Dennis (Denny) Phillip Katri, 79, was tragically taken from us on March 27, 2024, as the result of an auto accident. His loss was completely unexpected and we are still in shock and miss him so much.

Denny was born on May 28, 1944, in San Francisco, where he was adopted as an infant by Phil and Bettie Katri. He grew up in Humboldt County where he attended local elementary schools and St. Bernard’s High School, but ended up graduating from Eureka High School in 1962.

Denny married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Hastings, in 1964 and they made their home here in Eureka, where they raised their children. He spent many years working at Louisiana Pacific Pulp Mill before becoming a self-employed electrical contractor.

Throughout the years, Denny enjoyed spending time with his family at the cabin in Suntan Glen, fishing, golfing, watching sporting events, going to the horse races, going to the casino, and volunteering countless hours at St. Bernard’s High School. Most of all, he was a true family man and especially loved being around his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was so proud of all of them and the smile on his face when he was with them said it all. One of his favorite things to do was to take them to breakfast, which always had to include his favorite, Swedish pancakes. Denny also enjoyed the time he spent with his good friends Ralph and Virginia Norling, Dave and Teresa Franceschi, Jerry and Cindy Bruga, just to mention a few. He will be missed by everyone who knew him and will live forever in our hearts.

Denny is survived by his daughter, Shelly (Todd) Rice; son, JJ (Aarin) Katri; grandchildren, Hayley (James) Pastori, Hunter Rice, Abiona and Sawyer Katri; great grandchildren, Dawsyn and Rye Pastori; brother, John (Lenore) Katri, and many other extended family members. Denny was preceded in death by his daughter, Kimberly; wife, Sharon; and his parents.

Please join us for a celebration of life on Saturday May 25, 2024 at Old Growth Cellars in Eureka from 1 to 4 p.m. We look forward to hearing stories and memories you may have about Denny.

Kathryn Hubbard Stotler
April 6, 1952-May 8, 2024

Kathryn was born on April 6, 1952, in Muncie, Indiana to Carolyn and Charles Meredith Hubbard. Her family moved six years later from the Midwest to Southern California. Her father had accepted a teaching position with the music department of Cal State LA.

Kathryn was married to Chuck Stotler for 45 years. Many of those years they resided in Monterey, where Kathryn taught special education classes for 8 years before shifting to real estate sales. They moved to Arcata in 1990 after the birth of their son, Thomas. Soon after that, their daughter, Haley, was born.

Kathy loved the arts and was very involved in the local arts community. For several years she wove colorful blankets and sold them in various cities nationally, before shifting to abstract painting. She captured an aliveness of the coastal elements in abstract form.

Kathy is predeceased by her parents and is survived by her brother Richard Hubbard, as well as her sister Cindy, her sister-in-law Diane Turner and husband Larry Turner, niece Elizabeth, husband Rob Faus, and their son Reo. She is also survived by her husband, Chuck Stotler, son Thomas Stotler, daughter Haley Grimm, son-in-law Colin Grimm and grandson Austin Grimm.

Kathy will be missed most for her cheerfulness, engaging personality, and intelligence. Pancreatic cancer may have stopped her from creating works of art, but her beauty, intelligence, and kindness will live on for those who were lucky enough to have known her.

The largest geomagnetic storm in nearly two decades is sure fun to point your camera at. 

People from across Humboldt are sharing their photos of the aurora borealis on the Outpost’s Facebook page. (Also here.) You might want to add yours to the pile. 

Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

Individuals who visited the Days Inn in Eureka or the Providence St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department during the following days may have been exposed to measles: 

• The Days Inn by Wyndham, 270 Fifth St. in Eureka from Thursday, May 9, at 2 p.m. through Friday, May 10, at 3 a.m. 
• Providence St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department, 2700 Dolbeer St. in Eureka Friday, May 10, between 2:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. 

Anyone who was inside these locations during these times should contact the Public Health Branch of the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services at 707-268-2182, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. Phones will be answered this evening until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A Public Health nurse will evaluate your possible exposure and provide information. For unvaccinated individuals, vaccination within 72 hours of exposure can greatly reduce the risk of serious illness.  

Earlier today, Public Health was notified that a family traveling through the area included an individual who was seen at St. Joseph Hospital’s Emergency Department with a confirmed case of measles.
According to the California Department of Public Health, measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The virus can live for up to one hour in an airspace after the infected person leaves the area, and other people who breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses or mouths can become infected. 

It can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to develop symptoms after exposure to measles, and symptoms usually begin with a fever that lasts for a couple of days, followed by a cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and a rash. The rash typically appears first on the face, along the hairline and behind the ears and then affects the rest of the body. Infected people are usually contagious from about four days before their rash starts to four days afterward. Children under 5 years old and people who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems are at highest risk for severe disease and complications from measles.

