PREVIOUSLY: Another Two-Car Collision on Henderson Sends Three to the Hospital

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Press release from the City of Eureka:

On November 07, 2023, at about 2:04 p.m., officers from the Eureka Police Department (EPD) as well as personnel from Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) responded to the report of a two-vehicle traffic collision at the intersection of Henderson and Union Streets in Eureka. It was reported that one vehicle, a Ford SUV, had overturned and the occupant was still trapped inside.

HBF was able to remove the driver from the overturned vehicle who was then transported to a local hospital by City Ambulance for moderate to serious injuries.

The second vehicle, a silver Honda Sedan, had come to rest atop a brick fence in the yard on the southwest corner of the intersection. The driver and passenger of this vehicle were both 15 years old and able to self-extricate from the vehicle. Both suffered moderate to serious injuries and were transported by City Ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. At this time, Intoxication does not appear to be a factor in this collision.

This is an active investigation and EPD is asking if anyone witnessed the collision to please contact Sergeant Jonathan Eckert at 707-441-4081. EPD is specifically wanting to speak to the driver of a white vehicle that was stopped at the stop sign on Union Street at Henderson at the time of the collision.

The Eureka Police Department want to thank our community for its patience yesterday as we investigated these traffic collisions and for those that have provided us valuable information.

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• Rob Arkley’s Role in Dark Money Political Group Explored in Daily Beast Report
• Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court — With Help From Eureka’s Rob Arkley
• U.S. Senators Ask Rob Arkley and Other Donors for Itemized Lists of Gifts to Supreme Court Justices
• Rob Arkley is Refusing to Comply With the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Supreme Court Ethics Inquiry
• Key Senators Announce Intention to Subpoena Rob Arkley in Supreme Court Ethics Probe

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Press release from U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will no longer vote to authorize issuing a subpoena to Robin Arkley II at this time as it relates to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation after he provided the Committee with information that he had been withholding. The Committee will move forward with a vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo.

“Months ago, I, along with my Democratic colleagues on the Committee, sent letters to Harlan Crow, Robin Arkley, and Leonard Leo, among others, seeking details about what exactly has been provided to Supreme Court justices. Our goal has been to understand how specific individuals and groups with business before the Court have used undisclosed gifts to gain private access to the justices—access not afforded to others.

“Leonard Leo has refused to cooperate in any way. Harlan Crow claimed he was willing to cooperate, but ultimately made only a limited and insufficient offer. Only now, under threat of subpoena, has Mr. Arkley provided information responsive to the Committee’s requests. Given his cooperation, I’ve decided that voting to authorize a subpoena to Mr. Arkley is not necessary at this time.

“I do not request authorization to issue subpoenas lightly. Over the past several months, story after story has emerged about lavish gifts and luxury trips that Supreme Court justices have accepted and failed to disclose. The Senate and the American people deserve to know the full extent of how billionaires and activists with interests before the Court use their immense wealth to buy private access to the justices. That is why, tomorrow, the Judiciary Committee will vote to authorize subpoenas to Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo. The highest court in the land cannot have the lowest ethical standards.”

Last week, Durbin and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, and Robin Arkley II as it relates to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation.

In July, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act to the full Senate. The bill would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a code of conduct, create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws, improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

Durbin has been calling on the Supreme Court to adopt an enforceable code of conduct for more than a decade. He first sent a letter to the Chief Justice on this issue more than 11 years ago.

We knew the end was near. She was never meant to be long for this world. Still, it is with some sadness that we bid farewell to Eureka’s Second Street Whale, the roadway mural painted last month during Friday Night Market. Take some joy in the fact that, due to the weather, she actually stayed with us a few weeks longer than originally scheduled — 19 days we dwelled in her wake.

But now she is gone. Swim free, street whale.

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The rainy season is upon us, and although some people are surely not excited about it, for the fungi-obsessed folks in our community it means this is prime mushroom foraging season! And with the popularity of mushroom collecting in Humboldt County, it seemed like now would be a good time to talk about how to properly go about picking our fungi friends. 

Maria Morrow, local mycology expert and board president for the Humboldt Bay Mycological Society (HBMS), offered some of her advice during an interview with the Outpost, on what things you should be paying attention to, how to be respectful and, most importantly, how to not die when out collecting mushrooms in our area.

