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Press release from Allen McCloskey:

Allen McCloskey, a father, and local resident was recently acquitted of charges related to the possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen property in a modestly sized trial that concluded this week.

The trial garnered limited public attention (unlike the headlines blasted at time of unlawful arrest) but was significant for Mr. McCloskey, who faced allegations that could have had serious consequences for his life and family. The charges against him included possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen property.
 
In a notable turn of events, the prosecution’s case against Mr. McCloskey crumbled during the trial, leading to his jury proclaimed innocence. His defense attorney, Mr. Casey Russo, demonstrating a superior command and respect for the spirit of the law, successfully argued that the evidence presented against Mr. McCloskey was insufficient to support the charges, let alone an indictment and felony charges and a nonsensical full scale jury trial. Key witnesses called by the District Attorney Stacey Eads and Deputy District Attorney Rozari casted doubt on their own allegations, and it became evident that Mr. McCloskey had been wrongly accused.
 
In addition to the charges of vehicle theft and possession of stolen property, it was inappropriately published online that Mr. McCloskey was a felon in possession of firearms. This information was later proven to be false and had no bearing on the case. The defense team worked diligently to clarify this misinformation during the trial, in an effort to mitigate the severe defamation of Mr. McCloskey’s character, name and likeness. 
 
Mr. McCloskey, a devoted father who has maintained his innocence throughout this harrowing ordeal, expressed relief at the verdict. “I am grateful for the support of my family, my unwavering faith in God, and the incredibly sound legal talent of my attorney, Mr. Casey Russo,” he said. “I’m am now most looking forward to moving on with my life and being there for my two children.”
 
While this trial may not have received widespread attention (like Mr. McCloskey’s unlawful arrest and mugshot), it does however highlight the importance of a fair and just legal process for individuals facing bogus criminal charges. Mr. McCloskey’s case underscores the significance of ensuring that individuals are treated fairly and that the evidence presented against them is thoroughly scrutinized.
 
“I believe in a world and a legal system that requires that a statutory burden of proof be substantiated before contemplating moving forward with an extensively and exclusively circumstantial case of nonsensical-unfounded-hypotheticals and completely unwarranted allegation based on no direct witness testimony or evidence of any kind.” Stated McCloskey’s Attorney, Casey Russo. 
 
“The District Attorney’s embarrassing performance at the preliminary hearing and all subsequent hearings thereafter, speaks volumes and further supports my assertions that Stacy Eads used the Law and the legal system/processes’ to attack me; and this all directly following my enacting aggressive civil litigation against Humboldt County et al., and identified her Cronies by name. Stacy Eads and her minions have now violated law and policy to reach false felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda and “FELON NARRATIVE” . 
 
No one is above the law. I get this. And while I am guilty of no crime, and certainly No FELONY, now or ever; I am, however, entitled to equal treatment under the law and am entitled to an unbiased process and interpretation of law and the spirit of the law. The deliberate and politically calculated and colluded efforts demonstrated by the Humboldt County DA’s prosecutor’s overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing innocent victims and whistleblowers and those who have legitimate causes of action against the County. The extent of collusion between the District Attorney’s Office and local business Pacific Builders and Lucchessi Builders in an attempt to solidify a false narrative, was all too clear to McCloskey and his team, but more importantly the full Jury. 
 
The bogus and dark-spirited contempt behind the deliberate charges and the complete lack of evidence was considered and the outcome decided by a FULL JURY with an obligation to fulfill their responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality. I was confident and it has now been affirmed that, “there is no place in the Courtroom for these kind of people and their kind of shenanigans.” Stated out loud a McCloskey Juror -
 
Mr. McCloskey and his legal team are now regrouping and contemplating actions to address the erroneous information that was published online and the impact  it has had on Mr. McCloskey’s reputation. They hope that this case serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible and factual reporting and the need for due process in the legal system.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Allen McCloskey, a Progressive Alternative to Rex Bohn, Has Trouble Explaining Away History of Fraud Allegations
• Allen McCloskey Announces He’s ‘Walking Away’ From Campaign for County Supervisor
• Former Supervisorial Candidate Allen McCloskey Arrested With Stolen Goods at Westhaven Home

Trash: it’s everywhere! From our beaches to our forests. But those plucky do-gooders at the Northcoast Environmental Center are on the job. With this year’s Coastal Cleanup MONTH, dozens of clean ups are planned across the county to make our beaches great again. The NEC is also working with individuals experiencing homelessness to help mitigate issues of trash in encampments. Come learn more from Caroline Griffith and Sable Odry on this week’s episode. Sign up to help keep our coast clean here.

Can’t get enough plastic pollution? Listen to this old episode featuring Jen Savage of the Surfrider Foundation discussing her work to tackle the systemic roots of plastic pollution in our ocean.

In early April of 1940 the talk around Fields Landing was that the San Francisco Sea Products Company wanted to build a whaling station there. A town meeting was held at the Fields Landing Civic Club Hall. Mr. A. D. McBride, one of the owners of the company, was on hand to promote the whaling station. His pitch was a success, when at the end of the meeting, almost all hands were raised in support of building the plant. Over a dozen of us out-of-work local men were happy to be gainfully employed in construction. Most of us stayed on as part of the processing crew during the 1940 season.

