As Dr. Rishi Patel’s street medicine van bounces over dirt roads and empty fields in rural Kern County, he’s looking for a particular patient he knows is overdue for her shot.

The woman, who has schizophrenia and has been living outside for five years, has several goals for herself: Start thinking more clearly, stop using meth and get an ID so she can visit her son in jail. Patel hopes the shot — a long-acting antipsychotic — will help her meet all of them.

Patel, medical director of Akido Street Medicine, is one of many street doctors throughout California using these injections as an increasingly common tool to help combat the state’s intertwined homelessness and mental health crises. Typically administered into a patient’s shoulder muscle, the medication slowly releases into the bloodstream over time, providing relief from symptoms of psychosis for a month or longer. The shots replace a patient’s oral medication — no more taking a pill every day. For people who are homeless and routinely have their pills stolen, can’t make it to a pharmacy for a refill or simply forget to take them, the shots can mean the difference between staying on their medication, or not.

The Akido street medicine team look for unhoused people in a vineyard to provide medical assistance in Arvin on May 28, 2024. Street medicine teams throughout California are increasingly using long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication to stabilize the mental health of people living in homeless encampments. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

“They’ve been an absolute game-changer,” Patel said.

Street medicine teams bring the shots directly to their patients wherever they are — whether it’s in a tent along Skid Row in Los Angeles, in a dugout in the middle of a field in the Central Valley, or along the bank of a stream in Shasta County. Doctors can diagnose someone, prescribe the medication, get their consent and give the shot within a matter of days — or sometimes even more quickly — and with minimal paperwork and red tape. They don’t need a psychiatrist’s sign-off.

It’s estimated that California is home to more than 180,000 homeless residents. How to help the sickest of them — people with severe, untreated psychosis who might wander into traffic or otherwise put themselves in danger — has become a hot-button issue, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers creating new and sometimes controversial ways to get people into treatment. In a recent UCSF survey of homeless Californians, 12% reported experiencing hallucinations in the past 30 days, and more than a quarter said they’d ever been hospitalized for a mental health condition.

Doctors say the goal of giving an antipsychotic shot to someone living in an encampment is to get them thinking clearly, so that they can start engaging with social workers, sign up for benefits and get on housing waitlists. While Newsom’s new CARE Court allows judges to order people into mental health treatment, and other recent legislation makes it easier to put people with a serious mental illness into conservatorships, doctors administering street injections take a different approach. The treatment is voluntary, and people can get help where they are, instead of in a locked facility.

Some success stories are dramatic. Doctors talk about patients who one day are babbling incoherently, and a week after a shot, are having conversations.

“It’s been pretty common that that’s the initiation of, ‘We’re going indoors,’” said Dr. Coley King, director of homeless health care for the Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles. He said he’s seen dozens of patients get off the street after taking these shots.

As with any medication, the shots can have side effects. And while a patient can stop taking a pill and generally put a stop to a negative reaction, once they’ve been given a shot, they have no choice but to wait a month for the drug to wear off.

Despite some street doctors’ rave reviews, injectable antipsychotics still aren’t reaching everyone who experts say they could help. Street medicine teams report having just a handful of patients on these medications at any one time (King’s team in Los Angeles has about two dozen). Some patients don’t want the shots, balking at the idea of having a drug in their system for an entire month, especially if they have feelings of paranoia related to health care.

And street doctors complain that hospitals still seem to prefer discharging patients from temporary psychiatric holds with a bottle of pills they may or may not take – instead of giving them a long-acting shot.

Losing track of patients

One of the biggest challenges street doctors face in administering these shots is following up with patients.

In Kern County, Patel hasn’t seen the woman he’s looking for since his team gave her first antipsychotic shot almost two months ago. Now she’s past due for another dose.

It’s worrying, Patel said, “because I don’t know how she did on it.”

The last place they saw her was at an encampment known as “The Sump” in the Central Valley farming community of Lamont, where she lived in a plywood shack along a muddy ditch behind a farm. But code enforcement recently cleared everyone out of that area, and Patel’s team doesn’t have a phone number or any other way to contact her.