Measles is a vaccine-preventable illness. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing illness. For more information about the vaccine, contact your primary care provider and visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html.

Most children and young adults’ digital vaccination records are available through the California Department of Public Health’s Digital Vaccine Record: https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/.

Faced with ongoing weaknesses in state finances, Gov. Gavin Newsom put forward a revised budget plan today that he said aims to stabilize California in the longer term by addressing a “sizable deficit” estimated at $56 billion over the next two fiscal years.

Looking beyond the typical annual budget cycle, Newsom proposed more than $30 billion in ongoing and one-time spending cuts, including to education and climate objectives that have been among the governor’s own priorities, though he promised that “core programs” providing social services to needy Californians would be mostly untouched.

“These are propositions that I’ve long advanced, many of them. These are things that I’ve supported,” Newsom said during a press conference in Sacramento. “But you’ve got to do it. We have to be responsible. We have to be accountable. We have to balance the budget.”

The governor’s proposal is an opening offer to the Legislature, which faces a June 15 deadline to pass a balanced budget or forgo its pay. That leaves a little more than a month for members to sort through Newsom’s solutions and negotiate a compromise that reflects their own concerns amid what is certain to be a fever pitch of lobbying from outside groups hoping to stave off cuts to their preferred programs.

The immediate reaction from Democratic leaders in the Assembly and Senate, who will negotiate a deal with the governor, was cautious and addressed few specifics.

“We are encouraged that the Governor’s May Revision improves budget prospects for future years and saves rainy-day reserves,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas of Salinas and Budget Committee chairperson Jesse Gabriel of Encino, said in a joint statement, but they added they “will continue to fight to protect core programs for California’s most vulnerable residents and essential classroom funding.”

Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire of Healdsburg and Budget Committee chairperson Scott Wiener of San Francisco, in a joint statement, said their past budgets “have uplifted communities and Californians — this year will be no different.”

Here are some key numbers from Newsom’s revised budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which begins July 1:

-7.3%

With tax revenues coming in below expectations — about $7 billion lower than even the governor’s January projections — this revised budget proposal is substantially smaller than the $310.8 billion spending plan for the current fiscal year. Including the general fund, special funds and bonds, Newsom is proposing to spend $288.1 billion on state programs next year, down about 7.3%.

$27.6 billion

This is the remaining deficit that the Newsom administration projects for the upcoming fiscal year. Officials have known since last fall that the fiscal picture was bad, but estimates of just how deep the hole would be varied widely — from a more optimistic $38 billion by Newsom’s Department of Finance in January to a dire $73 billion by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

That prompted Newsom and the Legislature to take “early action” last month to reduce the deficit by more than $17 billion ahead of the regular budget process. Their plan included some program cuts, but mostly relied on new revenue, internal borrowing and funding delays and shifts for savings, earning criticism from Republican lawmakers for being “gimmicky” and “balanced on hopes and prayers.”

In addition to closing the remaining $27.6 billion shortfall for 2024-25, Newsom wants to get a jump start on addressing another projected $28.4 billion deficit in 2025-26.

Why does California have such a financial problem? The reasons go back two years. A downturn in the stock market in 2022 hit capital gains, while high inflation pinched the housing market and the tech industry pulled back on initial public offerings as investments dropped. Those blows have continued as wealthy taxpayers carried forward their losses.

But the drops in revenue were not fully reflected in the spending plan that Newsom and legislators adopted last summer. Severe winter storms prompted the federal government to delay the income tax filing deadline for most Californians from April until November, and the state followed suit, giving an incomplete picture during the budget process. The state committed to funding programs that it subsequently realized it cannot afford.

$21.5 billion

The governor’s budget proposal relies on dipping into state reserve accounts, including $12.2 billion from the rainy-day fund and $900 million from a safety net reserve, spread out over two years. Separately, Newsom wants to use $8.4 billion from a schools reserve account next year to stabilize funding for K-12 education that would otherwise drop.

Newsom also announced that he will ask the Legislature to create another new budget reserve account to help balance California’s volatile revenue picture from year-to-year. Under this plan, the state would set aside projected revenue above historical trends and hold off on spending it until it actually materializes. Newsom said this is easier than amending the existing rainy-day fund to capture more money, which would require approval from the voters.