While building the whaling station, those of us who were promised jobs when it opened began organizing a local union. I contacted Helen Lima, secretary of the Eureka CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) Fishermen’s and Fish Plant Workers’ Union, in an effort to get us signed up in that local. However, more experienced and influential union people were able to start a new local, the Eureka and Fields Landing Cannery Workers’ Union, affiliated with a rival organization, the Seafarers’ International Union of North America, AFL (American Federation of Labor). Our contract with the AFL was signed on the tenth day of June in 1940 by Harry Lundeberg, International President for the union, and by A. D. McBride for San Francisco Sea Products.

The selection of the AFL union was a letdown for me as I was trying as best I could to help build the CIO in Humboldt County. On May 2, 1940, I had written to Vern Smith, a San Francisco labor reporter, to find out about the San Francisco Sea Products Company: “I am seeking information concerning their labor record, union conditions around such a plant, and what union would have jurisdiction over a whaling plant.” I told Mr. Smith that we were getting 75 cents an hour as laborers while building the plant and hoped to be paid 85 cents an hour when the station began to butcher the whales. I expressed the hope that if the whaling station employees worked for good union wages under a signed agreement this would aid the current organizing drive by the CIO in the lumber industry for better wages and a union shop.

On May 6 Vern Smith wrote back, saying that the United Fishermen’s Union in San Francisco was negotiating with McBride, whom they had dealt with previously. Smith suggested that I contact Helen Lima (which I had already done) at the United Fishermen’s Union office at 236 D Street in Eureka and asked me to keep him informed of any progress in our attempts to organize the lumber industry. Sad to say, the union organizing drives in the redwoods were never totally successful, mainly because the companies blacklisted potential employees with union backgrounds.

We joined the AFL Eureka and Fields Landing Cannery Workers’ Union and elected Dick Berg president at our first meeting. He was the plant foreman and came to Fields Landing as one of McBride’s key men. (Prior to the enactment of the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Law in l947 by the Republican-dominated Congress it was legal for foremen to join the same unions as other employees.) We elected Louis Mundt, another key man who came from the 1939 whaling station near San Rafael, as our financial secretary-business agent. Walter “Bus” Selvage, the newly elected vice-president, was a Fields Landing resident. He was aware that I had taken the shorthand notes for the town meeting, so he and Mundt recommended me for recording secretary, an office I accepted with the approval of the membership. They were impressed that I had gone to college all of one and one-half years. In the late thirties in Humboldt County many young men didn’t finish high school, let alone attend college. Though I had been in a couple of unions in the late thirties, this was my first elected union position.

June of 1940

The first regular meeting of the Eureka and Fields Landing Fish Cannery Workers’ Union of the Pacific was held on Wednesday, June 5, 1940. Whaling station operations had formally begun the previous Sunday, when the first boats were dispatched. After the officers were elected and sworn in, we discussed admitting new members. Several were initiated into the local, including A.D. McBride’s son, Darcy, who was hired as a common laborer. The union decided not to accept the plant watchman as a member of the local. This was not unusual as watchmen were not considered production workers. Business Agent Louis Mundt read the provisional agreement. Discussion was held on several of its sections, including one giving more skilled members preference in employment. That meant that key men such as a second flenser could remain on the job even with less seniority. (The flenser was responsible for stripping blubber from the bones of the whale.) That provision was accepted. It was moved, seconded and passed that if any worker had to work more than five hours straight, he would get at least a half-hour off for a meal.

This was a progressive reform: many employers at that time didn’t allow time off for lunch, let alone a break; lunch had to be eaten while working. Another provision in the contract that was readily accepted was that the company had to furnish a first-aid kit, proper sanitary facilities, and showers.

It was decided to delete the section allowing the employer to obtain extra men for night work without going through union channels and to retain another clause that all extra workers must get working permits. These permits were purchased by the employee from the union and were good for only a few days. If the company decided to keep the new employee, he would have to join the union. We insisted that the proposed agreement be strictly enforced. The Gleaner brought in the first whales on June 13 and 18, and our next union meeting was held on Wednesday, June 19. A few minutes before the meeting started, Mr. McBride came in and told members that he was carrying out his plan, as presented previously at a town hall meeting, to have tourists observe the whaling operation, and he promised a portion of the gate receipts to the crew. After making this announcement, McBride left, and the meeting was called to order.

Vice-President Bus Selvage again brought up the question of whether the watchman, James Cowen, could join the union. It was decided to postpone judgment until he applied for membership. The watchman was a former butcher shop owner in Fields Landing. (He was also a former county supervisor, who had spent time in San Quentin Prison upon conviction for writing county checks to dead people and then cashing those checks for his own use.) Business Agent Louis Mundt read the clause from the agreement providing that a worker would get paid a minimum of four hours if put to work and for two hours if not put to work, unless he had been notified not to show up on the job. This was important to a worker who spent gas money and time getting to work only to be sent home without compensation. In 1940, many of the workers could not be notified beforehand because they didn’t have telephones.