First: The Akido street medicine team exits their van with their equipment. Last: The Akido Street Medicine team checks on a homeless encampment in a dirt field in Arvin on May 28, 2024. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

The Akido street medicine team checks for a patient they are looking for in a homeless encampment in a dirt field in Arvin on May 28, 2024. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

The first place they look is another encampment known as “the Shrine,” because it once held a shrine to Santa Muerte, a Mexican saint of death often prayed to by drug dealers. The team drives the van through an empty field of dead, yellow grass. Several people are living in room-sized pits they’ve dug into the dirt and covered with tarps and sheets of metal. Next to the vacant land is a vineyard, with rows of vines dotted with small, green grapes.

She’s not there, so the team hands out sack lunches and bottles of water, then gets back in the van and leaves.

“We’ve seen results,” said Kirk McGowan, a street medicine nurse with Akido. “But we’ve seen more failures than successes. That’s just kind of the nature of the situation.”

Who should prescribe antipsychotic injections?

In most cases, the people prescribing and administering antipsychotic shots in homeless encampments are general practice doctors — not specially trained psychiatrists. That’s because despite the growing prevalence of street medicine, street psychiatrists are still rare, according to a recent USC report.

“You look over your shoulder and there’s not a psychiatrist there helping you out,” King said. “And we want to meet the need. We want to take care of these patients. They’re really, really ill, they’re really disorganized, and suffering and dying on the streets.”

There are no legal restrictions preventing a general practice doctor from administering these injections. But some practitioners think the responsibility should be reserved for psychiatric providers.

“These medications are in there for an extended period of time,” said Keri Weinstock, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who practices street medicine in Shasta County. “They do come with risks. There are specialty things that come along with some of these specialty meds, and it’s a lot to learn when you have to know everything else, too.”

Some street doctors who give these shots seek out additional psychiatric training, while others learn on the job — often with a psychiatrist on speed dial, just in case.

“I don’t think it’s rocket science to diagnose schizophrenia, as long as we’ve done it with some thoughtfulness,” King said.

Dr. Rishi Patel from the Akido street medicine team checks on an unhoused person living in a vineyard in Arvin on May 28, 2024. Street medicine teams throughout California are increasingly using long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication to stabilize the mental health of people living in homeless encampments. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

In-the-field diagnoses aren’t always clear-cut, Patel said. Sometimes, people do such a good job of hiding their symptoms that it’s hard to tell they’re dealing with psychosis. Or, instead of experiencing obvious hallucinations or other symptoms commonly associated with schizophrenia, patients experience “negative symptoms,” such as extreme social withdrawal.

When those types of cases arise, Patel calls a psychologist for a second opinion.

While these drugs are generally considered safe, they do come with a risk of side effects that can include dizziness, sedation, stiffness and decreased mobility. Those symptoms might be no big deal for someone living in a house, but for someone on the street, could be catastrophic, said Dr. Shayan Rab, a street psychiatrist with Los Angeles County’s Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement team. It could make someone more vulnerable to being attacked or robbed, or prevent them from accessing food or shelter.

“It’s a very serious kind of action that’s being taken and a lot of time needs to be spent before you say, ‘Hey, this individual is safe for a long-acting injection,’” he said.

To make sure a patient doesn’t have an adverse reaction, doctors typically give them an oral dose of the same medication for a few days before administering the shot.

There’s also a risk that after a street doctor gives someone a shot, that patient could later get sent to the hospital on a temporary psychiatric hold. Doctors there might not know the patient already has a long-acting dose of antipsychotic medication in their body, and might give them another dose.

Before giving someone a shot, Dr. Aislinn Bird wants to be 100% sure their symptoms are actually caused by psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia, and not complex PTSD, major depressive disorder, methamphetamine use, or something else. Overdiagnosis of psychotic disorders is rampant, especially in the African American community, Bird said.

“You have to be sure you really know the correct diagnosis,” said Bird, who serves as director of Integrated Care at Health Care for the Homeless in Alameda County.

But Dr. Susan Partovi, who practices street medicine on Skid Row in Los Angeles, said that’s an “antiquated way of thinking.” When someone is experiencing psychosis, it’s an emergency that needs to be treated as soon as possible, no matter the cause, she said. Her preference is to treat the symptoms first, and then see if the patient wants to work on other issues, such as substance use.