$19.1 billion

A large part of how Newsom wants to solve California’s deficit involves clawing back $19.1 billion in unspent funding that was promised just a few years ago, during brighter days when the state had a record surplus. Substantial cuts to one-time spending include $2 billion for expanding broadband internet, $820 million for health care workforce development, more than $700 million for housing development, $550 million for early education facilities, $500 million for water storage, $450 million for behavioral health infrastructure and $136 million for cleaning up toxic substances in vulnerable communities.

$13.7 billion

Even more painful may be $13.7 billion in proposed cuts to ongoing programs, including shrinking the Middle Class Scholarship program for college students by $510 million annually and eliminating $300 million for state and local public health programs. Newsom wants to take an additional 4,600 prison beds out of commission, which could save nearly $81 million per year.

The governor proposed an overall reduction of nearly 8% to state operations, which he estimated would save $2.2 billion in 2024-25 and more in the years ahead, though exactly how government agencies would absorb those cuts is still to be determined. Newsom is pushing to eliminate 10,000 vacant state government positions on top of that, which could save $763 million annually.

Social services programs such as supplemental income for elderly and disabled Californians, welfare and the earned income tax credit will be untouched, Newsom emphasized. That includes the recent expansion of health coverage to low-income undocumented immigrants of all ages.

“I just think that’s foundational,” Newsom said. “It’s something I believe in. It’s a core of, I think, who we are as a state.”

Other programs will — for now — merely be delayed. The governor proposed to pause an expansion of tens of thousands of subsidized child care slots until fiscal conditions improve, in part so that the state can instead continue to increase pay for child care workers.

$0

As he has several times in recent years, Newsom reiterated that he will not rely on tax hikes to close California’s budget gap, despite calls from many liberal lawmakers and interest groups.

“There are no new taxes. I’ve not been one of those promoting taxes,” the governor said, adding later, “No, I’m not prepared to increase taxes.”

But he did concede once again that he believes a broader overhaul of California’s volatile tax system is necessary, even if he was not willing to publicly share any of his ideas for the best way to do that.

“Should we reform the tax system? The answer is ‘yes,’” Newsom said. “How we do that is a more difficult and challenging conversation.”

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The CalMatters Ideas Festival takes place June 5-6! Find out more and get your tickets at this link.

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

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Press release from the Department of Heath and Human Services, a division of the County of Humboldt:

Tick season is here, and the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is reminding people to protect themselves and their animals.

The tiny, spider-like bugs attach themselves onto the skin of people and animals and feed on their blood. While many ticks are not harmful, there are some that can transmit disease.

Only one tick found locally can transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme disease — the Western blacklegged tick.

DHHS Supervising Environmental Health Specialist Ben Dolf said, “The most important way to avoid tick-borne diseases is to avoid being bitten by ticks. Wearing long sleeves and pants alongside appropriate use of EPA registered insect repellents such as DEET and oil of lemon eucalyptus, can act as a barrier against ticks, while light colored clothing allows for easier spotting of ticks that may be crawling on you. Pets are also susceptible to Lyme disease and can carry ticks into the home. Pet owners should talk to their veterinarians about available tick preventatives and check their pets for ticks after outdoor activities.”

If you find a tick attached to you or your pet, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not jerk or twist it. Make sure the entire tick has been removed, including the head. Once the tick has been removed, clean the area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water.

According to California Department of Public Health (CDPH), an infected Western blacklegged tick must be attached to a person and feed for at least 24 hours before it can transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

The Public Health Laboratory offers free tick identification. After removing a tick, if you want to know what type it is, place it in a sealed container or zip-close bag with a paper towel moistened with water.

If the tick is identified by lab staff as a Western blacklegged tick, they can test it for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, for a $45 fee.

The Public Health Lab is located at 529 I St. in Eureka. For more information about tick testing, call 707-268-2179.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips to stay tick-free this season:

• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Ticks are also common locally in our grassy beach dunes.

• When out on the trails, stick to the center of trails.

• Use repellents that contains 20% or greater DEET, picaridin or IR3535 directly on to exposed skin. Children may have increased sensitivity or elevated risks with some types of repellants. Always follow product label instructions. When appropriate, parents should apply products to their children, avoiding hands, eyes and mouth. Do not use repellents on babies younger than 2 months old.

• Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.

• Remove ticks found on your body immediately.

• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.

• Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and especially in their hair.

• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats and day packs.

• For more information on ticks and Lyme disease please visit the CDPH website at this link.

Gee golly, it’s nice out today. LoCO hopes you are enjoying your “sick day” out in this offensive sunshine more than the Caltrans and City of Eureka workers called to Broadway to address the mass loss of soup on the roadway, there. Details are scant as to what led to today’s tomato-flavored pavement incident, but if you plan to pass that way soon, bring some bread.

(Before you ask, yes, it is a slow news day, thank Jah. More of these, please.)