Steven Warren Youkey of Fortuna passed away at the age of 75 on Friday, April 19, 2024 surrounded by his loving family.

Steve was born in Scotia to A.W. and Aline Youkey on September 21, 1948. He attended Rio Dell Grammar School and Fortuna High School where he met his high school sweetheart, Carol Addington. He graduated Fortuna High School in 1966.

Steve started working for Pacific Lumber Company at the age of 17 delivering mail. He then transferred to the print shop where he worked for 48 years and became a well-known pressman throughout the county and was recognized nationally by the 3M Company for outstanding pressman achievements. Steve created an atmosphere within the Scotia print shop that became a place that people associated with him and his love for the community. He later became owner of the print shop and retired at the age of 66.

Steve married the love of his life, Carol on May 10, 1969 at the First Baptist Church in Campton Heights. Their love and dedicated to each other was an inspiration. Steve and Carol built a beautiful life together. They welcomed their son, Brian Warren in September 1971 and daughter Heather Lynn in June 1974. Steve loved attending his children’s and grandchildren’s events as spending time with his family was his number one priority.

Steve was an active member of his community belonging to the Rio Dell and Scotia Volunteer Fire Department and coached his children in youth baseball.

He belonged to the Redwood Empire Golf Club where he enjoyed golfing and playing cards with his friends. He also enjoyed his 1967 Chevelle 396 SS that he bought brand new at the age of 18. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping with his friends and family and going on donut runs with his grandchildren. Steve will be known for being an avid dog lover and enjoyed daily walks with his dog, Abbey.

Steve is preceded in death by his parents A.W. and Aline Youkey, childhood friend Rodney Johnson and many other dear friends.

Steve is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol Youkey, Son, Brian Youkey and Daughter-in-Law, Keri, grandchildren, Brayden, Haylee and Madison, Daughter, Heather and Son-in-Law Ryan Davy, granddaughters Payton and Taylor, sister Frances Henry and her husband William Henry Jr., along with countless friends and family.

Steve lived life to the fullest. He always greeted people with a smile and brought laughter to everyone he met.

Steve’s Celebration of Life will be held Friday, April 26 at 4 p.m. at the Fortuna Veterans Memorial building. In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to Hospice.

The family of Steve wishes to acknowledge Dr. Stephanie Dittmer and staff, Visiting Angels and Hospice and the community who surrounded his family with love and support.

Steve radiated Jesus through his actions and is now at peace in heaven. Psalm 23:6.

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

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Colorful protest signs, dome tents and graffiti had proliferated across the Cal Poly Humboldt campus on Wednesday, the second full day of an ongoing student demonstration in support of Palestine. Hand-painted signs and chalk slogans on concrete called for a free Palestine, an immediate ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation of Gaza, among other messages.

The campus will remain closed through the weekend as an untold number of students continue to occupy Siemens Hall, which was the site of a violent confrontation with police Monday evening. Three protesters were arrested.

The entrances to the building have since been barricaded with picnic tables, garbage dumpsters, metal desks, wooden benches and more.

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Outside the main door this morning, a few masked protesters stood behind portable tables that had been stocked with coffee, snacks, paper plates and cutlery. Loaves of bread sat next to a rice cooker and some large pots and pans had been stacked next to a propane cookstove. Underneath one of the tables, a supply of bottled water was placed alongside a bullhorn and a coiled extension cord. 

Reporters were not being allowed inside the building, but outside on the university quad, several dozen students had gathered to speak with each other and make new protest signs ahead of a scheduled “teach in” from the faculty association scheduled for noon.

Student protesters who’d assembled at a side entrance to Siemens Hall sat in a circle of camp chairs. One had an orange dog on his lap. 

“I’ve had him since I was seven,” the young man said. None present wanted to speak about the protest in any official capacity but several of them stressed that their demonstration was completely non-violent and peaceful until law enforcement arrived, and it has been peaceful since the cops left. 

