Todd Michael Mikkelsen was born April 21, 1962 to Stanley and Valerie Mikkelsen in Eureka, and passed away February 26, 2024 after a two year battle with Merkel cell carcinoma. Todd had said if Jimmy Buffet and his money couldn’t win this battle, he might have a problem.

Todd’s initial appearance in life was large, arriving at 9 pounds 3 oz., and his large appearance in life continued over the years. Todd was a special man.

Todd attended Ridgewood and Cutten Elementary, Winship Middle School, and then graduated high school from St. Bernard’s in 1980. While attending school Todd played all sports – baseball was his love, but he was especially proud of his punting capabilities on the St. Bernard’s football field. Todd started working for the family mill in high school, and continued in the lumber industry until he went to work for Humboldt Creamery in 1994. He started in general labor and worked his way up to eventually becoming the logistics coordinator. Todd worked for the Creamery for 25 years, and often referred to his co-workers as his second family. After leaving the Creamery, he was a terminal manager for Central Transport for three years, before having to take early retirement due to medical issues.

Todd’s favorite thing to do was tell stories, many of which started at a young age when he would go with Nono Monighetti searching for greens in the forest that would then be sold to the local flower shops. He started driving for these adventures at the age of 12. He also spent a great deal of time in Ferndale with his Mikkelsen grandparents – he often talked of the piano lessons that were at best tolerable. Todd’s early adult years were spent fishing on the Eel River with his brothers Mark and Chris, camping at Briceland with family, which included the Marcuz and McSweeney cousins; riding motorcycles behind Winship School with the neighborhood gang, and then as he got older, deer hunting on the Wildcat — every single night after work when it was deer season. If you were ever fortunate enough to hear Todd’s hunting stories, you know they were told with the utmost pride. But not with more pride than the hunting stories he shared of Nick, Kelsey, and Wyatt’s hunting adventures.

Todd was introduced to his love Melissa through dear friends Bart and Wendy Heard and the rest is history.

While working for the Creamery, Todd often went up town to have lunch with his Ferndale buddies at Papa Joe’s. To Todd, there was no age limit on who could be his friend. He had a gift for gab, and could talk to anyone for hours, often finding some deep-rooted connection between family and friends. He was active in bowling, and bowled League with his good friend Bart Heard for many years. Todd and his good friend Willie had numerous adventures playing softball, working on race cars, and countless rounds of golf. Todd was always a part of Willie’s family before Melissa came along. Brendee often joked that Todd was her bonus husband. He spent a lot of time with Bart and Wendy Heard, Martin Traverse and Cousin Jerry Marcuz – they had many good times with lots of memories shared. As he got older, golf became his pastime – his Sunday golf games and trips to Mexico with his golf buddies from Redwood Empire Golf and Country Club were some of his best times.

Todd’s love of sports spread to his children, and he spent years coaching both Nick and Kelsey. He continued his connection with St. Bernard’s when both his children Nick and Kelsey attended. Todd coached softball and was active with the Crusader Athletic Board spending numerous hours at the school with fundraising and attending all sporting events. Many years were spent chasing Nick across California watching him play baseball from All Stars all the way through his college years. When Nick was done playing sports, Todd decided it was time to continue in the sports field but as a football official. He officiated for 10 years for both youth and high school football – and often talked of the camaraderie among the officials and always had a good story to tell. One thing Todd picked up by default was his daughter Kelsey’s love of horses. Todd spent numerous hours at the barn with Kelsey and her horses, watching her ride and caring for them – it was a love they shared and spent much quality time together, even into her adult years. Todd and his family and friends spent a great deal of time at their cabin at Ruth Lake, and spent countless hours on the lake, where he often showed no mercy when pulling his kids and their friends on the tube. Lots of good times and some laugh till you cry moments were shared up there.

This summer we had a family camping trip at Trinity Lake and Todd got to see Colten catch his first fish – that meant the world to him. When Todd became a grandfather, his heart softened and grew two sizes – he always said that Colten was his best buddy and then when granddaughters Kinzlee and Macie came along, they were his snuggles.

Todd was the definition of a family man – he was truly one of the good ones.