Brother Herb Schlinkman — union members are called brothers or sisters — was fined one dollar for failing to attend the previous meeting without a satisfactory excuse. Attendance at union meetings was required. (After the passage of the Taft-Hartley act of 1947, unions were no longer permitted to levy such fines.) The demands for a decent drinking fountain and night meals paid for by the company were discussed. Because the crew often worked extremely long hours when there were several whales on the landing to be processed, night meals were important. With no more items on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

July of 1940

On July 3 the meeting was called to order at 8:00 p.m. Brothers Kelly and Brandt were initiated. Brothers Henry Hovland, Kelly, Carl Brandt, and Herb Schlinkman were appointed to see about getting the promised showers, drinking fountain and a place to wash clothes. (In the minutes, some of our members were identified by either first or last names, and as recording secretary, I have to take responsibility for not reporting Kelly’s full name.)

Brother Carl Brandt was hired as the second flenser because we had too many whales for Henry, the primary flenser (another one of McBride’s key men). Brandt had worked in the Trinidad Whaling Station. The fact that the showers were not yet installed by July 3, 1940, although they were part of our union contract signed on the 10th of June, showed that the company was slow in carrying out some of the provisions of our agreement.

Albin J. Gruhn, a rising figure in the local labor movement and head of the Eureka Labor Council, addressed the local and urged us to affiliate with the council. Joining the council could strengthen our influence in the local labor movement.

August of 1940

The next meeting was called to order on August 7 at 8:00 p.m. by acting chairman, Brother Darcy McBride. The applications for membership by French, Johnson, Hibbard, and McNamara were accepted. (Three of these new men lived in Fields Landing; perhaps they had heard of the “big money” we were making and had quit their previous jobs.) Frank Shipman, a local craft trade unionist, was endorsed for the office of vice-president of the California State Federation of Labor. He was part of the conservative leadership of the Humboldt County labor movement. The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m. for refreshments. No doubt many of the members were getting thirsty for beer and harder drinks from the bar in the Fields Landing Hotel where the meetings were held. (That hotel, built in 1884, was run by Botchi Santi in 1940. It is now the Whalers’ Inn.)

The very next night, August 8, 1940, a special meeting was called to order at 9:30 p.m. to deal with unsettled issues. Brother Henry reported that the showers had been put in, but not the washing machine. There was discussion about a man working without a permit, contrary to the working agreement. Brothers Henry, Brandt, Kelly and Graham were chosen unanimously as the shop committee to prevent violations of the union contract. The members had confidence in the leadership ability of those skilled workers. A motion to affiliate to the Eureka Labor Council was passed. Brother Johnson and myself were elected as delegates. That was my first election as a delegate to any labor council. The meeting adjourned at 10:45.

As far as I know, no other minutes of that local for the year 1940 exist. I recall that during much of the summer, Superintendent Klein tried to bring in new hires without going through the union. We had to attempt to strictly enforce the contract to protect our jobs and conditions. The fact that it took two months to get the showers installed while the crew was laboring under odorous conditions is an example of many broken promises made by McBride — one slick promoter, as it turned out.

As pointed out earlier, common laborers received 75 cents an hour while building the plant and expected to get paid 85 cents an hour when the plant commenced full operation. Instead, those in the lowest paid jobs got only 70 cents per hour. I would like to believe that if we had gotten a contract under the CIO we would have obtained our wage goal. One thing I do know was that in 1940 the AFL leadership often made sweetheart agreements with companies in order to keep their rival, the CIO, from gaining new bases in the labor movement. At that time in Humboldt County, the AFL leadership of the lumber workers was successful in preventing the International Woodworkers of America, CIO, from establishing a foothold in the lumber industry.

Another factor to consider was that the two top leaders (Berg and Mundt) of our local came to Fields Landing with the company. Furthermore, ever since about 1915, when the Northwestern Pacific Railroad had moved its shops and yards to Eureka, Fields Landing had been basically a non-union town. All told we did quite well for ourselves through that small union, and we did learn how to function in a democratic manner.

Although it pains me to write ill of a union brother, in light of the likelihood that because of his age and lifestyle he must be long ago deceased, I feel obligated to mention that our elected delegate to the California State AFL Convention did our local an injustice. As sometimes happens at such gatherings, our delegate went on a big drunk, missed most of the sessions, and blew our union’s small treasury.

My experiences in the whalers’ union in 1940 were invaluable training for my life’s work in the labor movement.

SIDEBAR: Whale-Watching, 1940s-Style

At the town meeting in Fields Landing, Mr. A.D. McBride, who was promoting the whaling station, presented his plan to attract sightseers to the plant. “This will be the only place in the United States where visitors will be able to see whales being cut up,” McBride said. “This is bound to help out your town. Of course we will charge the visitors in order to get a little money from the deal. There will be a walk built around the plant for this purpose.”

That walk was not built, but McBride’s promise to attract visitors came to fruition. The sightseers were only a few feet back from the processing. When the deck was hosed down, the plant crew had to make sure the tourists were not in the way of pieces of whale gut, meat and blubber being washed into the bay.

Helen (Mitchell) Selvage, whose husband Bus Selvage was the winch driver at the plant, remembered an incident that happened to a large group of paying visitors. As a whale was being sliced up on the processing deck, the hook (which was used to peel off a strip of blubber the length of the whale) broke loose and everyone close by was splattered with whale pieces and blood. Among those in the line of fire were the late Dr. Sam Burre and his beautiful wife, Norma (Gambi) Burre, who was dressed in white. Both of them were covered from head to toe with whale mess.