An Abilify Maintena shot being prepared by the Akido street medicine team at their main office in Bakersfield on May 28, 2024. Street medicine teams throughout California are increasingly using long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication to stabilize the mental health of people living in homeless encampments. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Antipsychotic injectables, such as Abilify and Invega, tend to be most prevalent in street medicine practices. But street doctors also administer long-acting injectable HIV medication, as well as medication for addiction such as Vivitrol — an injectable, long-acting medication that can help reduce cravings for opioids and alcohol, and protect against overdose.

Silencing the voices in his head

Ricardo Fonseca Jr., who goes by “Ricky,” has been homeless for two years, living in a tent behind a Dollar Tree, then in a park in rural Kern County. The 31-year-old said he was working as a welder until he had a sudden mental breakdown and started hearing voices.

The voices said horrible things to him. Sometimes they yelled, and he yelled back, scaring those around him. He used methamphetamine to cope.

“It was getting to the point where I just felt like killing myself,” Fonseca said.

Two months ago, Fonseca started taking a monthly shot of the antipsychotic drug Abilify. Since then, “everything’s changed,” he said.

Now, Fonseca is staying at a friend’s house and considering going to school. He says he’s stopped using meth.

“I can finally hear the birds and the crickets,” he said. “I couldn’t hear them before.”

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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.

Every tax season hundreds of thousands of Californians are hit with an unexpected bill: They owe hundreds of dollars or more to the IRS because they accepted more money in subsidies for health insurance than they were allowed.

The chargeback can sting. Collectively, 415,000 California households owed the IRS close to $690 million in 2021 in charges related to the health care subsidies, according to agency data from the most recent year available. That is roughly $1,662 per person or family. Many people who end up owing money live in lower-income households.

This repayment rule is connected to the federal Affordable Care Act and the state-based health insurance plans it encouraged. Covered California, the state’s insurance marketplace, offers generous premium subsidies to those who qualify based on their income, but people can unknowingly receive too much aid if they underestimate how much they’ll earn the following year or if they lose a dependent and do not report that change.

The federal government collects any “excess” aid when people file their taxes. The government calls this process “reconciliation.”

Ten years after the rollout of the insurance marketplace, many Californians continue to be caught off guard come tax filing time. Often the charges come as a shock.

“They feel like they’re following the rules, they’re getting their coverage. And, they just kind of feel like they’re getting in trouble for doing everything right,” said Audrey Casillas, assistant director of community economic development services at Koreatown Youth and Community Center. Her nonprofit helps local low-income residents prepare their taxes at no cost as part of a Los Angeles County tax assistance program.

The people who receive excess aid are not wealthy. About half of the households who owed the IRS for excess premium subsidies in tax year 2021 earned less than $50,000, according to data from the agency.

Alex Hernandez, an insurance broker in Merced, said most people can avoid this clawback by reporting any changes in income and dependents to Covered California as soon as possible. This way the agency will adjust the amount of premium subsidies a person or family is receiving, and they’ll avoid an unpleasant surprise come tax filing time.

Hernandez tells clients to report all taxable income to the agency — that includes any extras, such as a bonus or significant winnings from a lucky night at the casino.

“Some members who are doing the enrollment themselves think that they need to go by last year’s income, and that’s not always the case,” Hernandez said. People should instead estimate income based on their current situation, he explained.

Don’t wait for open enrollment

Covered California in an emailed response to questions from CalMatters said it sends a notice reminding enrollees to report any changes, such as income and household size, before they sign up for or renew coverage.

“Consumers are reminded throughout the notice to ensure their information is accurate, and states what the tax implications are if information is incorrect,” Jagdip Dhillon, a Covered California spokesperson, said in an email.

Of course, people shouldn’t wait until open enrollment to declare changes. Enrollees can report changes at any point, either with the help of an enrollment counselor or by calling Covered California directly.

“People may need mid-year reminders, if you’re only getting this (notice) once a year it can be kind of late,” said Cynthia Cox, director of the program on the Affordable Care Act at KFF, a health policy organization that conducts polling and research. “Open enrollment is in November and tax season is April. It might be a good idea to think about it in July.”

The reconciliation rule also works the other way around. People who overestimate their income and receive less subsidies than they’re eligible for could get money back. And for those who make less than 400% of the federal poverty level, there are limits to how much they’d have to repay the IRS if they were to owe.

