PREVIOUSLY: Father and Daughter Robbed in Bayshore Mall Parking Lot; Eureka Police Seeking Suspects

Eureka Police Department press release: 

On November 9, 2023, around 3:30 pm, the Eureka Police Department was contacted by an off-duty law enforcement officer reporting a possible sighting of the robbery suspects at a business in the 2800 block of Broadway. Patrol officers responded and detained three adult suspects. Two of the individuals were confirmed to be suspects in the robbery. They were identified as 33-year-old Lorenzo Davis and 31-year-old Ashley Barker, both of Stockton, CA. Davis and Barker were taken into custody for Robbery and Criminal Conspiracy and were booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. This remains an active investigation and no additional details are available at this time.

The Eureka Police Department would like to thank the community for their help in identifying the suspects. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Cory Crnich at 707-441-4318.

Pushing back against the surge of misinformation online, California will now require all K-12 students to learn media literacy skills — such as recognizing fake news and thinking critically about what they encounter on the internet.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signed Assembly Bill 873, which requires the state to add media literacy to curriculum frameworks for English language arts, science, math and history-social studies, rolling out gradually beginning next year. Instead of a stand-alone class, the topic will be woven into existing classes and lessons throughout the school year.

“I’ve seen the impact that misinformation has had in the real world — how it affects the way people vote, whether they accept the outcomes of elections, try to overthrow our democracy,” said the bill’s sponsor, Assemblymember Marc Berman, a Democrat from Menlo Park. “This is about making sure our young people have the skills they need to navigate this landscape.”

The new law comes amid rising public distrust in the media, especially among young people. A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that adults under age 30 are nearly as likely to believe information on social media as they are from national news outlets. Overall, only 7% of adults have “a great deal” of trust in the media, according to a Gallup poll conducted last year.

Media literacy can help change that, advocates believe, by teaching students how to recognize reliable news sources and the crucial role that media plays in a democracy.

“The increase in Holocaust denial, climate change denial, conspiracy theories getting a foothold, and now AI … all this shows how important media literacy is for our democracy right now,” said Jennifer Ormsby, library services manager for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. “The 2016 election was a real eye-opener for everyone on the potential harms and dangers of fake news.”

“Media literacy is a basic part of being literate. If we’re just teaching kids how to read, and not think critically about what they’re reading, we’re doing them a disservice.”
— Ricardo Elizalde, teacher on special assignment at San Francisco Unified

AB 873 passed nearly unanimously in the Legislature, underscoring the nonpartisan nature of the topic. Nationwide, Texas, New Jersey and Delaware have also passed strong media literacy laws, and more than a dozen other states are moving in that direction, according to Media Literacy Now, a nonprofit research organization that advocates for media literacy in K-12 schools.

Still, California’s law falls short of Media Literacy Now’s recommendations. California’s approach doesn’t include funding to train teachers, an advisory committee, input from librarians, surveys or a way to monitor the law’s effectiveness.

Keeping the bill simple, though, was a way to help ensure its passage, Berman said. Those features can be implemented later, and he felt it was urgent to pass the law quickly so students can start receiving media literacy education as soon as possible. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024, as the state begins updating its curriculum frameworks, although teachers are encouraged to teach media literacy now.

Berman’s law builds on a previous effort in California to bring media literacy to K-12 classrooms. In 2018, Senate Bill 830 required the California Department of Education to provide media literacy resources — lesson plans, project ideas, background — to the state’s K-12 teachers. But it didn’t make media literacy mandatory.

The new law also overlaps somewhat with California’s effort to bring computer science education to all students. The state hopes to expand computer science, which can include aspects of media literacy, to all students, possibly even requiring it to graduate from high school. Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 1251, which creates a commission to look at ways to recruit more computer science teachers to California classrooms. Berman is also sponsoring Assembly Bill 1054, which would require high schools to offer computer science classes. That bill is currently stalled in the Senate.

Understanding media, and creating it

Teachers don’t need a state law to show students how to be smart media consumers, and some have been doing it for years. Merek Chang, a high school science teacher at Hacienda La Puente Unified in the City of Industry east of Los Angeles, said the pandemic was a wake-up call for him.

During remote learning, he gave students two articles on the origins of the coronavirus. One was an opinion piece from the New York Post, a tabloid, and the other was from a scientific journal. He asked students which they thought was accurate. More than 90% chose the Post piece.

“It made me realize that we need to focus on the skills to understand content, as much as we focus on the content itself,” Chang said.

He now incorporates media literacy in all aspects of his lesson plans. He relies on the Stanford History Education Group, which offers free media literacy resources for teachers, and took part in a KQED media literacy program for teachers.