“We have hundreds of mushroom species up here,” Morrow said. “So it’s a really wonderful diversity. We’ve got a huge diversity of edible stuff.” 

When it comes to safely and respectfully gathering mushrooms, the first thing Morrow wanted to advise is to be aware of what property you are on and the laws/ rules that apply to that piece of land. There are many places, including state and national parks, where collecting mushrooms is illegal and other forest lands where it is allowed, but there are limits on the quantity of mushrooms you collect.

“Around here it’s really difficult to find a place to go because there’s a lot of different land ownership and each of those different ownerships is going to have different rules,” Morrow said. “So you kind of have to call the agency who oversees the place before going there, to see what the rules and regulations are.” 

Morrow recommends that before you go out somewhere to gather mushrooms, that you first check this interactive land ownership map. Once you know who owns the land you’re going to be on, you can find that agency’s specific rules on mushroom collecting. 

Though the rules and regulations may vary, general mushrooming etiquette would ask that you not pick more than what you need, and leave some for other people. You should also be respectful of the environment and don’t trample or destroy other surrounding wildlife.

What mushrooms will be popping up depends on the time of year, but a few common and popular edibles around our area include chanterelles, lobster mushrooms and hedgehogs, which tend to come out earlier in the fall. As we get later into the rainy season, people are finding king boletes and matsutakes, among other things. There are also a lot of other edible mushrooms that are abundant, but not quite so popular for gathering, Morrow said. One she really likes is midnight entoloma. 

Midnight entoloma

But with hundreds of mushroom species in our area, some that look similar to each other, how do you know for sure that you’ve collected the right one and not something that could make you sick? Well, if you’re new to the mushrooming game, Morrow said that there are some mushroom genera that are a little more foolproof for beginners, and some that you should probably avoid altogether. 

Chanterelles are a great place to start, Morrow said, because they are pretty distinct – usually yellow or orange, with a funnel-like shape and a rounded, forked cap. There are a couple of other mushrooms that look like them — the false chanterelle is a common one — but none of the lookalikes are poisonous. The false chanterelle is not really tasty like a real chanterelle, and it could potentially cause some indigestion, but it’s not going to kill you, Marrow said.

Hedgehogs are another good option that don’t have a lot of close lookalikes, as are laetiporus, commonly called “chicken of the woods.” Chicken of the woods is bright orange and grows like a shelf out of dying trees and logs, making it pretty difficult to mistake. “I don’t think anything else really looks like that,” Marrow said. 

When it comes to mushrooms to generally avoid, Marrow said to stay away from lepiotas, which are all toxic. Another genus to avoid if you’re still learning is amanita. This is probably the most common genus that people misidentify, Marrow said, because there are many types and some of them are edible, while others are incredibly toxic. The effects of ingesting different amanitas can range from hallucinations, to a coma, to death. Marrow discourages newbies from eating any mushrooms from that group, unless they’re gathering with someone who really knows their stuff. 

Luckily, there are lots of wonderful resources available to help you identify your mushrooms. Morrow recommends starting with a mushroom field guide (you can find several suggested titles here). You can also post photos to online forums, such as iNaturalist, or Facebook groups like Mushroom Hunters of Northern California or Mushrooms of Humboldt County, where more experienced folks can help you identify your mushrooms. If you’re feeling like this might be your new hobby, then you should also consider joining a local club like HBMS or Cal Poly Humboldt’s Mycology Club. 

Morrow’s biggest piece of advice for new collectors is a common mushrooming adage, “pick many before you eat any.” Start picking and getting familiar with mushrooms – what they look like, feel like, smell like. After some time, you will be more comfortable identifying edible mushrooms. Morrow also recommends going out mushroom collecting in groups, because different people will notice different details about the fungi. 

Whether you’re an expert, still learning or just starting out, you’ll also want to check out HBMS’s annual Mushroom Fair, which is happening on Nov. 19. There will be lectures and workshops, including an introduction to mushroom identification given by Portland-based mycology expert Leah Bendlin. The fair will also have a community ID table, where you can bring in your mushrooms to have them identified by an expert! You can also bring in your mushrooms on the day before the fair to have them displayed during the event. 