My cousin, Myrtle (Barnes) Baxter from Rohnerville attended a talk at the whaling station given by Dr. Frances K. Oldham, a marine biologist from the University of Chicago. Dr. Oldham was seeking whale glands for her fellow scientists at the university and was interested in examining whale fetuses. According to Myrtle, “The fetuses were in a tub in some kind of preservative at the entrance to the station. I asked the man at the gate if I could have a picture taken holding the whales up by the tail. The smell was something to write home about. I saw people gagging and leaving with their hands over their mouths. The blood that dripped onto the planks rotted there and didn’t make for too good of perfume. I know they hosed the planks off, but that didn’t quite do the job. I saw them perform a Caesarean on a whale. The fetus was several feet long.” (Unborn whales, sometimes up to twenty feet long, were frequently found in the mother.)

The Fields Landing Whaling Station was the only whaling station in operation in the continental United States during World War II. The ownership and name of the whalery had changed by 1943. Owner Max Hoffman’s company was now called Wartime Industries. The name and new operating procedures reflected the wartime status. Whales were processed immediately instead of being put on display for tourists. Tourists were still welcome, but not a priority.

In 1948 Gilbert Hunter and Herman Foland bought out Max Hoffman. Hunter and Foland turned the whaling station back into a tourist attraction. There were sixty-seven whales to observe in 1948. When a whale was winched onto the deck, a line of customers formed at the box office where they were charged a small admission fee to watch the whale being butchered. An editorial in the Humboldt Standard helped to boost tourism by comparing the giant whales to the giant redwoods. Both were identified with the “history, tradition, development, and economy of Humboldt County.”

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Lesa Coleman met Noel Harris in the basement of the Humboldt State Library in 1991. Noel had helped to acquire about one hundred boxes of papers from the defunct Redwood District Council of Lumber and Sawmill Workers for the Humboldt Labor History Project. While working on her B.A in history, Lesa was hired as a student assistant to help in archiving the records. A few years later, Noel and Lesa spent many Saturdays volunteering in the Humboldt Room at the county library in Eureka. They used this opportunity to research materials about Fields Landing and the whaling station.

The story above was originally printed in the Summer 2007 issue of The Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society, and is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

Vaughn Delano Hayes passed away June 6, 2023.

A few days before his 88th birthday, Memorial Day, he became ill and was taken to the hospital and discovered he had cancer throughout his body. He was shutting down quickly. He spent the next week and a half in the hospital before he passed. He was able to see a few people that dropped everything to travel and see him in his final time. It meant so much to him. There was just a very short time as he progressed so quickly. Dad was not alone when he passed. Family was with him constantly.

As a young man. Dad enlisted in the USCG, stationed in Alaska. He was assigned to the USCG Cutter Storis. After his tour he worked for the railroad, USFS, USFS fire suppression, and was also a choker setter and surveyor. He moved to Arcata to attend Humboldt State University to study forestry, which turned into a degree in Social Services. He met Charlotte there and they started their life together. They moved to Eureka and he began a 30 year career working for the Humboldt County Probation Department, retiring in 2000.

Anything that took him outdoors — whether it was hunting, fishing, boating/jet skiing, camping or backpacking — even if it was yard work. He loved the outdoors and being outside. Dad owned two horses. He rode with his friends in the local parades. The horses kept him busy and gave him a fulfillment that he had wanted all his life.

Dad eventually needed to slow down. It broke his heart but he gave up his horses and that part of his life. He and mom built a small house on a beautiful piece of property in Hydesville in 2000. He designed it himself. This became his park. This was his place where he talked to Jesus. He spent many hours sitting with his dogs reading his Bible and singing. Faith in Jesus Christ is what drove him. You didn’t have to ask him about the Lord. He would tell you whether you wanted to hear it or not. He felt it was his purpose in life.

Dad was the youngest of seven siblings. He was the last to pass on.

Vaughn is survived by his doting wife, Charlotte, of 64 years, their son Zaruk and wife Sherri and granddaughter Grace; his brother Dale’s family and their families; his brother Harley’s sons and their families; his sister Tessie’s daughters and their families; Bonnie Clark and their extended family; very close family friend, Ed, and wife Valerie Green and their family.

There will be a private interment and memorial at a later date.

A very special and heartfelt thank you to the soctors, nurses and staff at Redwood Memorial Hospital. They are wonderful caring people and made such an impact on all of us.

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

EARLIER: 

• 15-Year-Old Fortuna Kid Arrested Today For Allegedly Bringing a Gun to School Had Been Arrested for Attempted Homicide Earlier This Year

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Fortuna Police Department release:

On Friday, September 8th 2023 members of the Fortuna Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit identified an additional 13 year old male student of Eel River Community School believed to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The student was absent from school this date and had reportedly threatened another student at the school. Members of the Problem Oriented Policing Unit (P.O.P.) conducted extensive follow-up investigation and ended up tracking the additional student to a residence located in the 1700 block of McCullen Ave. in Eureka, California. A search warrant was authored and signed by the Humboldt Superior Court prior to Fortuna Police responding to the 1700 block of McCullen Avenue.

At approximately 4:00 P.M., while in the McCullen Avenue area, the 13 year old juvenile male was observed walking in the street. Members of the Problem Oriented Policing Unit detained the 13 year old male suspect, who had a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun in his waistband. It should be noted, the juvenile suspect was walking with two other juveniles and all three were wearing red hooded sweatshirts.