In addition to teaching students how to evaluate online information, he shows them how to create their own media. Homework assignments include making TikTok-style videos on protein synthesis for mRNA vaccines, for example. Students then present their projects at home or at lunchtime events for families and the community.

“The biggest impact, I’ve noticed, is that students feel like their voice matters,” Chang said. “The work isn’t just for a grade. They feel like they’re making a difference.”

Ormsby, the Los Angeles County librarian, has also been promoting media literacy for years. Librarians generally have been on the forefront of media literacy education, and California’s new law refers to the Modern School Library Standards for media literacy guidelines.

Ormsby teaches concepts like “lateral reading” (comparing an online article with other sources to check for accuracy) and reverse imaging (searching online to trace a photo to its original source or checking if it’s been altered). She also provides lesson plans, resources and book recommendations such as “True or False: A CIA analyst’s guide to spotting fake news” and, for elementary students, “Killer Underwear Invasion! How to spot fake news, disinformation & conspiracy theories.”

She’s happy that the law passed, but would like to see librarians included in the rollout and the curriculum implemented immediately, not waiting until the frameworks are updated.

“The increase in Holocaust denial, climate change denial, conspiracy theories getting a foothold, and now AI. All this shows how important media literacy is for our democracy right now.”
— Jennifer Ormsby, library services manager for the Los Angeles County Office of Education

The gradual implementation of the law was deliberate, since schools are already grappling with so many other state mandates, said Alvin Lee, executive director of Generation Up, a student-led advocacy group that was among the bill’s sponsors. He’s hoping that local school boards decide to prioritize the issue on their own by funding training for teachers and moving immediately to get media literacy into classrooms.

“Disinformation contributes to polarization, which we’re seeing happen all over the world,” said Lee, a junior at Stanford who said it’s a top issue among his classmates. “Media literacy can address that.”

In San Francisco Unified, Ricardo Elizalde is a teacher on special assignment who trains elementary teachers in media literacy. His staff gave out 50 copies of “Killer Underwear!” for teachers to build activities around, and encourages students to make their own media, as well.

Elementary school is the perfect time to introduce the topic, he said.

“We get all these media thrown at us from a young age, we have to learn to defend ourselves,” Elizalde said. “Media literacy is a basic part of being literate. If we’re just teaching kids how to read, and not think critically about what they’re reading, we’re doing them a disservice.”

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

Terrance Michael Brill, known as Terry Brill, passed away peacefully on October 10, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Terry was born May 11, 1951, to Thomas J. and Margaret Brill. He grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his 5 siblings. After graduating from Thomas Edison High School, he joined the Navy and served for two years. Soon after, he moved to the West Coast, and settled in Humboldt County.

Terry was known as the Blue Grass Barber in Arcata for many years. He enjoyed his profession and the relationships he developed. Terry loved spending time on the local rivers and streams, waiting for the next big bite. He spent many days on the beautiful beaches of Trinidad, soaking up the sun. He spent hours strumming and picking his guitar, mandolin, and banjo. He loved to sing and perform for anyone willing to listen. Music was such a big part of his life. You could always see him at the local music events. Terry was an avid motorcyclist. He spent many hours on the road, on his Harley Davidson.

Terry leaves behind his wife, Lisa Denny-Brill, his daughter Michelle Holland (H Josh) of Anchorage, Alaska, Grandchildren, Faith, Caleb, and Jordan, his parents, the late Thomas J. and Margaret Brill, sister, the late Kathi Lentz, brothers, Thomas Brill Jr., John Brill, the late Kevin brill, Brian Brill, and numerous nephews and nieces.

A special thank you to his brother Brian and daughter Michelle for making the long trip to lighten Terry’s last days. To Sally Degmetich and her husband Joel, thank you for your constant love, support, and caregiving until the very end. Many thanks to family and friends for your love and kindness. A huge thanks to Hospice of Humboldt for everything. A special thank you to Terry’s nurse, Scotty for your kindness, compassion and caring.

There will be a “Celebration of Life” for Terry at the home of Terry and Lisa on December 2, 2023, from 1-3 pm at 2423 S Street, Eureka. Friends and family are welcome to join and share stories and memories.

PREVIOUSLY: 

• Gunshot Victim Dies After Being Dropped Off by Unknown Party at Cal Fire Station Near Orick
• Orick Homicide Victim Identified
• Orick Homicide Suspect Turns Self In

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Press release from the District Attorney’s Office:

On November 9, 2023, a Humboldt County jury found Shawn Patrick McMahon, age 51, guilty of first degree murder for killing Benjamin Thomas, age 41. The jury also found that Mr. McMahon personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, causing Mr. Thomas’s death.