The Mushroom Fair will be held on Sunday, Nov. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arcata Community Center – 321 Martin Luther King Parkway. The fair has been a popular local event for decades and this year, Marrow said, they are adding food trucks to the party. Marrow also said that because the fair is so popular, the City is recommending people park off-site, because the parking lot will likely fill up. Marrow also added that a lot of newer folks have been joining HBMS and that this year’s fair will be more geared towards the mushroom-curious. 

“We’re trying to do more stuff that’s more friendly to getting people involved, because a lot of our board members retired and a lot of our original mushroom community is kind of aging out a little bit,” Morrow said. “We have so many new people and our content is changing to support those new people.”

In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order for “prompt regulatory action” to address the plight of California homeowners facing availability and affordability problems in home and fire insurance.

But at its present pace — and with doubts from consumers, lawmakers and insurers about the Department of Insurance’s proposals to alleviate the crisis — help for residents may not arrive until 2026, at least according to the most pessimistic outlook by the insurance industry.

Those waiting are Californians like the Smithlines, a retired couple in Forest Hill in Placer County, who actually saw their fire insurance premium balloon to the point that they’ve decided they will have to do without it.

Bobbi Smithline said their premium this year tripled to almost $6,000 from $1,800 in 2020. They were on the FAIR Plan — the last resort for residents who can’t find traditional insurance — because Farmers would not renew their previous policy three years ago.

“Our property taxes and homeowner insurance came at the same time as the FAIR Plan (bill),” Smithline said. “We can’t afford to do all three… that’s going to leave us with no savings.”

The FAIR plan is mandated and regulated by the state. Premiums under the plan are usually more expensive, and they’re only getting higher. In September, California’s Department of Insurance approved a rate increase long sought by the insurers that finance the plan, for an average 15.7% rate hike. As more and more people turn to the FAIR Plan because the biggest insurance providers in the state have either paused new policies or left the state altogether, the plan’s total number of policies climbed to more than 330,000 as of September, an almost 21% rise since the beginning of the year.

The Smithlines have lived in their three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom house for 45 years and raised most of their eight children there. They never had a wildfire until last year, when the Mosquito Fire burned more than 76,000 acres in their county and nearby El Dorado County, Smithline said. Now she and her husband, Mike, have told their children — who will inherit the house — about their decision. If a fire destroys their house, their plan is to put a mobile home on their 7.2-acre property, or maybe live with one of their kids.

The Smithlines are among the many Californians affected by the insurance mess. But at least they have a choice. Because their home is paid off, they are not required to carry fire insurance like homeowners with a mortgage must do.

Another California homeowner, Donna Yutzy in Magalia in Butte County, told CalMatters that she will pay higher premiums — almost $7,000 a year for both fire and home insurance — because she doesn’t want to risk having no fire insurance. And Rebecca Reis, another homeowner who recently received a non-renewal notice because her San Francisco building was built before 1925, said her homeowners association will have to raise its dues to cover the increase in premiums for their building, from $7,000 to almost $30,000.

Donna Yutzy’s home in Magalia on Nov. 4, 2023. State law prohibits the use of landscaping plants and any flammable materials within a five-foot radius of the house. Photo by Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

Newsom’s September order followed the failure of proposed legislation to address the crisis, and now California’s Department of Insurance is working on new regulations to try to fix the problems. The insurance industry cites a combination of inflation, climate change and several devastating and deadly wildfires since 2017, as well as what it calls outdated state regulations, as factors in carriers’ pulling back or pulling out of California.

There were a total of 8.73 million homeowners policies in 2021, and non-renewals of home and fire insurance policies climbed from 11% in 2018 to 13% in 2021, according to the state insurance department’s most recent data. FAIR Plan policies over that same period jumped from 1.6% of the total market to 3%. Since 2021, though, most of the top insurers in the state have either stopped writing or restricted new policies here; the insurance department is finalizing data for 2022.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara isn’t expected to finalize new rules until next year. Then insurers and consumer groups will react and possibly object, so they say regulations may not be enacted until the following year, or even 2026 — meaning more of the same in the meantime.

“We’re going to move at the speed of good policy,” said Michael Soller, spokesperson for Lara. “We’re going to be judged by the impact we have over the long term. There’s no magic solution to this.”

Soller also said the department disagrees with the forecasts that things won’t change until 2026, saying the department is moving as quickly as possible. “For instance, by enforcing existing rules we incentivize insurance companies to reduce delays caused by incomplete rate filings,” he said. Soller also said that in October, Lara expanded insurance discounts for wildfire mitigation, and that the move will have “a long-lasting impact on the survivability of homes.”