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Another student protester, who wore a face mask and asked to remain anonymous, told the Outpost that while this protest has no official organization and no firmly established terms, students’ determination is unwavering.

“We’re seeing a genocide happen in real time,” she said. “And I feel like —  we, as a community, feel like — we have to do what we can to try to stand up … and stop it. History is watching and our actions since October 7 will be remembered.” 

What’s their goal?

“We do have a general list of five demands that are agreed upon,” the protester said. Those demands, as she explained them, are as follows:

1. “First, the divestment of anything profiting off of or associated with Israel, including weapons manufacturers, exploitation of the West Bank as well as any firms that invest in those activities.”
2. “Boycott all Israeli academic institutions.” Asked how Cal Poly Humboldt is currently involved in such institutions, the student referenced a study-abroad program that includes the University of Haifa in Israel.
3. “We want the university to publicly call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
4. “We want the University to promise that there will be no charges, either criminal charges or disciplinary action … taken against any protesters.”
5. “We want the university to either amend or remove the time, manner or place clause [of its free expression policy] which allows them to call the police on students for organizing in ways that they deem inappropriate.”

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Back down on the quad, a woman with a bullhorn addressed the gathered crowd. 

“I just want to thank you for joining us on this historic event,” she said before acknowledging that all present were standing on the stolen land of the Wiyot people.

“And Palestinians are fighting for their right to exist on their land. This is all indigenous land, and our struggles are connected,” she said.

She then called for a round of applause for the brave people occupying the building across the quad.

“There are important lessons going on here in Siemens Hall, and we are here to learn,” she announced. “We also thought that the fact that the buildings were closed could be an opportunity for us to build the university we would like to see.”

She launched a call-and-response chant: “Whose university?”

”Our university,” the crowd replied in unison.

Later that afternoon, a DJ on student radio station KRFH put out a call for items that the barricaded protesters had requested, including milk of magnesia, tourniquets, paper cups and bowls and more sidewalk chalk.

Press release from the Arcata Fire District:

On Wednesday, April 24 at 12:46 P.M., the Arcata Fire District was alerted to a multi-family structure fire on the 4000 block of Valley East Blvd.

The first of Arcata Fire’s engines arrived on scene to find a two-story apartment building with smoke alarms sounding and smoke coming out of the window of the bottom-right apartment.

Firefighters made entrance to the apartment building and began searching for any occupants. No occupants were inside the apartment, and the source of the fire was contained to one bedroom. The fire was then promptly extinguished.

After investigation, the fire was determined to be accidental in nature. Due to the loss of property and belongings, the occupants were given a SAVE card. SAVE is a program of the California Fire Foundation that provides immediate, short term relief to victims of fire or other natural disaster.

This is a perfect example of smoke alarms activating and functioning properly. The neighbors heard the alarms sounding, smelled the smoke and called 911.

Arcata Fire would like to urge residents to check that their smoke alarms are functioning properly by testing them on a monthly basis – just press that ‘test’ button.

Arcata Fire District would like to thank Blue Lake Fire District, Humboldt Bay Fire and CalFire for responding, and Samoa Peninsula Fire District for covering AFD’s stations during the call.

Press release from the Rio Dell Police Department:

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at approximately 12:54 am, officers from the Rio Dell Police Department were dispatched to the area of Pacific Avenue and Monument Road for a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers located two victims with injuries consistent with a stabbing. Both victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Based on the subsequent investigation, Benjamin Mitchell Sanchez Jr. was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for PC 245(a)1) Assault with a Deadly Weapon and VC 23152(a) Driving While Under the Influence. His bail has been set at $35,000.

This investigation is continuing. If you have any information regarding this incident please call the Rio Dell Police Department at 707-764-5642. The Rio Dell Police Department would like to thank the Fortuna Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department for their assistance in this matter.

