for beef jerky and Subway sandwiches, often sharing this delight with his nephew Charlie. Billy’s sense of humor and jovial disposition will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Left to honor Billy’s memory are his mother, Clara Diffin; his son, Dakota Diffin; his cherished grandchildren, Connor and CW; his ex-wife and best friend, Patricia Diffin; sister, Amanda Johnson; brother-in-law, Charles Persinger; nephews, Dillon Moore and Charlie Persinger; great nephew, Tanner Moore; cousins, Larry Hall, Doris Hurdle, and Stan Calkins; sister-in-law, Cindy Jones; brother-in-law, Kent Jones; and nephew, Garrett Jones. Billy is also preceded in death by his daughter, Kelsey Lee Diffin.

Billy will be cremated as per his wishes. A celebration of his life will be announced and held at a later date. The family welcomes donations in Billy’s memory to a GoFundMe page, the details of which will be provided shortly.

The Diffin family has entrusted Gobles Mortuary with the arrangements. Billy’s absence will be deeply felt, but his spirit and the memories shared will continue to live on in the hearts of those who loved him.

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At a special, single-topic meeting that lasted more than six hours on Friday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors denied an appeal aimed at blocking a McKinleyville subdivision and housing development project, instead approving a modified, slightly downsized version of the project. 

The original proposal, which was approved by the Planning Commission back in November, calls for a 2.47-acre property near the future Town Center to be subdivided into 19 parcels and developed with 62 new housing units, some multi-family, others single-family, built in two-story townhome style.

McKinleyville resident Laura Peterson speaking on behalf of the appellants, dubbed the Coalition for Responsible Housing.

The appellants, a group of neighboring residents going by the name the Coalition for Responsible Housing, raised a number of objections to the project, including its density, height (and resulting shadows), potential fire and flooding hazards and the fact that it never went through an official design review process, as required by statute.

In presenting the facts, history and regulatory context of the project, Planning and Building Director John Ford highlighted the county’s profound need for housing and the increasing difficulty of getting it built in California – and Humboldt County, in particular.

Regarding the design review requirement, Ford said that absent an official committee, the board itself could serve that function during today’s hearing. He also noted that larger and denser housing development is principally permitted on the site.

The public comment period was dominated by neighbors of the project, who insisted that they are not NIMBYs and not against housing generally but feel this particular project is inappropriate for the area.

“[W]e are more than willing to provide our fair share of housing,” said Laura Peterson, a member of the neighborhood coalition. “We just want it to be beautiful housing that fits with the character of our neighborhood, and we don’t think the goal of housing and the goal of beauty are mutually exclusive.”

Developer Dane Valadao addresses county supervisors.

Developer and applicant Dane Valadao, who lives near the project site with his family, said he purchased the property in 2019 because it was already zoned for multi-family housing and seemed perfect for development.

“We liked this property because it’s the definition of infill and well located for walkability purposes,” he said. Later he added, “We are invested socially, financially and professionally in our community. We live in this neighborhood, about two blocks up the streets, with no plans to move. We’re very involved locally and want this to be a successful development as much as anybody.”

During the deliberation process among the board, Supervisor Steve Madrone, who represents the McKinleyville-inclusive Fifth District, advocated largely on behalf of the appellants’ concerns, and he suggested a series of potential modifications to the project, including reducing one row of townhomes to a single story. However, the motion he wound up making failed for lack of a second.

After further deliberations, county staff met in a closed room with both the appellants and the applicant. The opposing sides emerged having arrived at “an uncomfortable consensus” regarding a compromised version of the project.

The revised plan reduced the number of lots from 19 to 17 and the total number of units from 62 to 56. The spacing of lots on the western property line will be expanded to increase green space, and among other conditions, Valadao agreed to attempt to form a Permanent Road Division that would fund road maintenance. Speed bumps and a crosswalk will be added to the design and must be approved by the Department of Public Works.

Furthermore, four of the planned “half-plexes” will be reduced to two single-story, single-family residences, and hydrological studies will be conducted.

The board unanimously denied the appeal and approved the revised project.

PREVIOUSLY: Environmental Review Period Begins for California Offshore Wind Lease Areas

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The environmental review process for the development of the Humboldt Offshore Wind Lease Area has begun, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) wants to hear from you!

Last month, BOEM released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) that will analyze the potential impacts of offshore wind development in the five offshore wind lease areas off the California coast, two of which are located about 20 miles off Humboldt Bay. The release of the NOI initiated a 60-day public comment period that will inform the scope and alternatives of the PEIS.

“Based on a preliminary evaluation of these resources, BOEM estimates that potential impacts may occur on certain marine life from underwater noise caused by construction and on marine mammals from collisions with project-related vessel traffic,” according to BOEM. “Structures installed by the projects could permanently change benthic and fish habitats. Commercial fisheries (including Tribal fisheries) and recreational fishing could be impacted. Project structures may also pose an allision hazard to vessels.”

This environmental review period is one of the first steps in a years-long regulatory process that could culminate in the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind development in the United States, bringing the federal government one step closer to its goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030, and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy by 2035.

The public comment period for the PEIS will end on Feb. 20. Those interested can share their comments online at this link. Snail mail must be labeled “California OSW PEIS” and sent to the Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, Calif. 93010.

The virtual public scoping meetings will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. and Thursday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. More information, including the registration link, can be found below.

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Press release from BOEM:

On December 19, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), which will analyze potential impacts of Federal offshore wind energy development activities on the five offshore wind lease areas off California’s central and northern coast. The NOI also initiated a 60-day comment period to solicit public feedback on the scope of the PEIS, including potential alternatives and draft mitigation measures. 

BOEM will host two virtual scoping meetings where the public can learn about the environmental review process and provide comments on the scope of the draft PEIS. The virtual scoping meetings will be held on:

Tuesday, February 6, 2024
10:00 am PT
Registration Link

Thursday, February 8, 2024
5:00 pm PT
Registration Link
 
Additional information on the California Offshore Wind PEIS can be found on the CA Offshore Wind PEIS page.

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DOCUMENT: Notice of Intent to file a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement