Heads up, Old Town regulars. As you can see in the video above, the City of Eureka is engaged in some pretty extensive road work on F Street this week. Plan your life accordingly. 

In case you’re the kind of person who worries about the state of commerce, Eureka Main Street would like to remind you that area businesses are still available to take your money. From their social media post this morning:

Businesses are open while Old Town is getting a serious facelift!

This week F Street (between 1st & 4th Streets) and E Street (between 2nd & 3rd Streets) are getting reconstructed and paved. Come down to your favorite shops and restaurants and see the progress firsthand.

By the end of the week, there will be beautiful newly paved streets to enjoy during Friday Night Market.

UPDATE, 3:07 p.m.:

This afternoon, the City of Eureka sent along the following response to PETA from Mayor Kim Bergel:

Dear Ms Newkirk: 

I am writing in response to your letter dated September 18, 2023 regarding the request from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to replace the Fisherman’s Memorial statue at Woodley Island with a “Fintastic Fish Sculpture.” 

Firstly, I would like to express our appreciation for your organization’s commitment to animal welfare and your advocacy for the ethical treatment of animals. It is essential to engage in conversations that promote the humane treatment of all living beings and foster a greater understanding of their wellbeing. 

The Fisherman’s Memorial holds a significant historical and cultural value for our community. It pays tribute to the generations of fishermen who have contributed to the development of Eureka and the livelihood of its residents. 

This memorial stands as a symbol of respect for their dedication and sacrifices. The involvement of the wives of the Fishermen’s Marketing Association in funding the memorial underscores the strong community ties and the deep appreciation for the contributions and sacrifices made by fishermen in the Eureka area. Replacing it would be seen as a disservice to the memory of those who have played a vital role in our city’s heritage. 

The memorial is also not a City of Eureka asset and the City does not have authority to remove or change the statue. However, even if the City did have jurisdiction over the statue, I, as Mayor, who represent the residents of Eureka, would not want to proceed with the proposal to replace the Fisherman’s Memorial statue. 

We understand and respect PETA’s concerns about the ethical treatment of fish, but it is important to note that the Fisherman’s Memorial does not promote cruelty or harm to fish or any other species. Instead, it serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by our local fishermen and the importance of responsible fishing practices. 

Eureka is also committed to sustainability and the preservation of our natural resources. Our local fishermen are often at the forefront of sustainable fishing efforts, which align with PETA’s goal of promoting humane practices. We believe that collaboration between conservationists, fishermen, and organizations like PETA can lead to more responsible and compassionate approaches to fishing.

We would welcome the opportunity to work together on a location for your “Fintastic Fish Sculpture” or opportunities that promote the ethical treatment of animals, such as educational programs on sustainable fishing practices and wildlife conservation. By working together, we can find common ground and create positive change.

Once again, we appreciate your organization’s dedication to animal welfare and your concern for the well-being of fish. While the City does not support the proposed sculpture replacement, I hope that this decision does not deter our future collaboration on issues that are of mutual interest.

Thank you for understanding our position, and I look forward to engaging in productive discussions in the future.

Sincerely,
Kim Bergel, Mayor

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Original post:

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From PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals):

Thinking it’s high time Eureka celebrated Fish Amnesty Day, this Saturday, PETA sent a letter this morning to Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel urging her to take down the old-style statue “The Fisherman” at Woodley Island Marina and replace it with a fish-shaped sculpture made of discarded fishing gear. The group hopes the new, upcycled fish statue it would donate to the city would spark a “Eureka!” moment among locals and visitors to the area and help people recognize that the fishing industry inflicts pain on billions of aquatic animals every year, including all the unintended victims, like turtles, rays, and dolphins, euphemistically known as “bycatch.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a list of delicious vegan fish options, such as Gardein’s f’sh filets, Sophie’s Kitchen’s Fish Fillets, and Good Catch Plant-Based Crab Cakes, as well as a free vegan starter kit. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.

“Fish don’t deserve agonizing deaths any more than the millions of sharks, dolphins, turtles, porpoises, and even whales who get caught in abandoned fishing gear each year,” says PETA President and reformed angler Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is urging Mayor Bergel to upgrade Woodley Island’s statue to show fish as the remarkable individuals they are and inspire people to enjoy the outdoors in ways that don’t hurt animals—like keeping the water clean by ‘trash fishing.’”

Fish Amnesty Day was launched in 1997 to encourage kindness to fish, who are now known to feel pain as acutely as mammals do, have long-term memories and the ability to recognize themselves in a mirror, and communicate with each other using squeaks, squeals, and other low-frequency sounds that humans can hear only with special instruments. Despite their unique abilities, more fish are killed for food each year than all other animals combined. They’re impaled, crushed, suffocated, or cut open and gutted, all while conscious.