At the time of learning they’ll owe the IRS, some people question whether they should keep their health insurance, Casillas said. But people may also owe if they go without insurance. That’s because California is one of five states that requires residents to have health insurance. Those who go without it may face penalties.

Many save money with Covered California

Some people who have encountered this issue in the past see it as a tradeoff, Casillas said. They pay very little for their health insurance every month, but pay hundreds or a couple thousand dollars when they file their taxes. For many people, what they end up owing the IRS is still less than what they’d pay for a health plan at full price or what they’d pay for a hospital visit, Casillas said.

“We just tell them, ‘Hey, you know what, these things can be unpredictable. You want to have some savings,’” she said.

Correctly estimating next year’s earnings can be especially difficult for people who freelance or job hop, causing their estimates to be less precise, experts say.

“A lot of people on the ACA marketplace do have incomes that can be very volatile. They might be piecing together part-time jobs or are self-employed or small business owners,” Cox said.

Hernandez said he advises people enrolled in a Covered California plan to find an agent of their own and check in with them every so often. Because agents get commissions from insurance companies, this service is often free to the public. This is the best way to be informed and avoid unexpected charges, he said.

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Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.

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.

Meredith Erin Vance
October 2, 1982 - April 23, 2024

Meredith passed away peacefully at home on April 23 at the age of 41. She was a warrior, and she fought a fierce and long fight with leukemia before passing. She was a beloved wife, mom, daughter, sister, auntie, niece and friend.

Meredith will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 20 years, Joey; her son Caden; her parents Debra and Stan, Michael and Rebecca; her sisters Emily, Annie and April; her brother Tieran; as well as numerous other relatives and friends.

Meredith was born in Fortuna in 1982. She was universally known as beautiful, kind and brilliant. She excelled in school, loved art and was an amazing artist. She graduated from Humboldt State with a degree in Graphic Design. She excelled at every job she had, including graphic designer, to later store manager at Target. Her employees remember her as the kindest and best boss.

Meredith was a strong beautiful woman who loved her boys more than anything. She was the best mom, never missed any of Caden’s baseball or basketball games, and just loved being with Joey and Caden. Most people can’t say they’ve been with the love of their life since 16, and Mer and Joey can, and made the best of it, and have the coolest son to show for it.

Mer enjoyed being at the beach, or being out on the ocean. Mer loved going out with Joey on his boat. He would fish and she would read for hours. She loved to travel, play games and do puzzles (especially The NY Times crossword).

Mer was truly an angel here on earth. She always made the best of a situation, saw the best in other people and took joy in the little things. She saw beauty everywhere and she brought the best out in others. Her family and friends will miss her every moment; every day, but take great comfort knowing that she is at peace and no longer in pain. She spent her last days surrounded by her loved ones, talking about how she would get to read through heaven’s library, explore heaven’s best beaches and check out the best fishing spots for Joey.

A celebration of life will be held on June 15, 2024 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Old Growth Cellars at 1945 Hillfiker Lane in Eureka. Please join us.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Meredith Vance’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.

Leewitt Elizabeth Ann Withrow
December 28, 1969 – March 3, 2024

Who was Leewitt Elizabeth Ann Withrow? Let her tell you in her own words:

My upbringing was connected with extended family even though my parents divorced when I was a baby. My younger years I lived with my mom, and she was an artist and struggled with alcohol abuse and bipolar disorder. My older brother and I moved with our mom multiple times, and we went to many different schools. Due to my mom’s mental health struggles my emotional development suffered, I spent a lot of time trying to fix things and I had a lot of insecurities.

My evident social identities are: I am a white female, middle aged, mother, public servant, and democrat. Even with a hard upbringing there were important “mentors” in my life. My paternal grandmother Gretchen made sure to always provide loving care and connect with my brother and I. My father provided stability for us in our middle school and high school years. My longtime second parents [God Parents], Joseph and Vicky Reader extended love with visits and incorporating me into their life for the last 40 years. I’m blessed with caring friends and especially having a son who has grown up to be a very kind and caring person. I am lucky and grateful for my life journey.

I have my own mental health journey which helped me learn how to take better care of myself, set priorities and routines for stability and being grounded.

My mental health journey was at many points. I was stuck in depression, but with counseling and building tools I am now a lot stronger and able to balance life stressors. One aspect of my social identities is I am a Nichiren Buddhist. The basics of this religion/philosophy is to chant “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” for my own happiness and the happiness of others.