Survived by his wife, Melissa Mikkelsen; children Nicholas Mikkelsen and Kelsey (Wyatt) Meng; Grandchildren Colten and Kinzlee Mikkelsen & Macie Meng; brothers Mark (Teri) Mikkelsen, Christopher Mikkelsen, Uncle Jon Mikkelsen; Mother and Father in law Bob and Helen Stewart; brother in law Ernie (Kristen) Stewart; Nieces and Nephews: Sara (Brandon) Fletcher; Megan (Andrew) Rosenthal; Andrew (Katelyn) Mikkelsen; Samantha Stewart; Benjamin Mikkelsen; Andrew Stewart; Emaleigh Mikkelsen; Finley Mikkelsen; and the Casagande, Marcuz, and McSweeney cousins.

Todd was predeceased in death by his parents Stanley and Valerie Mikkelsen, maternal grandparents Tosca and Alfred Monighetti, paternal grandparents Catherine and Herbert Mikkelsen, Uncle Fred Monighetti and Aunt, Linda Mikkelsen.

Todd had many loyal friends over the years and his family thanks you.

The family would like to thank the Nurses on Providence/St Joe’s Oncology Unit – I am sure that George Jetson will be their joke for years to come.

The family would also like to thank Hospice of Humboldt, and In Home Support Services; the special people that work there made Todd’s last days much easier and allowed him to stay in his home.

There will be a celebration of life Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at the Wharfinger Building.

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

Cricket Hollenbeck was born on September 20, 1952 in Corpus Christi, Texas to her parents, Joanna & Michael. She attended Costa Mesa high school, and grew up in Orange County, California. As a teen, Cricket loved to spend her days at the beach, swimming and surfing with her friends. After high school, she moved to Humboldt County and began her lifelong career in healthcare.

She met her now ex- husband, Loni Hollenbeck, in 1979, and together, they opened a care facility for developmentally disabled adults in the quaint, beach community of King Salmon. In 1985, they had their only child, Antonia “Toni” Baya, who now resides in Colorado with her husband and their two children.

Cricket went on to work at another care facility in Eureka until 2017 when she then took on her final job as an in-home care provider to two clients. She was a true caretaker and loved every one of the people whom she provided care to over the years. She devoted her life to looking after others, even at the detriment of her own health. She was the hardest working person that many had ever known, and she never missed a day of work in her life.

She loved animals, the beach, music, Mexican food, antique furniture, eclectic jewelry, road trips and a good margarita.

Cricket is survived by her daughter, Toni Baya, her son in law, Kevan Baya, and her granddaughters, Alexia and Gianna. Also, her sister, Julie Cartier, her ex-husband, Loni Hollenbeck and her caregiver of over six years, Randee Shwaika.

Douglas Lowell Crowl
Nov 28, 1936 to March 4, 2024

Doug was born November 28, 1936 at home on Williams Creek near Ferndale. He attended a one-room school there and later graduated from Ferndale High School.

He worked most of his life as a carpenter. He built his home in Fortuna in the early 1960s and resided there for the rest of his life. He was a proud veteran of the US Army and a loyal 49er fan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar Crow Sr. and Mildred Crowl, and his brothers and sisters Thelma Dickson, Evelyn Lee, Edgar Crowl Jr., Earl Crowl, Daniel Crowl, Wendall Crowl, and Orin Crowl

He survived by his brothers and sisters, Margie Wilson, Clifford Crowl, Gary Crowl, Kathleen Crowl, and by very special longtime friend Glenda Ward. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The family would also like to thank Kathy for helping to take care of him in his final years, a graveside service will be held March 14 at 1 p.m. at the old Pioneer Cemetery on Kenmar Road, Fortuna. A gathering to honor Doug’s life will be held at a later date.

Following an accident involving a car overturning in the water last week, the Arcata Fire District wants to remind the public that having a window breaker in your vehicle might  save your life.

Alyssa Alvarez, public information officer for the Arcata Fire District, told the Outpost that the fire district got a call on Sunday, Mar. 3 at around 2:30 p.m. for a medical rescue on the Highway 101 South off-ramp in Arcata at Samoa Boulevard. A car had gone off the road and overturned in the water-filled ditch on the side of the highway and the driver was trapped inside of the vehicle. 