The loaded handgun was rendered safe and the 13 year old male was taken into custody. The handgun was identified as a stolen firearm, from a residential theft that occurred from a home in Fortuna. The 13 year old male was transported to Juvenile Hall and booked on the following felony charges:

• California Penal Code 29650, Minor illegally possessing live ammunition
• California Penal Code 25850(C)(6), Carrying loaded handgun
• California Penal Code 25400(A)(1), Carrying concealed weapon on person
• California Penal Code 29610(A), Minor in possession of handgun
• California Penal Code 496, Possession of stolen property
• California Penal Code 422, Criminal Threats

While some states have been banning books by the hundreds, California appears headed in the opposite direction — enacting a law that would penalize local school boards that block any book reflecting the state’s diversity.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is poised to sign Assembly Bill 1078, which is intended to prevent school boards from banning books based solely on the books’ inclusion of history or culture related to Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, LGBTQ people or other groups. It expands the state’s existing education code requiring schools to include the experiences of racial, ethnic and LGBTQ groups in curriculum.

“(This bill) offers a clear statement from the Legislature and governor about California’s commitment to free inquiry and non-discrimination in our public schools,” said UCLA education professor John Rogers, who’s studied book bans. “That’s always been important, but it’s particularly important now, as we’re seeing efforts in some areas to challenge the role of the public school as an instrument to promote the ideals of inclusion and diverse democracy.”

The bill follows a much-publicized effort in Temecula, in Riverside County, to block an elementary social studies textbook that includes a supplemental lesson on San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, the gay rights icon who was assassinated in 1978. The Temecula Valley Unified board in June voted to ban the textbook, with the majority arguing that lessons about LGBTQ rights and history are not appropriate for children.

Newsom intervened, threatening to send the textbook — which had already been approved by the state and Temecula teachers — to students directly and bill the district. The board then reversed course and agreed to adopt the materials.

But the events in Temecula are not what inspired the bill’s author, Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a Democrat from Moreno Valley. He said it was Florida that drove him to it. According to a database compiled by PEN America, Florida school districts, under a law signed by Gov. Rick DeSantis, have banned more than 500 books, including novels by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and biographies of baseball great Hank Aaron.

“These disgusting tactics are part of a national strategy by conservatives to literally retell history to not reflect the truth about people of color and people who identify as LGBTQ,” Jackson said.

“We have to take a stand, and prevent what’s happening in Florida from happening in California. We are in new territory, and we cannot be afraid to act.”

If signed by Newsom, the bill, which won legislative support on Thursday, would take effect immediately and create a new process for the public to complain directly to the state superintendent of public instruction if they feel students are being deprived of proper education materials. The state would provide the textbooks to the students and could deduct the cost of the textbooks from the district’s funding.

Although the bill has undergone a slew of amendments since it was introduced, the California School Boards Association remained opposed as of today. The bill’s intentions are laudable, said association spokesman Troy Flint, but the repercussions could be negative and long-lasting.

“These disgusting tactics are part of a national strategy by conservatives to literally retell history to not reflect the truth about people of color and people who identify as LGBTQ.”
— Assemblymember Corey Jackson, Democrat from Moreno Valley

California already has a lengthy public process to adopt a new curriculum, he noted. In addition, the state, county offices of education and local school districts have complaint processes for the public to protest textbooks, policies or other facets of the education system. The public also has an opportunity to weigh in on textbooks when county offices of education conduct their annual reviews of instructional materials.

Instead, the bill would further incite tension between the state and school boards, which under California’s system of “local control” have a large degree of autonomy, he said.

“We understand the motivations behind the bill, and we agree on the importance of students having access to inclusive textbooks,” Flint said. “But we think there are less inflammatory ways to handle this.”

Flint also pointed out that the bill could potentially stop schools from banning books that some might feel are racist or homophobic. That has already happened in some California schools. In 2020, Burbank Unified in Los Angeles County banned “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Of Mice and Men,” “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and two other books after parents complained that the books are racist.

“The implications are significant… Proponents are under the impression that the people in charge now will forever remain so,” Flint said. “A good law is just in all situations, not only in reaction to a certain environment.”

Jonathan Alexander, an English professor at UC Irvine, praised the bill, saying that protecting students’ access to high-quality works of literature — especially pertaining to LGBTQ issues — is more important than ever, considering the current polarized political climate. Students of all backgrounds and identities can benefit from learning the history and experiences of other groups, hopefully leading to a more equitable and accepting society, he said.

“If anyone’s going to lead us out of our current apocalypse, it’s going to be young people who’ve learned from each other and can show us better paths forward,” Alexander said.

“We understand the motivations behind the bill, and we agree on the importance of students having access to inclusive textbooks. But we think there are less inflammatory ways to handle this.”
— Troy Flint, spokesman for the California School Boards Association

Book bans such as those in Florida can be damaging to young people’s mental health, especially LGBTQ youth who might be searching for positive stories featuring characters like themselves. The publishing industry is in a golden age of LGBTQ youth literature, he said, with a wide breadth of sensitive, well-written books available. Schools should be promoting those books, not banning them.

“California is sending a signal that we value inclusivity. We’re actively encouraging young people to think about what kind of life they want to craft for themselves, what the possibilities are for their future,” he said. “That’s in direct contradiction to what’s happening in other states.”