Two members of Congress from California, Reps. Katie Porter and Doug LaMalfa, may also try to help. They recently sent a letter to the chief executives of some of the big insurers that have paused, limited or are no longer issuing new policies in the state, asking for briefings and discussions on possible solutions. Porter and LaMalfa asked the CEOs of Farmers, Allstate, USAA, State Farm and CSE Insurance to respond by Nov. 17.

Porter, the Democratic lawmaker from Orange County who is running for U.S. Senate, plans to write legislation and “conduct oversight as appropriate” on this issue, she said in an emailed statement.

The staff of LaMalfa, the Republican lawmaker from Butte County, did not return a request for comment. The companies did not respond to CalMatters’ requests for comment about the letter.

Insurers want models

The insurance industry has been “grousing” about California’s regulations for years, said Rex Frazier, president of the industry group Personal Insurance Federation of California. Among the industry’s complaints: California is the only state in the nation that does not allow insurers to use forward-looking catastrophe models that take into account the increased risks from climate change; the state’s insurance-department reviews of proposed rates take too long; and the state won’t allow insurers to factor reinsurance costs into their rates.

“If we want a different outcome, we’re going to need different rules,” Frazier added.

The state is poised to adopt rules that appear to give insurers what they want as long as they write at least 85% of their statewide market share in wildfire-distressed areas. For example, a company that provides 10% of homeowner policies in the state would need to provide 8.5% of the coverage in such areas.

Also, insurers will be allowed to factor reinsurance costs into their premiums as long as they can show that California homeowners wouldn’t be bearing the cost of disasters outside the state.

“If we want a different outcome, we’re going to need different rules.”
— Rex Frazier, president, industry group Personal Insurance Federation of California

The public will get a chance to weigh in as the insurance department works to finalize the regulations, said Soller, Lara’s spokesperson.

One consumer group is already slamming Lara’s strategy as presented, saying it amounts to deregulation and warning the governor and state legislators that the plan will not benefit the state’s consumers.

“We know what deregulation has done,” Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, said in an interview with CalMatters. Court said hurricane-prone Florida doesn’t have a “rigorous rate process,” which is why he said premiums in that state are much higher than in California. In 2020, the average California homeowners insurance premium was $1,241 a year, while Florida’s was $2,165, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

A cement sidewalk was built within five feet of Donna Yutzy’s house in Magalia to meet state regulations. Nov. 4, 2023. Photo by Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

Court added that so far, Lara’s plan, unveiled in September, is short on specifics and that there has been “nothing in writing” in terms of an agreement between the state and the insurers.

Another consumer advocate, Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, said she was concerned about that part, too. “An actual agreement on paper” would have been nice, she said. But Bach added that she believes the insurance department is doing its best.

“I feel like they’re trying to fix the problem right alongside us,” she said. Bach also said it’s impossible for California to be the “outlier” when every other state in the country allows insurers to pass along reinsurance rates, and to use catastrophe models. Besides, she said, the insurance department will still have power over rate changes.

But the state’s Democratic lawmakers are concerned about the plan, too. Thirty-two of them, including Rep. John Garamendi, a former insurance commissioner, sent a letter to Lara on Monday. They wrote that his proposal “may result in a diminution of the authority granted by California voters,” and “could threaten the important consumer protections established in Proposition 103 and in place since 1988.” Among other things, Proposition 103 gives the state’s insurance department the authority to review rate changes.

In response, Lara sent a letter addressed to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, on Tuesday. In it, the insurance commissioner, who CC’d the rest of the signatories of the letter, said “Proposition 103 does not grant unlimited power.” He added that his plan is supported by residents including “wildfire survivors, ranchers and farmers… and other insurance consumers who are experiencing the impact of outdated regulatory rules and growing climate threats.” Lara also asked the Congressional members for federal help including “better management of federal forests and watersheds” and more funding for community grants to help with home hardening.

‘Too important’ to leave?

Yutzy, the Butte County resident, said she is lucky to be able to afford the higher insurance costs. It’s the price she pays for retiring in that area, she said. “We wanted to live our vacation, wake up to the trees.”