And here’s PETA’s letter to Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel:

September 18, 2023

The Honorable Kim Bergel
Mayor of Eureka

Dear Mayor Bergel:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including many who are lucky enough to live in California—with a fintastic suggestion.

Times are changing, and just as whaling towns have reinvented what used to be an acceptable practice, fishing towns will soon follow their lead. As millions of Americans now refuse to support industries that slaughter billions of animals every year, devastate the environment—since fishing gear is a top polluter of the ocean and the leading cause of “accidental” deaths of whales, dolphins, porpoises, and turtles—and wreak havoc on our health, we hope you’ll take this opportunaty to get ahead of history by removing the “Fisherman” statue, which glorifies the cruel and environmentally deadly fishing industry, from the Woodley Island Marina. We’d be happy to donate a new sculpture to replace it—perhaps a fish made from discarded fishing gear, as shown here.

Studies show that fish are smart, sensitive beings who have distinct personalities, learn from one another, can recognize themselves in mirrors—the “gold standard” of animal intelligence—and have better memories than most humans for their age. They have individual personalities, talk to one another, and experience pleasure and pain, yet more of them are killed for food each year than all other animals combined. Commercial fishing also leaves behind a trail of additional victims—including turtles, birds, and other animals who sustain debilitating injuries after swallowing fishhooks or becoming entangled in fishing lines—and it threatens the delicate balance of the ocean’s ecosystems. A 2022 study determined that each year, enough fishing line is lost in the ocean to circle the Earth 18 times and that fishers lose over 25 million pots and traps and nearly 14 billion longline hooks, posing a huge threat to marine animals.

Eating fish and other animals is also harmful to human health. We can get everything we need from a healthy vegan diet—including omega-3 fatty acids and protein—without any of the mercury, PCBs, or other toxins found in fish flesh. With delicious vegan varieties of every type of “seafood,” people can enjoy all the familiar dishes they love without the cruelty, toxins, or cholesterol.

Your new statue could inspire people to shellabrate and protect marine life by going “trash fishing,” rather than promoting an industry that suffocates and slaughters animals. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,


Ingrid Newkirk
President

Tens of thousands of Californians are losing health insurance every month as the state resumes checking people’s eligibility for Medi-Cal, which it suspended during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

About 16 million people in California will be evaluated for eligibility from June 2023 to May 2024. About half of those up for a review were automatically renewed because officials were able to verify their information in the system. Others were sent yellow renewal packets that they were supposed to fill out and send back to their county Medi-Cal office.

More than 300,000 Californians have lost their Medi-Cal eligibility since July. 1. The majority of lost coverage in June and July due to procedural reasons, such as not sending their renewal forms back or having incorrect information in their forms, according to state data.

Some people losing coverage are no longer eligible because of changes in their personal lives, such as starting a job with higher pay. But some might see their coverage lapse because of paperwork mistakes or simply missing a notice in the mail.

“It’s because it’s been such a long period where folks have not had to renew their health coverage,” said Cary Sanders, senior policy director at the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “There could be up to 2 to 3 million Californians who could lose their health coverage just by virtue of this change, because there would be people who wouldn’t know what to do.”

Here are some answers to questions about what you can do if you lose coverage, including how to appeal.

How do I know if I got disenrolled from Medi-Cal?

You will get notified through mail. If you didn’t receive a notification but still believe you might have lost coverage, you can call your local Medi-Cal office to check eligibility or go to your regular clinic or hospital where they can look this information up for you.

For any questions about Medi-Cal eligibility, you can contact the state Department of Health Care Services, which manages the Medi-Cal program. Their Medi-Cal Eligibility Division can be contacted at (916) 552-9200.

I qualify for Medi-Cal but still got disenrolled. What should I do?

Your next step depends on how much time has lapsed since you lost your coverage, as stated on the official notification letter.

The state has instituted a 90-day appeal period in case you lost coverage even though you qualify.

If you are within the 90-day period, you should immediately fill out the yellow renewal packet, or supply any missing information, and send it to your county Medi-Call office. If you lost the packet or sent the packet but still got disenrolled, call your local Medi-Cal office or go to your regular clinic or hospital to figure out the next steps.

If you are unable to send your information to your local Medi-Cal office due to accessibility issues and are running out of time, ask the office staff to accept your documents electronically or through the phone.

If you are past the 90-day period, you will be required to reapply for Medi-Cal benefits. This means starting a new application entirely.

How can I appeal?