Alexander and Rogers both pointed out that the bill could have wide-ranging benefits.

“It’s important that young people grapple with the full history of our country, even if it can be uncomfortable,” Rogers said, “so as adults, they’re in position to make it a more just place.”

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

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What will come of Crowley’s partnership with the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District?

Crowley Maritime, a private marine services and logistics company working on offshore wind and port development on the North Coast, has been the subject of criticism in recent months following allegations of sexual misconduct among some company higher-ups.

Just last week, the Outpost received word that Jeffrey Andreini, Vice President of Crowley Wind Services, had parted ways with the company amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with another Crowley employee. The company also faces two federal sex trafficking lawsuits that allege “terrifyingly similar fact patterns” in which women were taken on international business trips from the United States to El Salvador and allegedly abused by the same supervisor.

The allegations have prompted calls from some local stakeholders and tribal leaders asking the Harbor District to reconsider its partnership agreement with Crowley. In a recent op-ed published in the Times-Standard, Yurok Tribal Chairman Joe James said the allegations depict “a rotten company culture” and “give necessary reasons to consider reopening negotiations regarding port development” in Humboldt County.

The Harbor District has given no indication that it will reconsider its partnership agreement with Crowley. And, after talking with Crowley officials, it seems the project is full steam ahead.

Earlier this week, the Outpost sat down for a virtual interview with a couple of folks from Crowley – Amy Monier, director of projects for the Humboldt Offshore Wind Terminal Project, and Bob Karl, senior vice-president and general manager of Crowley Wind Services – to discuss the recent controversy and the company’s future here in Humboldt County.

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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LoCO: As I’m sure you are aware, there are at least two local tribes – the Yurok Tribe and the Blue Lake Rancheria – that have submitted written comments to the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District citing concerns about Crowley’s “public record of sex trafficking, and forced labor allegations and violations, environmental violations, and business operation issues and violations,” according to a letter from the Blue Lake Rancheria. These tribes have also criticized Crowley for failing to address their concerns directly and have called upon the Harbor District to reconsider its port development partnership with Crowley. What has Crowley done and/or is doing to address these concerns?

[DISCLOSURE: The Blue Lake Rancheria is a minority owner of Outpost parent company Lost Coast Communications, Inc.]

Bob Karl: This is pending litigation, and we really don’t discuss individual cases such as this. But what I can tell you is that Crowley makes the safety of all of our people and all of our partners, including the communities where we do business, a top priority. We take these specific allegations very seriously and understand why there are concerns in the community. We are handling questions and the process of litigation through the appropriate legal channels but, unfortunately, I just can’t speak about legal issues. 

Bob Karl | Crowley

What I would say though is Crowley’s taken numerous steps to train its employees to recognize when to speak up. Every employee goes through and completes regular training to proactively avoid, recognize and prevent harassment and discrimination [to] really promote a ‘speak up culture’. If you see something, say something about it. We have a strong policy of not just prohibiting harassment and discrimination, but really zero tolerance for retaliatory actions, which is key. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t have folks worried about retaliation if they raise your hand. This is a very important part of the process that Crowley has implemented. And for years, [we’ve had] a publicly published ethics hotline and an online reporting platform. 

I’ve been with Crowley for just about a year now and before that, I was with a very large multinational corporation. The programs that I’ve seen in my short time with the company [regarding] sustainability, employee culture [and] how to prevent some of these awful things from happening – they’re some of the best that I’ve seen throughout my career.

Amy Monier: I second what Bob has said. I’m a part of the community as well, I live here. As a recent employee of Crowley myself, the policies and procedures in place are equivalent if not better than policies I’ve seen at other companies I’ve worked for. Safety in the community is paramount on this project as we move forward.

Amy Monier | Crowley

LoCO: Local tribes are concerned that the port development project and the surge in out-of-town workers could increase sexual assault, sex trafficking and Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) in Humboldt County. The Yurok Tribe in particular has stated that the developer must have “the right company culture,” one that “protects women [and is] eager to partner with tribes across the region to develop a strong prevention plan” for MMIP. I think the tribes are really looking for a commitment from Crowley. Can you speak to that as well?

Karl: We have spoken to multiple members in the tribal nations and we are 100 percent behind supporting all of the MMIP efforts. I have personally given my assurances that we wouldn’t move forward with a project of this magnitude and this complexity if we thought that we could not keep the community, our partners and the tribal nations safe. Not only during the construction processes but also during the operations component. This terminal is gonna run for 20 or 30 years. We’re building a world-class wind terminal right in your backyard and our goal is to put in place processes, procedures, and standards of care that will not allow for those atrocities to happen. We are fully aligned with the tribes’ concerns around MMIP.

LoCO: I’d also like to ask you about the recent departure of Jeff Andreini, the former vice president of Crowley Wind Services. I assume you can’t share any details about his departure, but I’m hoping you can speak to the change in leadership and who’s going to fill that local position.

Karl: Amy is Crowley’s lead on-the-ground [representative] for this project. We hired her four months ago with the intention of her becoming the director of port development in Humboldt. Our plan is to have her transition into the lead role to operate the terminal once construction is complete. I really feel it’s important to have continuity and leadership throughout the full development process and into the operations phase. Amy is our leader on the ground who is really driving this project forward.