Press release from Cal Poly Humboldt:

Protestors continue to occupy Siemens Hall, plus another building at Cal Poly Humboldt. Campus will now be closed through the weekend, and work and instruction continue to be remote. The University is making various contingency plans, including possibly keeping campus closed beyond that. The safety, health, and wellbeing of our students is paramount as the situation has become increasingly complex. There are unidentified non-students with unknown intentions, in Siemens Hall. This creates an unpredictable environment. In addition, all entrances to the building are barricaded, creating a fire hazard. Adding to health and safety concerns, many toilets are no longer working.

The occupation of Siemens Hall causes complex operational challenges that require the closure of other facilities on campus. In particular, there is a risk of other buildings being occupied, as protestors have shown a willingness to enter unlocked buildings and either lock themselves in or steal equipment. The occupation is also having a negative impact on other students, who are trying to complete classes at the end of the semester. Campus officials are communicating with protestors and continuing to encourage them to leave as soon as possible.

As protestors have been told, the continued occupation of the building is causing the ongoing closure of other campus facilities. Upcoming activities and events are being canceled, while other important events such as IdeaFest are in question.

In recent days, hateful graffiti has been painted on university property. The University condemns in the strongest terms all forms of hatred, bigotry, and violence. Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, hatred, and bigotry in all forms have no place at Cal Poly Humboldt. The University is actively offering support to all students and has been in touch with local Jewish community leaders.

The University supports free speech through open dialogue that is respectful and constructive. That does not include behavior that involves destroying and damaging property, and disrupting students, faculty, and staff from learning, teaching, and working. Everyone deserves to be in an environment where everyone can feel safe, included, and respected.

Numerous laws have been broken, including resisting arrest, destroying and damaging property, criminal trespass, and more.

Multiple local, state, and federal agencies are providing additional resources and support.

For additional updates check humboldt.edu.

The Lost Coast Outpost is saddened to report that it has lost a little bit of its soul this week, as our longtime writer Stephanie McGeary recently elected to move on to the next thing.

An Arcata native, Stephy came to us right outta J-school in 2018 and very quickly placed her stamp on the Outpost brand. Her first big splashy story for us was about the big set-to over the “Cat Food” utility box mural that a nearby Eureka business owner viscerally loathed, which caused quite a fuss at the time, making it to the Reddit front page.

That set the tone. Through she did great reporting on plenty of hard-news stories — the closure of the Singing Trees Recovery Center comes to mind, as does all of her work on Arcata city government — Stephy’s heart has been in features, which is another way of saying that she liked writing about amazing things. For instance: The guy who busked Old Town with his singing dog. Or the guy who was trying to sell his giant statue of Predator. Or the Fortuna-based camel (RIP) who was friends with a donkey. Or herself, attempting to stalk Leonardo DiCaprio through Northtown.

Sometimes Stephy liked to think in terms of miniseries. She went on a burst of writing about local theater companies, one after the other. Though she is one of the least sporty people you will ever meet, somehow circumstances conspired to compel her to write about Humboldt people making it big in strange sports — rugby, paintball, Ultimate, paracycling and more. And of course she co-hosted our pandemic podcast.

Anyway, she’s great. Just go browse down her author page, if you like. You pretty much can’t go wrong.

During her time at the Outpost she got married, had a child, lived through earthquakes and wildfires and a global plague. Through her work she brought dignity and empathy to the downtrodden, and she celebrated her people — the Humboldt weirdos who make this place a special place, of whom she herself is a prime example.

Stephy will always be family, and she will be missed. If you see her around, say hi.

Medical insurance delays can keep someone in a hospital bed much longer than they need to be waiting for after-care services like home health care. Those delays can also block hospitals from using beds needed for new patients.

California hospitals have long complained about those delays, and in a new lawsuit, they’re suing one of the state’s largest health insurers to force it to speed its approvals of secondary treatment.

The California Hospital Association, which represents more than 400 hospitals, filed the complaint against Anthem Blue Cross in Los Angeles County Superior Court Tuesday. The complaint alleges Anthem is violating the state’s long-standing patient protection laws, which require insurers to provide health care in a timely manner, and engaging in unfair business practices. It also claims that Anthem refuses to pay for the excess hospital days caused by its delays.