The murder occurred in June of 2021, on Bald Hills Road in a remote part of Humboldt County.

Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees prosecuted the case at trial, with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Martin Morris and Victim Advocates Caitlyn LaHaie and Morgan Polasek. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, led by Investigator Destry Henderson. Mr. McMahon was represented by local attorney RJ Leohner. The Honorable Timothy Canning, Judge, presided over the three-week jury trial.

Mr. McMahon is scheduled for sentencing on December 6, 2023. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

District Attorney Stacey Eads commends the community members that are willing to come forward and serve as jurors, and the willingness of witnesses to come forward to notify law enforcement and ultimately testify in court.

If you remember, a couple of years ago — in January 2022, to be precise — the city of Eureka traded a couple of its downtown parking lots (including the one in front of City Hall) to Redwood Capital Bank. In return, the bank acquired rights to a few parcels up by Winco and signed those over to the city. Thus did the city seek to calm the first wave of people panicking over the conversion of downtown parking lots to affordable housing.

It didn’t work, but that’s another story.

The story today is that the city is returning to the subject of “Sunset Heights,” which is what it has taken to calling the 80-unit housing complex it’s looking to get built up there above Broadway, between Harris and Henderson streets. 

Do you have concerns? What are they? What would you like the buildings to look like — should they blend into the community or should they stand out? 

These are just some of the questions that the city would like your answers to. To that end there’ll be a public meeting specifically on the question on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Eureka City Hall (531 K Street). Representatives from the city and the developer will be there, and they’ve scheduled a presentation and a Q&A session.

Also, the city would like to get your feedback on the project via this online poll. Click it! It’s quick and fun.

Press release from the City of Eureka follows:

The City of Eureka and Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation (RCHDC) are seeking public input on the design of an upcoming multi-family housing development at 1200 West Harris Avenue (Sunset Heights). Please join the City and RCHDC for a public meeting on the project on Wednesday, November 15th at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, 2nd Floor of City Hall, 531 K Street.

Also, please visit eurekaca.gov/sunset-heights for meeting details including how to participate via Zoom, a link to an online survey, and information on how to join the project mailing list.

For further questions please contact Development Services – Planning at planning@eurekaca.gov or (707) 441-4160.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Eureka City Council Approves Land Swap With Pierson Company, Will Develop Housing Near Winco Instead of on Three Downtown Parking Lots

More than 2 million people ages 16 to 24 are working in California — about the same as the population of Houston — making up 12% of the workforce. They comprise a critical portion of the state’s economy, according to a new report by the UCLA Labor Center.

But many young people earned low wages, worked long hours — often while going to school — and lacked sufficient worker protections and benefits. These hardships may impact their financial future and the state’s economy for years to come, said researchers who examined the years surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019 to 2021.

“Young people are critical actors in California’s vibrant economy and labor force,” says the study, released today. “Yet, young workers in California find themselves navigating a tumultuous landscape of societal shifts, economic challenges, and the lingering aftermath of a global pandemic.”

About 64% of California’s young workers earned low wages — defined as about $18 an hour, two-thirds of the median wage — and 60% reported difficulty affording their expenses, researchers wrote.

The assumption that young people work at service-oriented, low-wage jobs temporarily before they’re propelled to full-time careers isn’t necessarily true, said UCLA researcher Vivek Ramakrishnan. Many young people stay in low-wage jobs for years.

“When we’re looking at the data, we’re seeing young people are really struggling in these kinds of roles,” he said, adding later, “There’s a sense you can get stuck working in the service industry.”

The report analyzed data from multiple sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the COVID-19 Household Pulse Survey — which documented the impact of the pandemic — and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Young workers reflect California’s growing diversity. About 3 in 4 are people of color and more than half are Latino. About 15% of high school-aged young people worked full time and half of young people ages 19 to 24 worked full time.

Young workers’ trap

In the service industry, 40% of young workers are employed in bars, restaurants and retail.

These young people run the risk of being caught in a “circular labor trap,” the study says, because these low-wage service jobs are structured with little room for growth or skill development.

“When you have these skill sets that are hyper-specific toward these industries, and not much room for growth, it’s hard to compete against students who may take an unpaid internship in a very content-specific area of expertise and gain connections in the career they want to go into,” Ramakrishnan said.

Because so many service industry jobs were considered frontline jobs, the pandemic was particularly disruptive for young people, who often had to choose between their health and their income. And when grocers and restaurant businesses closed during the pandemic, younger workers, especially young people of color, experienced higher levels of unemployment or underemployment compared to older workers in other industries.

In 2020, the unemployment rate for California’s young workers increased to 18% from 9% the year before. That was twice the rate of workers ages 25 to 64.