Monier: I took this position with Crowley four months ago looking to lead the port development for Crowley. I was really excited about taking the position, A) because it’s in our backyard as we both live here and B) there’s really an opportunity to help the community with workforce development, bringing in our sustainability vision [and] looking at community benefits. There’s so much potential here and I’m really excited to be part of it.

LoCO: Again, there’s been a lot of pushback against Crowley in recent months and I’d like to know what that means for Crowley’s agreement with the Harbor District. Based on this conversation, it sounds like it’s full steam ahead. Is Crowley going to move forward with a lease agreement with the Harbor District by the end of the year as planned?

Monier: We appreciate the strong partnership with the Harbor District and we’re optimistic that we’ll continue to find a path forward to build this world-class port with the Harbor District. Negotiations are progressing on the lease, but as you mentioned, there’s been some concerns raised. We’re very focused on addressing those concerns and developing a community benefits agreement that will consider concerns brought up in the community and from the various tribal nations. Our focus is going to be spending time with the community and tribal nations so we can continue to learn about the values and cultures and concerns. …

On the topic of MMIP, again, as Bob has already said, Crowley is 100 percent aligned to partner and be a part of the solution to make sure that these atrocities don’t happen on the project and in the community moving forward.

Karl: Whenever we launch a project of this scale and size or build something that’s going to be around for 20 or 30 years, you become part of that community. And the only way to truly become part of a community is to understand the culture, the heritage and the concerns that surround that community. That starts with understanding the history and really becoming part of the solution to make sure that anything that might have happened in the past doesn’t happen again with your project. We’ve had some productive conversations with folks, both in the tribal nations and in the community, to really understand what those concerns are and we really do look forward to putting steps in place through Community Benefit Agreements … to really put that in writing and make sure that we have a documented roadmap forward.

LoCO: Before we talk more about Community Benefits Agreements, I’d like to talk a little bit about sustainability. Environmental advocacy groups have called upon Crowley and the Harbor District to implement a green port strategy. Can you speak to that as well?

Monier: Certainly. Our primary focus is developing the most technologically advanced and greenest port in conjunction with the Harbor District. As such, we’re collaborating with other port facilities, including Long Beach, to be sure we’re all sharing, learning and leveraging the latest technologies. It would be illogical to build a port to support the energy transition to wind technology that doesn’t represent those ideals. In fact, one thing I’m really excited about is that we recently adopted the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision Sustainability certification. … Implementing that on this port means it will be one of the first on the West Coast to have that sustainability certification. 

Karl: Driving sustainability and really doing our part to help fuel and leverage this energy transition is a top priority for [Crowley]. We’ve spent a lot of time on our sustainability report that we published this year. That will help guide the steps we will take for port development. … It takes time to develop the technologies and it takes time to implement them – especially in existing ports. What is so exciting about Humboldt and some of the other reports that folks are going to develop up and down the West Coast is you’re starting from a clean sheet of paper. You can leverage the technologies that exist, which is why that collaboration between the ports up and down the West Coast is so important. We can all really learn together and put our best foot forward to really try to do what’s best for the planet and move this energy transition forward.

LoCO: What are some of the specific challenges you see in building out the Port of Humboldt Bay? And what are some of the perks?

Monier: During these initial stages we’re really trying to understand what the energy demand is going to be. … The current infrastructure in place on the peninsula, what does that look like? What equipment are we going to need? What is available in electric form? What is not? What does that look like down the road? One of the key things we also look at is how to design this [port terminal] to project future electrification. For example, putting conduits in place as equipment becomes available in electric format in the future. That way we’re not having to dig up the terminal 10 years from now.

Karl: There are so many exciting new technologies that are being developed. There’s green hydrogen, ammonia and methanol – all of these, these new, futuristic fuels. As they develop and become more readily available, we want to make sure that we’re not just building a terminal or a wind port that has the ability to use the technology that exists today. We really want a future-proof it so, as technology develops, we can implement those things where it makes sense and continue to make this a world-class port.

LoCO:  Turning back to the Community Benefits Agreements aspect of all of this, I’m fairly savvy with how the process works and how these agreements are created as it relates to offshore wind developers and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). What does that process look like with Crowley and who would be included?

Karl: We have already begun discussions within the community and the tribal nations … about what concerns them and how to address it. To me, the Community Benefits Agreement will be developed in a way [that] really respects and benefits all members [of the community] and addresses the historical issues that have occurred in the past due to projects [and] different industries coming in and out [of the region]. That is a key component to make sure that we learn from the past so that we can have a more productive and safer future for the folks who live in the community. We’re all focused on specifically addressing the MMIP concerns. … I really appreciate what the Yurok Tribal Court did [by] publish[ing] this roadmap, these 10 steps on how to really start to think about MMIP around big projects like this. … What we really want to do is use that [document] as our starting point. 

As we build out our Community Benefits Agreement, it is also paramount … to talk about workforce development and the workforce. For me, it’s extremely important that that process is inclusive and open to everybody. … We want to make sure that we’re looking at the skill sets that are going to be needed in three to five years. [We need to] start to put programs in place … to train folks that already live here. … That’s really the focus of a lot of the community benefits work that we’ve been talking about to date.

LoCO: One specific group we haven’t talked about during this conversation is the folks living out on the Samoa Peninsula. They’re going to be impacted by this heavy-lift marine terminal as much as anyone. I mean, that port is going to be right in their backyard. How could they potentially benefit from this project?