But by the time the responders arrived, the driver had managed to escape from the vehicle by using a window breaker that they had attached to their keychain to break and escape from the window. And though first responders arrived at the scene very quickly, Alvarez said, the driver likely would not have survived if they didn’t have that window breaker handy. 

“That person knows how lucky they are,” Alvarez said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. “They know if they didn’t have that window breaker, the outcome would have been very different.” 

If you don’t recall, the weather was very dicey on March 3, with on and off hail storms and heavy rain. The weather was likely the biggest factor in the accident, Alvarez said, making the road very slippery and causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Because of the weather, the ditch the car went into was completely flooded and when the car overturned, the driver was entirely submerged in water. 

Alvarez is not sure exactly how long it took the driver to extricate themself from the vehicle, but it must have been relatively quickly, since they had already escaped by the time the responders arrived. But even a very short amount of time can seem like a pretty long time, when you’re trapped underwater. 

“Think about how long you can hold your breath,” Alvarez said to illustrate how dire the situation was. “Now, how long could you hold it while you were panicking?” 

It’s because the driver had their window breaker in such an accessible position (on their keychain) that they were able to escape in time, Alvarez said. The message the Arcata Fire District really wants to drive home is that having a window breaker in an accessible place in your vehicle is really important! So go get one! 

Window breakers, sometimes called emergency escape hammers, are widely available online and can be as little as $5 a piece. Many window breakers also include a seatbelt cutter (Alvarez is not sure if the driver in this incident had one or not) another incredibly useful tool for if you are trapped in your vehicle and unable to unbuckle the seat belt. This is also the reason a window breaker is critical – although you may sometimes be able to kick out a window or use something else in the vehicle to break it, depending on how you are positioned, or what damage was caused to you or your vehicle, you might not be able to use any of these other methods. 

Alvarez said that she and the fire district wanted to share this message because of the hazardous driving conditions we often face, especially during times of inclement weather. It’s only March, so there will likely be more days of heavy rain ahead, and Alvarez wants to make sure everyone is prepared. Make sure to get a window breaker/seatbelt cutter and put it somewhere easily accessible and where it won’t move during an accident, such as your keychain or in the middle console. And be sure to drive with extra caution during rain, hail or snow. 

“Keep your headlights on, maintain safe speeds and keep and move over for emergency services on the side of the road,” she said.

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Here we are again, Humboldt. 

Like the fishing and timber industries that preceded it, the local cannabis-based economy has, by all accounts, fallen prey to the predictable boom-and-bust cycle of resource extraction. Factor in overproduction in the statewide marketplace and a still-thriving black market and voilà: the storied local weed industry finds itself squarely in “bust” mode.

Witness today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, during which the board unanimously revoked a pair of cultivation permits issued to growers who appear to have abandoned their farms, leaving behind illegal water diversions, un-permitted infrastructure, environmental degradation and thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes and fees.

Even with the specter of Measure A apparently in the rear-view, Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said he expects this type of thing to continue. 

“I think what we’re gonna really be dealing with here in the future is the environmental impacts of contraction, not expansion,” he said with relationship to the industry. 

Both of the permits revoked at today’s meeting were for grows of a little over half an acre. For the first one, Planner Joshua Dorris presented a history of the site, located north of Honeydew off the Mattole Road. Dorris said the applicant started growing without a state license and without completing the conditions of approval for a permit from the county.

In September, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife served a search warrant to the property, and staff located 1,069 growing cannabis plants in two greenhouses, plus 28 pounds of processed cannabis and multiple violations of agency code. Notices were sent and posted to the property without reply.

However, the applicant, Evan Kouchalakos, called in today to argue that there had been a misunderstanding. He said it was the previous property owner who illegally diverted water, and that a consultant he’d hired was supposed to have paid the state licensing fee but never did.

“Our intention was never to not comply to everything,” Kouchalakos said. He added that the board “has every right to take action,” but he asked them to suspend his license rather than revoke it so he could resolve the various issues. 

“I never intended to break the law,” he said.

The board couldn’t be swayed, though. First District Supervisor and Board Chair Rex Bohn said there had been plenty of correspondence giving him a chance to address these outstanding matters.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo said she finds the illegal water diversion “deeply problematic,” and she addressed the economic implications of such rule-flouting grow ops.