Sealed Vulcan vents at Donna Yutzy’s home in Magalia to prevent pine needles and other flammable debris from entering. Nov. 4, 2023. Photo by Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

She predicted that the increased costs will change the demographics of the area, which she said people used to move to because it was affordable. That all changed after the Camp Fire in 2018, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state, which killed at least 85 people and almost completely destroyed the town of Paradise and the unincorporated area of Concow.

Yutzy said residents of the area have been doing a lot of work since then, and that insurers should take that into account as they set rates. “One thing I would ask insurers: Take a look at what the communities are doing generally in terms of fuel reduction and wildfire mitigation. We have so many things going on that insurers should be looking at.”

Those in the industry say insurers don’t want to leave the biggest market in the nation, and that urgent action is needed for the sake of all stakeholders.

Vanessa Wells, a Silicon Valley-based attorney who represents insurance companies, said that prior to 2020, the carriers would have felt that California was “too important a market to leave behind.” But the massive wildfires were followed by billions of dollars in payouts.

“Since that time, it’s too big in a different way — that you can go out of business here,” Wells said.

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CORRECTION: For the record: The FAIR Plan is mandated and regulated by the state. A previous version of this story misstated the relationship between the plan and insurers. In addition, a previous version of this story misstated the gender of Donna Yutzy’s spouse.

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

It is with a broken heart that I write this obituary for my dear spouse Charlie, who unexpectedly died 8 days before our 39th wedding anniversary.

Charles (Charlie) Robert Myers died September 14, 2023. He was born October 31, 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland to Marie Anna Zeller and Charles Robert Myers, Jr.

Marie died of breast cancer when Charlie was six years old and his dad, of little means, placed him in an orphanage and his two year old sister Gwen, was placed with Charles’s sister. After three years, Charlie was reunited with his dad and new stepmother, Rosalie. Charlie was a bright child who loved to read. He delivered newspapers after school. He didn’t care much for school but his math teacher saw his potential and had Charlie take a test; he did so well he was awarded a full scholarship. He hadn’t even applied to any colleges so his teacher sat him down to apply to either John Hopkins to study Engineering or Western Maryland College to study Mathematics. He chose Western Maryland College where he studied Mathematics, English and Education and received his degree in Mathematics. Charlie was the first in his family to go to college. His passion for English led him to Theatre Arts. He went to the University of Iowa, where he received his MA in 1962 and PhD in 1971 in Theatre Arts. His MA thesis was The Early Plays of Eugene O’Neill: A Critical Study; his Doctoral thesis was titled Game Structure in Selected Plays.

Charlie taught in Missouri at Tarkio College a church-supported school. Eyebrows were raised when Charlie directed “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”!

Charlie came to Humboldt State College to teach Theatre Arts and Film History in 1969. He always laughed about being hired in a bar on the Arcata Plaza. Humboldt became Humboldt State University soon after. He was a gifted teacher, whose love and understanding of contemporary theater inspired colleagues as well as students. He mentored many wonderful students and left lasting impressions on them. Many went on to become friends and he was very saddened by the loss of dear ones: Lee Ann Gadilauskas who was his “best woman” when he married Claudia; Lani Harris whom he walked down the aisle and Pamela Lyall who performed Charlie and Claudia’s wedding ceremony after he had directed her in Tennessee Williams’ “Streetcar Named Desire.”

Charlie was the proud father of Robert (Robin) Wyse, Jonathan (Jon) Myers, Jennifer Myers and he cherished his grandsons Owen and Declan Clark.

Charlie enjoyed directing plays throughout his career. When former students Joyce Hough and Fred Neighbor opened the Jambalaya, Charlie directed them in performances there: Fred and Joyce in Harold Pinter’s “The Lover” and Fred in Samuel Beckett’s “”Krapp’s Last Tape.”

Charlie taught Directing, Theory and Criticism and Film History. He was pleased when he was able to show films to his class at the historic Minor Theatre thanks to former student David Phillips co-owner of the Minor. Students thought this would be an easy class, but were they surprised when they had to write academic papers on the films they saw!