Monier: We’ve been meeting with folks on the peninsula, going to meetings to hear their concerns with the port development and we’ve also reached out to them to comment on the [Notice of Preparation of Draft Environmental Impact Report] process through the Harbor District for the CEQA documentation. But as you said, they are absolutely going to be one of the most impacted stakeholders because of where the terminal is going in. So, again, part of the Community Benefits Agreement is really understanding the needs and concerns there. 

In the mega grant application to fund the phase first phase of the terminal, there were some community benefits programs [added in] to allow for grant applications towards $6 million that people on the peninsula and other groups can apply to have access to. We’ll continue to look at that through grant applications and various other funding opportunities. 

It’s important to remember that this project is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. We’re taking our time to really, again, integrate and discuss with the people who will be impacted to make sure that we are investing with intention and purpose.

Karl: The only thing I’d add to that is it’s also extremely important that – because this is a new industry coming to the community – we find a way to coexist with current industries. I know there have been concerns raised with some of the different fishing industries and it is top of mind to make sure that we find strategies where both industries can coexist and thrive. It doesn’t help anybody if there’s one winner and somebody ends up losing. We want to find win-win situations where all industries can thrive. I think that we should be able to be very successful in that endeavor.

Monier: I would also add that stakeholder mapping is part of this initial stage. Even if a group was not mentioned by name, there are a lot of really impacted communities and stakeholders that we’re still mapping and meeting with. We want to be very inclusive with this process.

LoCO: Thank you. As you were talking I was thinking about a conversation I had with a few of the folks with Vineyard Offshore. We discussed community benefits and … they talked about working with East Coast fishing fleets to address some of their concerns. For example, they agreed to rearrange the entire turbine layout and space their turbines a full nautical mile to address their concerns. … Are there any specific examples you can point to that illustrate how Crowley has worked with other communities to address their concerns?

Karl: Particularly with port development, a lot of the discussion that we’ve been having with your community – as well as other communities where we’ve developed ports – revolves around how we look at the overall infrastructure of the city or the town that we’re coming into. How do we put strategies in place to make sure that that infrastructure is really bolstered to be able to deal with an influx of industry and an influx of new people? When I say that I think about things like the fire departments, police departments, and healthcare is always top of mind. How do you make sure that… you don’t stress the infrastructure to where it can’t keep up or can’t cope? Those are the types of things that we really start to think about when you get into the nuts and bolts of designing your terminal. How does that really apply to the surrounding infrastructure of the community that you’re working in?

Monier: As I mentioned, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We don’t have all the answers today, but there will be tangible [solutions] moving forward. We are committed to working on those and really understanding the community’s needs, and tribal nations’ needs, as well as concerns around the workforce, terminal operations, fishing, traffic and how that’s gonna affect everybody. There are so many different things we’re looking at currently.

LoCO: Thank you both very much for your time today. Do either of you have any closing remarks about the port development project, Crowley’s partnership with the Harbor District, or anything else we’ve touched on during this interview?

Monier: I’d like to reiterate … that community and tribal safety is paramount to the success of this terminal. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the Harbor District on the terminal development, to realize a sustainable net-zero emissions terminal, while engaging with the county, cities, tribal nations, and other stakeholders to really understand what current programs are in place that will benefit the community and what the future needs are so we can invest in a community benefits program with intention and purpose.

Again, we’re looking at the long game here. … The terminal’s going to be here for a while and we want to really look at it from all aspects and not just rush into commitments without thoroughly looking at impacts to all parties involved. I can also say again, as a community member, I’m really excited to be part of this development process and with Crowley in particular. Part of the reason I took the job is that I saw that [Crowley] really put[s] their money where their mouth is, in a sense. … They’re really invested in doing things the right way. …

Karl: Something that I want to make sure … that folks understand [is] that these plans, these roadmaps that we’re building, we will document those and we will put that in writing. It’s important for us to have a roadmap that really lays out how the community will work together with its partners to build out a wind terminal such as this. It is the most important part of making sure that we can build this terminal and interact in the community where everybody benefits, where folks can feel safe and know that their best interest is top of mind. To me, that’s the most important thing. I want this to be viewed as a positive for the community and for tribal nations. The last thing we would ever want is for somebody to feel that their safety, their well-being was being minimized … That is the number one priority for Crowley and it should be, quite frankly, for any company.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Harbor District Announces Massive Offshore Wind Partnership; Project Would Lead to an 86-Acre Redevelopment of Old Pulp Mill Site
• ‘Together We Can Shape Offshore Wind for the West Coast’: Local Officials, Huffman and Others Join Harbor District Officials in Celebrating Partnership Agreement With Crowley Wind Services
• Crowley – the Company That Wants to Build a Big Wind Energy Facility on the Penninsula – Will Be Opening Offices in Eureka
• Harbor District Officials Talk Port Development as Offshore Wind Efforts Ramp Up
• Harbor District Officials Extend Comment Period for Environmental Review of Humboldt Bay Port Development Project
• Crowley Wind Services Vice-President Jeff Andreini is Out, as Allegations of Sexual Misconduct Among Company Management Pile Up
• Habor District Responds to Crowley Controversy, Commits to the ‘Highest Ethical Standards’

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