Tatiana Fassieux, training and education specialist at Medicare advocacy nonprofit California Health Advocates, said people should remember that they have appeal rights.

If you received a notification about disenrollment, you can request a Fair Hearing and appeal the loss of coverage. This will ensure that your benefits continue until the hearing is resolved.

“Many people take the letter verbatim and they don’t read it and they don’t appeal,” she said.

According to the state Department of Health Care Services, adults under the age of 26 can qualify for Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status. Medi-Cal does not share information with the immigration office, so undocumented Californians should not be afraid to seek help. Starting Jan. 1. Californians of all ages will be able to qualify for Medi-Cal irrespective of immigration status.

I got disenrolled because I no longer qualify. How can I get health insurance?

If you no longer qualify for Medi-Cal, you may still be able to get low-cost health insurance through Covered California, which is the state’s marketplace for health insurance plans.

Those who earn up to 250% of the federal poverty level –– or $33,975 for an individual or $69,375 for a family of four –– would qualify for low-premium plans through Covered California. You may also be eligible for additional health insurance subsidies through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the Advance Premium Tax Credit and Cost-Sharing Reduction plans.

If you are over the age of 65 or have disabilities, you may also qualify for Medicare, which can help pay for hospital costs, medical care and even prescription medication.

How can I make sure I don’t get disenrolled in the future?

Keep an eye out for any mail sent to you from your county Medi-Cal office. If you recently moved, make sure to update your address on the Medi-Cal website or by calling your local office.

You will be expected to renew and update your Medi-Cal coverage every year, so keep all your important information in an accessible place.

“You should have your documents like tax returns and health records handy,” Fassieux said.

You can sign up for renewal reminders through the state’s renewal website: keepmedicalcoverage.org. That resource also is available from the state in Spanish.

Are there any other resources I can use for help?

The state’s Department of Health Care Services has several resources to help, including contact information for your local Medi-Cal office, schedules of community events and health fairs where you can get information in person, and guides on what to do if you lost Medi-Cal coverage.

For assistance with Medi-Cal re-enrollment, you also can call the Office of the Medi-Cal Ombudsman. The office is a neutral resource that can help you deal with any issues you may have with the program. You can contact the Office of the Ombudsman at (888) ​452-8609.

There are also several third-party services that can help you get back on Medi-Cal.

Health Consumer Alliance is a free assistance program funded by The California Endowment, Covered California, the state Department of Managed Health Care, and the Blue Shield Foundation. It provides legal services and can help you renew your Medi-Cal coverage. To get in touch, you can read their guide on renewing Medi-Cal or call their toll-free number, 888‑804‑3536.

You can contact BenefitsCal which also provides assistance with Medi-Cal. The website has translations in 20 languages.

Will seniors and other vulnerable populations get special assistance?

According to health policy organization Justice in Aging, seniors and those with disabilities have experienced higher rates of disenrollment from Medi-Cal. Seniors, pregnant women, and certain children under 21 experienced a disenrollment rate of 26.7% in June 2023, compared to the overall average rate of 21%, according to the Department of Health Care Services.

Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, a health attorney at Justice in Aging, said seniors and people with disabilities are dual-eligible, which means they qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal.

“Dual-eligibles are a very diverse group with really high chronic needs, and they are more likely to be a person of color,” she said. “Their health disparities and chronic conditions are exacerbated by the loss of Medicaid.”

Often seniors and other dual-eligibles use their Medi-Cal benefits to cover their Medicare premiums as well as any wraparound services not included in Medicare. The loss of Medi-Cal means they may lose these additional benefits and face the deduction of Medicare premiums from their Social Security checks, said Huyenh-Cho.

“That puts people at risk of not being able to pay for rent and other needs, like clothing, food and utilities,” she said. “One of the big concerns that we have is it puts people at risk of economic insecurity and potentially at risk of homelessness because of that loss of income.”

Those who require additional assistance can reach out to state-supported enrollment navigators, which are community-based organizations and social service agencies that help vulnerable populations through the process.

The Department of Health Care Services has also released a social media toolkit to spread awareness about redeterminations, so people can renew their coverage before they get disenrolled. This kit is available in 19 languages.

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

Marilyn Jean Zibilich, 74, beloved mother, wife and friend, passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer on August 2, 2023, at her home in Eureka alongside George, her loving husband of 52 years. Born in West Liberty, Iowa, on November 30, 1948, she graduated from St. Clara Academy in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin and then Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education. In 1970 she married George Zibilich and became the loving mother to Nathan, Matthew and Ariana and was blessed to be ‘Nona’ to seven grandchildren.