Unemployment among young people has since rebounded to pre-pandemic levels at 8.7% nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While many young people are stuck in lower-wage jobs, the research suggests they are contributing significantly to their household income. And about 12% of young workers are heads of households, according to the report.

Young workers are overrepresented in households living below the poverty line compared to those over the age of 25. About 14% of young workers lived in poverty compared to 5% of older workers, according to the report. A third lived in households with incomes below 200% the federal poverty line. That number in 2021 was $53,000 for a family of four.

Working through school

Along with responsibility for helping family members cover basic expenses, young people often have to balance work with education, in pursuit of a better future.

About half of young workers go to school. and about 40% of them worked 15 to 29 hours a week, the report says. One-fourth of workers in high school, and more than half in college, worked 20 hours or more a week. And about 17% of young workers worked 40 hours or more weekly.

Postsecondary education became more essential for a stable career, yet with education costs increasing, it was less accessible for young people, according to the report.

From 2018 to 2020, the share of California high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education within 12 months fell from 65% to 63%, according to the study.

While nearly all racial and ethnic groups experienced declines in college matriculation, Black college-going rates plunged from 61% to 55%, and American Indian and Alaska Native rates dropped from 53% to 47%.

Nationally postsecondary enrollment began rebounding last fall, though study researchers said they don’t know yet if that’s the case in California.

Meanwhile, from 2019 to 2020, young peoples’ average student loan amount increased from $6,847 to $10,000.

On-the-job training?

One in 3 jobs in California requires some college education, the study notes. Yet as higher education costs and student debt climbed, job earnings haven’t kept up.

Aside from education, researchers found other pathways toward higher paying jobs and careers also are not very accessible to young people.

For instance, trade apprenticeships are significantly underutilized. In 2022, there were about 80,000 federally registered apprenticeships in California, but only 24,000 were filled, the study said.

Latino workers held the majority of apprenticeships, 66%, while Black young people held 4%. Most apprenticeships went to young men, 94%, while young women held 6%.

Many apprenticeships are linked to unions. While surveys show young people are more pro-union than ever, they’re underrepresented in unionized jobs. Just 9% of young workers are union members, compared to 19% of older workers.

Ramakrishnan said the data paints a “scary” picture of the realities young people face, but it also highlights some areas where policy changes can help.

He noted that Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a measure by Assemblymember Liz Ortega, a Democrat from Hayward, that directs California high schools to educate students about workers’ rights and the labor movement.

There’s a need for other career programs that offer young people training and school credit, Ramakrishnan said.

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

Dottie Lee passed away in Eureka on October 4, 2023. She was the daughter of the late Tom and Della Chappelle. Born on November 8, 1947, she was a graduate of Eureka High and lived the majority of her life in Eureka.

Dottie worked many years for Pacific Bell, where she started as a telephone switchboard operator, and later worked for AT&T, with assignments in Bakersfield and Santa Rosa, as well as Eureka. She also worked for NCI, O&M Industries and Renner Petroleum as a financial officer. Her last employment was with Hensel Hardware in Arcata.

Dottie was a member and President of Soroptimist International of Humboldt Bay and a member of Humboldt Sponsors. She made many friends in both organizations and enjoyed their service to our community. She was also treasurer for both groups.

Dottie was raised as a Presbyterian, but she became a Catholic and found strength in her faith. She attended Cursillo, where she enjoyed sharing her faith and friendship with the people who organized and experienced the program.

Dottie had an extended family. Her brother Tom Chappelle (Jane), Darlene Dungan (Casey), brother Bob, and sister Roseanne and their families were important to her. Her cousin Lee Chappelle (Renee) and Marie Garick (Clyde) and their children were often in her thoughts. Her cousin Jim (Darlene) was too. She recently got to spend special time with her niece Jocelyn Taylor.

Dottie always had a special place in her heart for her nephew Nathan, his wife Karen and their children Hudson and Haley. Military service meant they were stationed in many different areas, but she always kept up with them.

Her Aunt Donna Peterson, her uncle Bob Lewis and his wife Edie were very special people in her life. She enjoyed holidays and family times with them.

Dottie was married to Brian Lee for more than 20 years, and she treasured the times they shared with his daughter Tracy.

Dottie always had a tender heart for animals. She had many dogs and cats over the years. Her last kitty was very dear to her: Toby. She rescued him from the Sequoia Humane Society shelter, and she spoiled him every day.

There are no formal memorial services planned for Dottie. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, please send them to the Sequoia Humane Society, 6073 Loma Ave., Eureka or Humboldt Sponsors, PO Box 444, Eureka 95502.

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