This hope-filled practice helps me focus my life, to keep a sense of gratitude, and to keep a positive outlook practice.”

Leewitt wrote the above in September of 2022.

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I met Leewitt during the 1994-1995 school year while I was attending CR. I was in downtown Arcata kickin’ it at old school Sidelines. I was outside the bar when I saw one of my friends, Aviva, with some of her friends, and Leewitt was one of them.

Aviva introduced me to her friends, and they asked me where I was from. When I mentioned the East Bay in a town called Pittsburg, Leewitt asked me if I knew someone she went to San Jose State University (SJSU) with. When I told her I did know that person, that’s how we connected.

During her college years, Leewitt worked various jobs through the semester and summer. Leewitt worked at Healthsport in Arcata, the Co-Op, and Los Bagels to name a few. For a couple of summers, Leewitt worked in Washington on Orcus Island at “Camp Four Winds Westward Ho!” and had a great time meeting different people and enjoying the scenery. Working on Orcus Island had a profound effect on Leewitt and when our son Dexter was old enough, she wanted him to experience the adventure she had, and so Dexter spent two summers at Camp Four Winds Westward Ho! One thing I can say in particular about Leewitt is that she loved our son very much and she would go out of her way to ensure Dexter was taken care of and had the opportunity to experience as much fun as possible during his childhood.

Leewitt graduated from Humboldt State University in 1998 but walked the stage during May of 1999 receiving her Bachelor of Science degree and a few years later, her Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential. Leewitt tried hard to find employment as a teacher here in Humboldt County, but during that time, teaching jobs were scarce, and she eventually found employment as a teacher in the Bay Area in Oakland. Working in Oakland, she gained experience working with inner-city kids. Leewitt said it was tough at times, but she persevered and was a better person for the experience.

While working in Oakland, Leewitt met some ladies that were also hired as teachers, who were from the Philippines, and they became roommates. Josie, Charlene, and I forgot the third person’s name, but they all became good friends. The ladies did not have a car, but Leewitt did, so they would ride with her to school, grocery shopping, or on sightseeing adventures.

Working in Oakland was hard on Leewitt because she was away from our son. While she was working in Oakland, she would often make the trip back to Arcata to see Dexter. At that time, I was caring for Dexter full-time, and she would come up during the weekends to relieve me and spend time with our son. Leewitt endured many hardships in her lifetime and when our son was 15 months old, she encountered one of the most difficult.

On May 2, 2003, she experienced one of the most traumatic situations that would shape her for the rest of her life. While driving back up to Arcata, Leewitt was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle right after the bridge over the Russian River coming into Hopland. This crash later resulted in Leewitt having metal in both her forearms and ankles. It took some time for her to recover. Still afterwards, her injuries would affect the way she walked, and she often dealt with pain in her joints, but this did not stop Leewitt from living her life; she was strong-willed and resilient.

After she recovered to the extent that her injuries allowed, Leewitt participated in AmeriCorps as a mentor to the children at Blue Lake Elementary School. Leewitt enjoyed interacting with children and was a positive influence on the students she worked with. After AmeriCorps, Leewitt worked at “Changing Tides” for a period of time and assisted families in providing subsidized childcare.

Then in 2012, Leewitt was hired with the County of Humboldt as an Eligibility Worker for the Department of Health and Human Services. Leewitt was a “people person” and she developed friendships with many of her coworkers. Some of the people Leewitt developed close friendships with were Kim Sullivan, Jenny Cameron, and Julie Fillman. I know there are a lot more people that she was friends with from Eligibility and although they might not be mentioned here, to any of you reading this who knew her, know that she cherished your friendship.

After working in Eligibility for about 5 years, Leewitt applied for and was hired with CWS as a Social Worker. There, Leewitt helped many children in dire straits, and formed new friendships with Donna, Emily, Bianca, Lauren, Michelle, Danielle, and many others.

Working at CWS was hard for Leewitt because of the circumstances and crises that many of the children and families were experiencing. Even though working at CWS was hectic and took its toll on Leewitt, she appreciated the camaraderie amongst her coworkers and could lean on them when she was feeling the stress of the cases she had to deal with. When her cases felt overwhelming, Leewitt also took solace in speaking with CWS’ cultural coach Bruce. Leewitt told me that she admired Bruce because he would provide informal counseling and words of wisdom when she needed someone to listen to her and that she enjoyed his company.