Throughout her life, Marilyn was dedicated to her husband, children, family, friends, education, caring for others and her faith. She was a schoolteacher, a manager of volunteer services at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Redwood Memorial Hospital and a strong believer in Catholic education. She loved and cared for her own mother in her final years, and remained close to her seven siblings dotted across the country. In 2005 she was honored with Values in Action award for excellence at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Her days with the volunteer program did not end at 5 p.m. She would often times work at home in the evenings or on weekends to make sure everything was perfect to her standards which were very high. She was always doing special things for her family, friends and the volunteer program. She had many friends and always enjoyed quick witted conversations with a gin and tonic. She enjoyed going on long walks with her girlfriends, getting together for coffee and pastries, and good conversation. She especially adored Sisters Weekends in Southern California with several of her sisters and nieces. She enjoyed travelling in much of America and many countries in Europe and Asia. Christmas was her favorite time of year and every birthday had to be celebrated with a piece of chocolate cake. For Christmas she worked incredibly hard to make sure everyone got special gifts and the meals were delectable.

She loved her outdoor flower garden and pampered the flowers to perfection. She also enjoyed playing board games with her family and friends and was a fierce competitor. After living in Colorado for 3 1/2 years, she became a lifelong Denver Broncos fan. She enjoyed reading works of fiction, especially mysteries. She continued to support St Bernards high school long after her children had graduated.

She was active in Women for Wellness, Humboldt Sponsors, and Family of Joseph. She could light up a room with her charming smile. Her friends have all said she was the leader of many of the different groups she participated with, organizing the get together‘s to make sure everyone could attend. Many of the sympathy cards have said she was the nicest person they had ever met.

She leaves to mourn her beloved husband George, sons Nathan (Christine), Matthew (Mary), daughter Ariana Galla (Bob), seven grandchildren, Vera, Dominic, Finnoula, Olivia, Malia, Christian and Reagan, her sisters Bernadette, Joanne, Patricia and Margo (preceded by Dolores), brothers Tom and Bernard, and 14 nieces and nephews. She was preceded by her parents, Mildred and Edwin Ruess.

Marilyn’s funeral mass will be held Oct 14 (Sat) at St. Bernard’s Church at noon followed by celebration of life at the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Bernard Catholic Church, Hospice of Humboldt, breast cancer program at Stanford University, or any other charity that one wishes to donate to.

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

It is with the heaviest of hearts we must share the passing of Reese Lopez, on Sept. 17, 2023, from natural causes.

Reese was born on April 5, 1963, to John Audis Kester and Elsie Edith Zumwalt, in Eureka. Reese was a bright, vibrant, loving person, who would happily give the shirt off his back, to help those in need. Whether they needed food, a shoulder to cry on, or even just a reason to smile, Reese always saw it as his personal mission to help. Reese always made it a point to spread joy everywhere he went.

Reese is survived by his best friend Judi Mackey, whom lovingly cared for him and watched over him better than any guardian angel ever could, his sons Brian Kleinmeyer and Jeremy Kleinmeyer, his niece Melissa Gitchell, and nephews Jesse Gitchell, Jesse Gitchell Jr., Jordan Gitchell, Tristan Gitchell, and Michael Colburn, and his cousins Loren Kester, Lorene Kester, and Laura Kester, as well as his adoring dog Blue.

Reese was preceeded in death by both parents, his sister Carline Gitchell, his aunts Anita Mae Vosburg and Olleen Caudill, and his cousin Lorraine Kester.”

Reese’s cremation is being handled by Sanders Funeral Home. Reese asked that we not have a funeral, but we’ll be doing a small private ceremony to scatter his ashes.

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

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Sept. 17, 2023, at approximately 7:30 a.m. an officer with the California Highway Patrol attempted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation on California State Route 96 in Hoopa. The vehicle initially failed to yield and a short pursuit ensued, ending in the area of the 12500 block of SR-96.

Upon yielding, a male driver of the vehicle reportedly exited and fled on foot. The officer chased the man approximately 200 yards before overtaking him. A struggle reportedly ensued as the officer attempted to take the man into custody and an officer involved shooting occurred. The man was fatally wounded as a result. 

The Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team has been activated. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office are leading this investigation, in conjunction with the California Department of Justice.

This is an active investigation. More information will be released as available and appropriate.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

In 2000, Louisa and I were staying in the old city of Nablus, in Palestine’s West Bank, which is about 60 miles east of Israel’s capital city Tel Aviv. For some reason now lost to time, I wanted to go there, assuming that a mere 60 miles could easily be traversed, despite the eternal antagonistic relationship between Palestine and Israel. Louisa, meanwhile, decided to head back to Jerusalem on her own — a simple matter, if you weren’t Palestinian.