Charlie was chair of the Theatre Arts Department twice and was an Academic Senator as well as Academic Senate Chair from 1977-1978. He was a member of the Six Rivers Runners Club for years and enjoyed 10ks, half marathons and recreational running, was a past member of the Jane Austen Society and was on Toby and Jack’s dart team. Charlie loved teaching his students. He FERPed (Faculty Early Retirement Program) in 1998, but opted to teach for another five years. When he fully retired he deeply missed working with his students. Once retired he continued to enjoy classical, pop, jazz and country music, reading, going to movies and plays, playing chess, doing crossword puzzles and collecting first day cover stamps — and having a nightly bourbon with potato chips! Charlie was an avid reader and read many book reviews to decide which new books to buy. He was a passionate bibliophile, so attached to his books, that if he lent one that wasn’t returned, he’d buy a replacement.

In 1987 Charlie had a sabbatical. He and Claudia bought a 25-year-old 13-foot travel trailer and, with their Bloodhound Sherlock, they traveled around the United States on Blue Highways, avoiding interstates and visiting some magnificent places. With no real destination in mind they drove north into Canada, across Canada and down to Iowa City, so Charlie could get advice from a former professor for suggestions where he might go to study film history. They returned to Canada and drove to Ottawa, where news came that Charlie’s step-mom Rosalie had died. So for the first time since leaving home, they went on their first interstate to get to Rosalie’s memorial in Baltimore. They then settled in Madison, Wisconsin for a semester. Charlie took a class in film history but it was the graduate English class where they studied Thomas Pynchon, that had Charlie totally relishing being a student again. They took two months to get home visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota, among other memorable places. On the road, they met many folks in camp grounds. Someone would suggest going to a certain place, and off they’d go.

In 1994, Charlie and Claudia went on sabbatical to London where he studied Harold Pinter’s papers at the British Museum. He was excited to find in the papers that Pinter had written a diary for Emma, a character in his play “Betrayal,” one of several Pinter plays Charlie had directed. They were able to see Pinter’s one-act, “Landscape,” directed by Pinter himself, and they took full advantage of London’s wonderful classical music scene.

Charlie’s love of classical music lead him and his friend, Jerry Sattinger, to live in London on two occasions. On their second trip to London, he would write of their experiences to a group of friends — one of whom was Judy Hodgson, who asked him to write movie reviews for her North Coast Journal when he returned. Thus, Charlie became “Charlie in Filmland” in June of 2003.

When he retired from Filmland in September of 2011, he wrote his last column, “Charlie Says Farewell”:

When I began writing reviews for the Journal in June 2003, I had no idea how it would go or how long I would keep writing the column. Now, some eight-plus years later, I think it’s time to say farewell to regular reviewing.

By and large, the years reviewing movies have been very enjoyable. If that comment sounds somewhat qualified, it is due primarily to the type of films we get locally, which, clearly, are not the sort I deeply enjoy in general although there have been any number of exceptions. At any rate, things change including me and the Journal. Initially, the column was called “Charlie in Filmland,” and I wrote all the reviews and previews. I used to cover most of the films that opened here. In the beginning, I had fun panning films I didn’t care for, but over the years that aspect just became tedious, no doubt for both myself and readers. Eventually, due to several factors including my frequent travel, the column became Filmland and material was written by a variety of people.

I would like to acknowledge one major influence that led to my reviewing “career,” namely publisher Judy Hodgson who enthusiastically pushed me into this endeavor and who constantly supported the column. Thanks as well to those who were burdened with editing the column, particularly Arts and Culture Editor Bob Doran and staff writer Ryan Burns.

Since coming to Humboldt County back in 1969 to teach at HSU, I came to know a lot of people locally, people who were familiar with my sense of humor and taste in films. As a result, the reviews have been more personal than would be possible in a big city newspaper. One of the joys of the column has been the conversations with people, both strangers and those who know me, about the reviews, conversations that likely would not otherwise have occurred. So many thanks to all who approached me to talk about movies in stores, on the street, or wherever. I hope you will not stop. Perhaps the Journal might even allow me a guest reviewer gig now and again.

Charlie and Jerry spent a number of months in Portland, Oregon, enjoying classical music, seeing plays and partaking of Portland’s Happy Hours. Claudia soon joined them, as did their new bloodhound puppy, Katie. For eight years, Portland become a second home. There they were thrilled to see such longtime favorites as Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Fleetwood Mac. They’d seen Bruce in Chicago on their first sabbatical, but this time folks sat down! Tragically, Katie died in April, breaking Charlie and Claudia’s hearts. They returned to Portland for three weeks later that spring, not knowing it would be their last journey to Portland together. It still seems unreal.