For a brief time, Leewitt stopped working at CWS and transitioned to being an IHSS Social Worker before going back to CWS. This job was also difficult for her because she had to go into her clients’ homes and interview them to determine how many hours they were eligible for. This also affected Leewitt because of the nature of the client’s situation. She had empathy for her clients, and it was difficult for her when she had to deny her client’s request for IHSS hours because they were not eligible based on the criteria she had to abide by.

Readers who knew her may or may not know, but Leewitt inherited bipolar disorder from her mom, and it was something that she had to deal with throughout her life. Leewitt was 22 years old when she encountered her first episode and since then, she had to deal with and manage the repercussions of the aftermath of an episode.

Leewitt’s father abandoned her and has not had any contact with her since that first episode many years ago. In fact, Leewitt has also had other friends abandon her when they found out she is bipolar. Leewitt’s mom would at times call her when she herself was having an episode and this really affected her to the point that she would have to stop taking her calls for a period of time. Although it pained Leewitt to cut her mom off, she knew it was to help preserve her own mental health.

I wrote the above to say this… her having to deal with bipolar did not define who Leewitt Withrow was. Leewitt was an authentic caring person who cherished her relationships with her friends because of her upbringing. She was thoughtful and appreciated the people she cared about.

Leewitt was also an artist. She had her own style of drawing, and she was pretty good at painting with watercolors. She also liked to do crafting, sewing, quilting, crocheting, and she was learning to knit. During the Christmas season, Leewitt and some of her friends attended a wreath making class. She enjoyed the holidays and loved to bake all sorts of pastries, pies, cobblers, and casseroles.

Although Leewitt left this physical world, she will never be forgotten because her memory and energy will remain in our hearts and minds. I am grateful to have known her and that she and I had a son together. I will always remember her smile and appreciate our times together. Leewitt, in many ways helped me become the man I am today.

Leewitt, know that you are missed, thought of, and loved by a lot of people who care about you. You have touched the lives of many with your good positive energy.

Love and Miss You Always,

-Your Friend Jim Gorospe-

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It is important to discuss the difficulties Leewitt faced during her life, not just because it adds to the bigger picture, but because it directly contributed to the development of her compassion, and the professions she chose to engage in.

Leewitt’s childhood was in fact turbulent; her mother, my grandmother, was a semi-functional alcoholic and artist, who struggled with bi-polar disorder. Leewitt would inherit this psychiatric condition and after the age of 22, would take medication for it for the rest of her life. Though she did have a support network in adolescence and adulthood, her mental health struggles did sometimes push friends and family away, as well as impacting the stability of her career. In addition, the car crash in ’03 affected her ability to engage in her favorite outdoor activities and maintain peak health.

It was these myriad of struggles that fueled her compassion. The difficulty in her upbringing allowed her to genuinely empathize with those of all ages who suffer(ed) a rough childhood. Her struggles with mental health allowed her to connect with those who also deal with psychiatric conditions and insufficient coping mechanisms. The way the crash affected her too helped her empathize with the physically disabled. The hardships she was dealt both increased the difficulty of and accentuated her ability to be an effective and compassionate public servant.

It is clear that Leewitt had a passion for working with children, from her time teaching, mentoring children and working in child welfare services. She really wanted to dedicate her time to serving the vulnerable and underprivileged in her community, despite the great stress it placed upon her at times. In truth, she decided to use her experiences from childhood, and develop into the kind of person she needed in her life at that time, and the world is a better place because of it.

How do I remember my mom?

I remember her by her smile, by how happy she was when she looked at me.

I remember her by our walks together, and how she wanted to show me the beauty of Humboldt and beyond. I remember her by all of the places she took me, all the trips to the beaches and the rivers. The times she got me and my dad to go rafting. Our trips to Washington, Oregon, and New York City.

I remember her by our garden, and the many hours I saw her and shared with her gardening and admiring the beauty. I remember how much she loved to see the hummingbirds buzzing about.