I asked at a tiny travel office in the main square of Nablus if it was easy to get to Tel Aviv, and the guy made it sound simple: Get a sheroot (shared taxi) to Qalquilya, just inside Palestine, and from there it was a hop, skip and jump via taxi across the Green Line (the Israel-Palestine “demarcation”) to the Israeli city of Kfar Saba, From there bus to Tel Aviv. Easy peasy.

Stage One was, indeed, simple. My sheroot wound though rolling farmland to Qalquilya, a small dusty Arab town. We stopped near what appeared to be the heart of the place, in a crowded yard full of old yellow (but green-plated, i.e. Palestinian) cabs. I had been chatting to a guy who spoke fair English, and asked him to help me find what I imagined to be a shuttle service across the Green Line. One driver quoted me the equivalent of $10 to drive me across the border and on to Kfar Saba. Ten bucks? For what looked like three miles on the map? Back then, still in my student “there’s always a cheaper way” frame of mind—a holdover from student hitching days, I balked.

I kept asking around, and finally another driver indicated that he’d take me to—well, I wasn’t sure exactly—for five shekels, less than two dollars. We zigged and zagged through town while I ruminated about the third-world look of the shops and pot-holed streets. After less than five minutes we arrived at the edge of town, beyond the shops and houses, and turned onto a dead-end dirt street that ended at an embankment topped by a guardrail running at right angles across the road.

My driver stopped and pointed. “Kfar Saba,” he said. I peered ahead, expecting to see a checkpoint. Nothing, no one. Then I realized that a narrow paved road ran on the other side of the guardrail, with no connection to the road we were on. I thought he had made a mistake, and that I was to get on this cross-street, but he pointed straight ahead. Apparently I was to cross this road, which I now realize was the Israeli-controlled border road, and head straight ahead to … again, I didn’t know.

I paid him and clambered up the embankment, over the guard rail, across the paved road, and followed a trail of sorts through some scrub, heading for another paved road I could see up ahead. In happier times, I suppose it had been an extension of the road on which the taxi had taken me. Ten minutes later I hit the pavement and looked around. Other than a couple of youths on bikes, it was deserted. A trailer stood off to the side of the road and I could hear music playing from nearby. I started walking, still unsure of my bearings. The young men, about 18 years old, saw me and rode up. “Kfar Saba?” I asked them, pointing ahead down the long, empty road. They got off their bikes and came intimidatingly close, one on each side. “Where you go?” asked the taller one. I noticed their features—dark, swarthy, and thought, “Sephardic.”

I dug the little piece of paper out of my pocket on which I’d written what the travel office guy had told me. “Kfar Saba,” I repeated. The tall one roughly grabbed the paper out of my hand, glanced at it, then rubbed his fingers together in the universal symbol for “money.” “No money,” I said, remembering I had about $200 in shekels and dollars, along with my passport, in my daypack. “Yes, money,” he insisted. They we touching me now, and one grabbed my pants pocket as if checking if I had money in there. I felt a bit weary, but strangely, in retrospect, not afraid. “I don’t have any money,” I lied, and started to move away. They blocked me. “Money!” one of them yelled at me. As it finally began to dawn on me that I could be in a difficult situation, a sharp voice rang out from the trailer. We all looked over to where a guy was coming out of the trailer door, looking angry as hell. I took advantage of the diversion and started walking ahead, while the youths yelled back at the guy. He looked big and mean, and I wanted out.

The yelling took on warlike proportions, and I looked back to see him tear the taller kid’s tee shirt off his body. “Fuck,” I thought (irrationally!), “Maybe I should go and protect my erstwhile robber.” I think I even made a move back, but trailer guy looked up and gestured for me to move on.

I headed down the road to the accompaniment of a full-scale argument behind me. A couple more men appeared from nowhere and they all seemed to be lecturing the youths with the subtlety of sergeant majors, screaming at the top of their voices. It seemed to take a long time to get out of earshot of the fracas, and finally fear kicked in as I realized I could have been in deep shit back there. Why hadn’t I been afraid? Had they got knives? Did I have any chance of outfighting or outrunning my two potential assailants? (No.) In my mind, I started to picture worst-case scenarios, and they weren’t pretty.

It was a long hot walk to a main road, where — finally — I saw a sign, in Hebrew and English, to Kfar Saba. I stood by the roadside under a baking sun hitching for what seemed forever, as dozens of cars shot by me. Finally one stopped and a guy took me to the bus station in Kfar Saba, lecturing me the whole time in English why it was dangerous to hitchhike in that war-torn part of the world.

And soon I was on a bus to Tel Aviv.