“I couldn’t in good conscience support the continuation of this permit given that, essentially, without being state-licensed, this product is what’s undercutting the market for those who have complied with the rules,” she said.

Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson agreed, though he pointed out that revoking permits will inevitably lead to unpaid bills and unaddressed environmental issues.

“If the [cultivation] sites no longer have the ability to generate revenue, there isn’t anything to pay for that cleanup,” he said, “and it devalues those properties to such an extent that we’re gonna see more and more abandonments.”

Suggesting that today’s hearings may be a “harbinger” of things to come, Wilson said that anyone who drives around the county can see evidence of the severe contraction in the industry, from abandoned hoop houses to unmaintained roads and vacant farm sites.

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The second permit revocation of the day was an example of just that: an abandoned grow operation along Hwy. 36 near Bridgeville. Associate Planner Michael Kein showed the board a series of photos taken during inspections in 2022 and 2023, which found discarded lighting ballasts, plastic sheeting, construction materials, used soil, trellis materials and household items, plus several non-operational vehicles on the property.

The associated applicant failed to meet the conditions of approval for their permit, and Kein said they owe more than $4,000 to the Planning and Building Department, plus about $17,000 in unpaid Measure S cultivation taxes.

Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell asked Planning and Building Director John Ford whether the applicant had made any arrangements to pay those bills. Bohn responded by asking whether the applicant was online or in the audience. When there was no reply he said, “There’s your answer.”

At one point, Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone suggested that out-of-business weed growers now have the opportunity to generate income “through what has always been the tradition, and that is forest management.” He noted that the value of Douglas fir, redwood and other species is “quite high” right now.

Bohn was skeptical, saying the majority of these parcels have no marketable timber on them.

Addressing the matter of unpaid fees and taxes, Madrone asked whether a lien could be placed on properties like this one. Ford said the county can’t issue liens for unpaid fees. “So that [bill] goes to collections and probably would never be paid,” he said.

But Ford said the county has worked with a firm that facilitates receiverships of such properties, explaining that a receiver will take control of a property, clean it up and sell it, receiving the benefits of that labor while abating environmental issues.

Arroyo later said she’s interested in exploring that process further. Ford indicated that staff will embark on that mission and bring something back to the board at a later date.

Wilson, meanwhile, floated the notion of a tax — or perhaps a diversion of taxes collected in property resales — with revenues funding cleanups.

Ultimately, as noted above, the board voted unanimously to revoke both permits. 

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What else happened:

• The board was scheduled to consider establishing a Private Land Intentional Community Shelter Program, which would address homelessness by allowing private property owners to rent out space to transient community members seeking temporary living arrangements. A couple of residents from the oft-discussed “Yee Haw” communal living property near Trinidad called in to advocate for such a program. However, the agenda item was pulled, apparently to be discussed at a future meeting.
• After hearing testimony from a number of local veterans, the board agreed to increase the stipends it provides to three of the five county-owned Veterans Memorial Halls in Humboldt, those located in Arcata, Fortuna and Ferndale. The stipends are intended to offset utility payments, but veterans groups say those payments — the product of a decades-old agreement — don’t come close to covering their actual costs. Wilson voiced concern about inefficient energy systems in these old buildings. Bohn lamented the time it takes to get heating systems fixed. Arroyo said she’d work with the Redwood Community Energy Authority staff to explore possible solutions. 
• The board unanimously approved the county latest strategic plan, which covers the timespan of 2024 through 2028. The board had been working on the plan for the past year, with Arroyo and Wilson comprising a working group that met with department heads. The plan is considered a guiding document and a tool that “sets the tone and direction” for the entire organization while ensuring that the county works “toward addressing the community’s needs with the resources available,” according to a staff report. You can download a pdf of the colorful 22-page document by clicking here. 

Humboldt County Drug Task Force release:

In February of 2024, Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) Agents began investigating Austin BEATTIE (19 years old from Eureka). BEATTIE had been identified by HCDTF Agents as advertising narcotics and firearms for sale on various social media sites. 