Charlie and Claudia went on their first post-COVID trip to Mammoth Lakes to see family, where Charlie broke his ankle. They were flown to Reno after major heart issues were discovered. He had ankle surgery and he got COVID in the hospital, which was the beginning of the end for Charlie. An ambulance brought him to Eureka for more rehabilitation. He’d lost his appetite since getting COVID; he ate very little and lost a significant amount of weight. He was happy to be coming home to hospice care and pleased that another bloodhound puppy was in their future. Shockingly, Charlie succumbed to heart failure the day before he was to come home.

He is survived by his loving spouse Claudia Myers, his sister Gwen Nolte, his children Robert Wyse, Jonathan Myers and Jennifer Myers; brother-in-law John Nolte; daughters-in-laws Galyna Wyse, Renee Pype, son-in-law Scot Clark; grandsons Owen Clark and Declan Clark; brothers-in-law David Wilbur, Mark Wilbur, sister-in-law Noreen Wilbur; nieces, Usha Penrod , Ariel Duvall and Patti Nolte Adamson; nephews-in-law Luke Penrod and Brian Duvall; great nephews, Graham Penrod, Ryder Duvall, Hunter Nolte and great-niece June Duvall; dear friend Kathy LaForge, mother of Jonathan and Jennifer, their step dad Dick LaForge and special friends Jerry Sattinger and Alexa Day. He was preceded in death by his parents Marie Zeller Myers and Charles Robert Myers, Jr. and beloved bloodhounds Katie, Rose, Mellie, Emma, Rowdy and Sherlock.

Charlie’s friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Charlie at Moonstone Beach House, Trinidad, California, Saturday Nov. 25 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Breast and GYN Health Project, 987 8th St, Arcata, CA 95521; Arcata Playhouse, 1251 9th St, Arcata, CA 95521; Dell’Arte International, PO Box 816 Blue Lake, CA 95525.

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Daniel H. Pedrotti
Born May 21, 1939
Passed October 16, 2023

Dan passed away peacefully at his home in Ferndale with his wife Dorene by his side.

Dan was born to George and Mary Pedrotti in Ferndale. He was the oldest of five children and grew up on the family dairy on Grizzly Bluff. He attended Grizzly Bluff School and Ferndale High School. He graduated in 1957. After graduation, he enlisted in the National Guard and went to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. While he was enlisted in the National Guard, he worked for the Humboldt County Roads Department and Rob Renner Logging as a caterpillar operator.

In January of 1964 he married Dorene Renner. They have two children, Grant and Karen.

In November of 1964 they decided to lease a dairy on Grizzly Bluff from the Keohan family, just in time for the 1964 Flood. In 1969 they purchased the dairy, which they operated until their retirement in 2004. Dan was very proud of his dairy and herd of registered Holsteins and Guernseys. They had award-winning cows for milk production and records through the Ferndale Cow Testing Association.

After retiring from the dairy business, he began making hay on their property. He enjoyed employing many hay haulers throughout the years and loved to talk with them and tell stories and jokes. He sold hay to many loyal customers throughout the years. He loved his garden, dahlias, and apple orchard. He also enjoyed making sausage with his family, and smoking salmon in his smokehouse for his friends. He enjoyed watching the Giants, 49ers and Warriors play. He loved supporting his grandchildren throughout their youth by attending every sporting event and fair event possible.

He was preceded into death by his parents, George and Mary Pedrotti, brothers Norman and Don Pedrotti, sister-in-law Mary Pedrotti and niece Vicky Grandy.

He leaves behind his wife Dorene Pedrotti, children Grant Pedrotti (Missy), Karen Hansen (Darren), grandchildren Danielle Hansen (Kyle), Nathan Hansen, brother Sid Pedrotti (Lorraine), sister Sylvia Grandy (Gary), brother-in-law Ed Renner, daughter-in-law Debra Pedrotti, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

At his request there will be a private, family service at the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Ferndale. His family would like to thank Dr. Douglas of Open Door in Ferndale and Dan’s cancer doctors, Dr. Fellows, Dr. Bernstein and Dr. Luh. Also, Jan Borges for her care in his final nights, and Hospice of Humboldt for their on-going care and support.

If you wish to make memorial donations in Dan’s honor, please remember the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, Church of the Assumption, and Hospice of Humboldt.