I remember my mom by all the sweet treats she used to make to share with me, my father, her friends and even my classmates. I remember her by all of the family recipes and experimental goods, what she made for all my birthdays, and the holidays, and the random days in summer. She always shared her sweetness in many different ways.

I remember her by her music; always filled with upbeat energy. She enjoyed lots of genres, from jazz to reggae, from funk to folk, both rock and pop music too. By far her favorite musician was Michael Franti. His music will always remind me of my mom.

And I remember her stories. When she travelled to London and Taiwan. Her time teaching in Oakland, her time raising me, and so many more of the wonderful times in her life.

I remember her by her friends too. The people she cherished, the people who supported her, and our visits with them.

We all loved you, Leewitt. I love you mom. You brought many good memories and love to many people. You were a light to the people whose lives you touched.

We would like to offer a special thank you to the following people. To Blair’s Direct Cremation and Burial Services, to Priscilla Howard, to Sandra, Jim, and the Poston Family, to Joe and Vicky Reader, to Yvette McFarland, to Mike and Josie Manalac, to The Morris Family, to her friends and coworkers at Humboldt County DHHS, to her friends at the Nichiren Buddhist group, and everyone else who supported her in life, and supported us, her family, in death.

We are planning a celebration of life for Leewitt at a date to be determined.

To inquire and RSVP, contact Dexter at 707-616-6292.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Leewitt Withrow’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.

John (Jack) C. Lindstrand
April 22, 1929-May 10, 2024

John (Jack) Carl Lindstrand was born at home on Second Avenue, in Blue Lake, on April 22, 1929 to Ethel E. Cox and Leonard C. Lindstrand. He passed away in his sleep on May 10, 2024 in Yuma, Arizona. He attended Blue Lake Elementary School, Arcata High School, where he played basketball and saxophone, and enjoyed dancing at the Arcata High noontime dances. He also attended Humboldt State College. On July 14, 1950, Jack married his best dancing partner, Berlene Beshears. They were married for 43 years, until her passing in 1994.

Jack worked at McIntosh Lumber for a few years until he was hospitalized with appendicitis. While recovering from surgery, he began helping out at the family business, Lindstrand’s Store, in Blue Lake. He spent 30+ years working at the store until it was sold. At that time, he got his realtor’s license and sold real estate from 1984 to 1999. Jack was on the school board of Blue Lake Elementary from 1967 to 1973 and spent many, many years as a volunteer in the Blue Lake Fire Department. He enjoyed driving the antique fire truck in the Annie and Mary Day Parades in Blue Lake. Jack and Berlene continued to dance in local dance clubs. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends here in Humboldt County and in Colorado. They had wonderful family times at Whiskeytown Lake, Benbow Lake and Big Lagoon. After their children were grown, they started hunting agates and could often be found at the crack of dawn roaring up the beaches on their three-wheeler.

After Berlene’s passing in 1994, Jack met Evie Stone. Together they took wonderful care of each other and had many good times traveling in their motor home, enjoying old and new friends, and spending time in their winter home in Yuma, Arizona.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Ethel Lindstrand, his close aunt and uncle, Lester and Mary Sundquist, and his wife of 43 years, Berlene Lindstrand, his sister and brother-in-law, Jay and Barbara Thacker and nephew, James Thacker. He is survived by his three daughters, Diane (Jeff), Denise, Dana (David), and his companion of 28 years, Evelyn Stone. He is also survived by his grandchildren Cara (Jason), Taya, Joele (Drew), Jacy (Cody), John (Demetria), Lola (Matt), Sage (Ruben); and by his great-grandchildren, Nyah, Freddie, Tyrus, Tessa, Caelum, Brycelyn, Ainsley, Maverick, Luca, Luna; and by his great-great-grandchild Aveyah; and also, two additional great-grandchildren due in September.

Jack will be interred at Blue Lake Cemetery. Please join us for a celebration of Jack’s life at the Blue Lake Fire Hall on June 22, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If possible, RSVP to dromberg@sbcglobal.net. Contributions in Jack’s memory can be made to Blue Lake Fire Department, P.O.Box 245, Blue Lake, CA 95525 if you wish.