An HCDTF Agent arranged a meeting with BEATTIE wherein BEATTIE sold an undercover HCDTF Agent 4 grams of MDMA and 60 grams of psilocybin mushrooms. 

On March 12, 2024, an undercover Agent met with BEATTIE once again to purchase a half ounce of cocaine. BEATTIE sold the cocaine to the undercover Agent and was detained by HCDTF Agents shortly after. Agents located a 9mm semi-automatic firearm on BEATTIE’s person. There was also a juvenile in the vehicle with BEATTIE.  

HCDTF Agents then served a search warrant at BEATTIE’s residence in Samoa where they located a 3D printer that was being used to print firearms. A Polymer-80 lower was being printed as Agents served the search warrant. Agents also located digital scales, indicia, packaging materials and 2 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms.  

Austin BEATTIE was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked on the following charges:

• HS11370.1(A)- Possession of a Controlled Substance while Armed
• HS11351- Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales
• HS11352(A)- Transportation of a Controlled Substance for Sales
• PC273a(A)- Child Endangerment 
• PC29010(B)- Using a 3D Printer to Manufacture Firearms

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.

In recent months, Dr. Wendy Ring — a local physician and activist — has been lobbying local governments to take a look at the Scotia Biomass Plant, a significant portion of the local electrical supply portfolio.

With a website and in presentations to local boards and councils, Ring’s “Humboldt Coalition for Clean Energy” has called upon the Redwood Coast Energy Authority — an intergovernmental agency that manages Humboldt County’s energy needs — to divest from its interests in biomass power, and particularly from the Scotia plant, which is run by a division of the Humboldt Redwood Company.

The Scotia plant — which generates electricity by burning wood waste — puts hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year, the coalition argues. And yet our public energy authority, which has a long-term contract to buy power from Scotia, is allowed to claim this as a “renewable” energy source. How can this be?

Dr. Ring’s presentation to the Arcata City Council in August of last year.

The coalition got a new shot in the arm this week, as the Environmental Protection Information Center filed a notice with the North Coast Air Quality Management District that it is prepared to make the case that the Scotia plant is operating without a valid permit, having last year submitted its application for permit renewal later than is allowed by federal statute.

Tonight, the RCEA’s Community Advisory Committee — a large body composed of local citizens that advise the authority’s board on matters of interest to the public — will hear Dr. Ring’s criticisms directly, at its regular public meeting. The committee will also hear responses from Humboldt Redwood Company, the Air Quality Management District and an RCEA analyst on biomass power. According to the agenda, the committee could make a recommendation on the matter to the the authority governing board.

Matthew Marshall, RCEA’s executive director, told the Outpost today that the authority is not, itself, placed to judge what is considered “renewable” energy — that’s defined by the state — nor is it in a place to judge the current legal status of the power plant’s air quality permit — that’s regulated by the air quality district, and ultimately by the federal government.

Also, Marshall said, if the RCEA were to cancel its contract with HRC for electricity from the plant, that wouldn’t shut the mill down.

“If people just want, on principle, to not have biomass in our renewable mix, that’s one thing,” Marshall said. “[But] nothing we do is going to stop them from running.”

Canceling would also be very pricy, according to Marshall. The RCEA is in the first few years of its 10-year contract with Humboldt Redwood, he said. Since the time the contract was signed, the market for power has risen considerably — especially power that, like Scotia’s, can be produced at peak demand hours, when solar panels are offline. If the local contract were canceled, HRC could quite easily find other buyers on the open market — and at much better rates, Marshall said.

And not only would Humboldt County ratepayers have to start finding new sources of power on that same market, at higher prices, but the RCEA would be on the hook for penalties for canceling its long-term power contract, Marshall said. In all, he estimated that canceling the contract would end up costing local ratepayers $50 million over the remainder of the contract’s term. 

The Scotia Mill is the last commercial biomass mill still operational in the county. Former plants in Fairhaven and Blue Lake have closed their doors in recent years.

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s Community Advisory Committee meets at 6 p.m. this evening at the Jefferson Community Center — 1000 B Street, Eureka. Remote viewing/participating instructions can be found in the agenda, below.

DOCUMENTS:

• RCEA Community Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda, March 12.
• EPIC’s letter to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District, dated March 11.