“Anthem’s misconduct creates an impossible situation for patients and hospitals,” the lawsuit states.

Although the lawsuit targets Anthem, hospital association President Carmela Coyle said delayed discharges are an industry-wide problem.

“This is a long time coming,” Coyle said. “California has some of the strongest laws in the nation governing insurance protection of patients, and these laws are violated every day.”

A spokesperson for Anthem said the company did not have an immediate response and would be investigating the allegations.

Anthem is the largest health insurer in the state, excluding Kaiser Permanente which contracts almost exclusively with its own hospitals. Anthem represents approximately 6 million Californians, nearly twice as many as the next biggest insurer.

Every day, 4,500 Californians spend unnecessary time in hospital beds waiting for health insurers to approve their discharge to a secondary facility, a recent report from the California Hospital Association says. That results in 1 million days of needless hospital care annually, the report said.

Coyle said the association has raised the issue with the Department of Managed Health Care, which oversees most health insurers.

In a statement, department spokesperson Kevin Durwara said the agency has been meeting with the hospital association to address hospitals’ “concerns and challenges” with insurance delays since 2021. The meetings resulted in a letter issued to insurers in Fresno County, where hospital capacity was particularly limited, instructing them to make it easier for hospitals to discharge patients.

State law does not specify how quickly insurers must approve hospital discharges to post-acute care and that complaints about delays are addressed on a case-by-base basis, the statement said. State law does however define how quickly patients need to be able to see a doctor for appointments.

Anthem met the access standards for urgent and non-urgent appointments 66% of the time in 2022, according to the most recent state data.

How insurance delays hold back patients

In general, health insurers are required by law to arrange for and authorize post-hospitalization care for patients in a timely manner. For example, a stroke patient may no longer need to be hospitalized but may need to be sent to a skilled nursing facility to continue recovering. Hospitals are not allowed to discharge patients who need additional services without authorization from insurers.

Patients who no longer need to be hospitalized spend an average of 14 extra days in the hospital as a result of insurance delays, according to a recent point-in-time survey from the hospital association. Those who need to be transferred to a mental health facility are stuck for even longer, spending 27 unnecessary days in the hospital on average.

Medi-Cal patients fare the worst, accounting for 46% of all unwarranted hospital days, according to the survey.

“This is basically a daily occurrence,” said Vicki White, chief nursing officer at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Santa Clarita.

Across the state, the hospital association estimates delays cost hospitals an estimated $3.25 billion in unneeded hospitalization each year and contributes to overcrowded conditions in hospitals and emergency rooms.

Last winter during the seasonal respiratory virus surge, White said her emergency department had between 20-30 people waiting for a bed daily, in part, because discharge delays prevented the hospital from freeing up bed space.

“We are blocking 4,500 beds a day for people who need care,” Coyle said. “That is a serious problem.”

California doctors see long waits

The average number of days patients spend in hospitals increased by 9% in 2022 compared to 2019, partially because of discharge delays, according to a report from the California Health Care Foundation.

Dr. Sean Mairano, chief medical officer at Enloe Health in Chico, said in his experience insurance denials and delays have gotten worse over time. Frequently insurers will take days to respond to a request from a physician or won’t respond at all.

For example, the lawsuit describes a patient with “catatonic schizophrenia” that needed to be admitted to a full-time psychiatric treatment center. The lawsuit alleges that Anthem’s delays in finding an appropriate facility for the patient to be discharged to resulted in eight extra days of hospitalization.

“In extreme cases, people will be here for weeks or months on end awaiting decisions from insurance companies,” Mairano said.

What results is patients not getting the speech or physical therapy or other services they need to fully recover. Sometimes, patients get so frustrated they leave the hospital against medical advice and end up back in the emergency room days later, Mairano said.

“From the clinician’s standpoint it’s obviously frustrating (but) it’s really the patients who are stuck in the middle. It’s not their fault. They’re just trying to get well,” Mairano 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.

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