Bernadette was born into a working-class Catholic family in Port Angeles, Washington on June 10, 1950. Her older siblings, Burke and Alicia, and her younger sister, Mary, were always close and kind to each other. Her sheltered childhood provided a solid base for stability, hard work and love of nature. She remembered her Irish grandmother being a fountain of love. She remembered playing in the woods in empty lots and spending time at the family resort at Lake Crescent. She loved running just for the pure joy of it. She experienced much of her life through her emotions. She began taking pre-veterinary classes but got very ill and never went back to school.

When she was nineteen, she set off on a long hitch-hiking trip across the western US. She spent a winter working and living in Minneapolis with friends. When she was hitch-hiking, she would sleep in graveyards because she felt safe. When cars would stop to pick her up, her kitten would jump off her shoulder into the car which would win over the occupants.

Don Edwards picked her up hitch-hiking and she ended helping him find a farm to buy and stayed on Chemise Mountain Farm with him for 25 years of an inequitable relationship. They homesteaded and raised show goats. They had an orchard and large gardens. Her animal husbandry came in handy many times especially when cougars caused damage. The farm remained off grid with kerosene lamps and gravity flow water.

On May 1, 1973 her first child, Blossom, was born. She was delivered at home by her father because the midwives were late. The Madrone trees were in full blossom that day. Their second child, Logan, was born on May 26, 1981 and was delivered by his dad because the labor was only one hour.

She became an integral and loved part of the community in the Humboldt culture. She was involved in volunteer work in local politics. She took declarations from homeless people who were harassed and discriminated against. She also worked for years on litigation against Operation Greensweep.

In 2012 she married Jack Glick in Mendocino and lived a happy life with him in Whale Gulch. Logan and his wife, Ashley, had three children — Lukas, Parker and Connor — whom she adored and spent as much time as she could with. She spent years suffering from cancer but confounding doctors when she would bounce back from near-death episodes. Jack died over a year before she did. She was with him when he passed, and Logan was one of the first responders to show up.

She loved to travel and would regularly go up the Oregon coast and make her way over to spend time with her other grandchildren Noa, Rio and Jessica.

She was so ill and yet she was as productive and as optimistic as possible. Although she lived alone, she was surrounded by those that loved her and was able to say goodbye to her family before she passed. She did not appear to be afraid, but seemed to embrace the ultimate liberation. She passed in Eureka on March 15, 2024.

Her family will be holding a celebration of life Saturday June 8 at 1 p.m. at Beginnings in Briceland. The main course and drinks will be provided. Potluck for appetizers, sides and desserts.

Ronald Allen Ulmer passed on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at the age of 79 years.

Ronnie is survived by his daughter Chanda Ulmer-Pifferini and son Anthony Ulmer, two granddaughters Zaida Pifferini and Sophia Ulmer, and many cousins Tanya Sangrey, John, Mike, John (Bubba), Justin and Chelly Puzz, Debbie, and Rene McBride, and Rachel McBride-Praetorius, Sherie and Robert England and Angel England-Amato, Richard England, Christina Nelson, Kim, Brian and Kelly Mamaradlo and so many more. He is preceded in death by his mother Edna Puzz-Cuddie, grandmother Lillian Blake-Puzz, grandfather Mike Puzz, uncle Hank Puzz, aunties Dorthy Puzz-Walker and Norma Puzz-Dankulich, and cousins Roanne Lyall (Skooky) and Cathy Puzz-Carmesin.

A five-day fire held in his honor will begin on June 7 at his Klamath home. Friends and family are invited to stop by and share a memory. An intimate family service will be held at the Blake family graveyard on June 15th. Ronnie and his beloved cousin, Skooky, will be laid to rest.

Ronnie was born in San Francisco on April 3, 1945 to Edna Puzz-Ulmer and Rudy Ulmer. Ronnie grew up in Klamath and attended Klamath Elementary then graduated from Del Norte High school. During his childhood he enjoyed many adventures, from raising two abandoned river otter pups that latter became the first otter exhibit at the Sequoia Zoo to washing dishes at the at the Redwood Rest Resort, Frog Pond Restaurant & Bar, at the Klamath Glen. In 1968 he joined the Navy and served as a radio operator in the Philippines. He loved falling big timber, riding his motorcycle, reading about astronomy, welding, weightlifting, visiting with friends at the Country Club in Klamath and running from the ladies.

Ronnie was a handsome man with a great big smile. He had a big heart and he always made his family feel loved. He was a warm, caring and loving father and is greatly missed.