Days before a Kentucky judge blocked federal rules protecting LGBTQ students last week, California Assemblymember Kate Sanchez proposed similar changes to California law. On Jan. 6 she introduced her first bill of the session, which would ban transgender females from playing on girls’ sports teams with the California Interscholastic Federation.

Congressional Republicans were on the same page; on Tuesday they passed a bill to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports at the elementary through college level, which would jeopardize federal funding for schools that don’t comply.

Sanchez says her bill and other legislation like it would assure a safe, fair playing field for girls.

“There is a definite difference between biological boys and females in sports, especially at this age,” said Sanchez, a Rancho Santa Margarita Republican who represents Temecula and Murrieta. “This is the intent of the bill, to protect the integrity and fairness of girls’ sports.”

Civil rights and LGBTQ advocates argue that the bill would turn civil rights protections against vulnerable students. Kel O’Hara, an attorney with Equal Rights Advocates, a San Francisco-based gender justice organization, said more than half the states have passed restrictions on transgender students’ participation in sports. Those bills target “a problem that doesn’t exist,” they said.

About 3.3% of high school students identified as transgender in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only a small number of students of any gender are elite athletes.

“It’s a dog whistle from our perspective,” O’Hara said. “There’s no evidence that trans students, particularly trans girls, are dominating girls’ sports.”

Sanchez pointed to a lawsuit that two female students in Riverside Unified School District filed in November, alleging that a trans girl had displaced them from the cross-country team. The lawsuit argued that the transgender teammate received a top spot in competitions because of faster times, knocking the plaintiffs out of key parts of a cross-country meet. Sanchez said that’s evidence that transgender girls hold an edge over their teammates.

“I think when you look at it from the perspective and lens of biology, males have a very clear and undeniable advantage, so that plays into part of the legislation we’re trying to advance now,” she said.

O’Hara disputed that transgender girls outperform their teammates. They said that benefits of high school sports extend beyond athletic competition, so trans girls who are banned from teams also lose opportunities to develop teamwork, leadership skills and a sense of community.

“These bills try to convince queer and trans young people that they don’t belong and they’re not safe,” they said. “They want students to give up hope and go home.”

Pushback against transgender rights, particularly in schools, has become a conservative call to arms. More than a dozen red states have sued the Biden administration over changes to the federal education rights law, Title IX, which extended its discrimination protections to LGBTQ students. On Thursday a federal judge in Kentucky ruled in the states’ favor, striking down the new rules.

In the fall, several college teams garnered national attention when they forfeited their games against a San José State University women’s volleyball team because of its transgender athlete.

President-elect Donald Trump suggested at campaign rallies that he would “keep men out of women’s sports” using executive power to implement a ban.

“Transgender kids — like any student — deserve the chance to benefit from all that sports have to offer, in an environment that both affirms and validates their gender identity.”
— Assemblymember Chris Ward, a San Diego Democrat

Sanchez thinks the American public is moving in that direction. She pointed to a 2023 Gallup poll showing that 69% of Americans think transgender athletes should not be allowed to play on teams that match their gender identity, up 7 percentage points from Americans’ views on the matter in 2021.

Not surprisingly, opinions varied along party lines. The poll found 86% of Republicans opposed transgender athletes playing on teams aligned with their identity, while Democrats were split nearly evenly.

About 40% of voters in Sanchez’ district are Republican, 30% Democratic, with the rest registered with third parties or citing no party preference. She said her office has received calls in support of the bill.

Last year Sanchez passed other successful education bills, including one to protect student athletes from severe heat conditions and another to make epinephrine injectors available at schools. Both passed with nearly unanimous bipartisan support.

This bill will likely be different. Assemblymember Chris Ward, a San Diego Democrat and chair of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, said members “will not stand by as anyone attempts to use kids as political pawns.

“Participating in sports leads to better outcomes in academics and mental health,” he said in a statement, “and transgender kids — like any student — deserve the chance to benefit from all that sports have to offer, in an environment that both affirms and validates their gender identity.”

Carl DeMaio, a freshman Republican Assembly member from San Diego, said he’s co-sponsoring the bill, which he thinks maintains “dignity, respect and fairness” for all players. DeMaio, who is gay, said other members of the LGBTQ community have told him they don’t believe transgender females should compete on girls’ teams, and he compared the policy to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

“If you allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports, you are not maintaining fairness and you are robbing these girls of their dreams,” DeMaio said.

Sanchez said she’s committed to her legislation and expects that it will align with upcoming federal policies on transgender rights, including Tuesday’s House bill.

O’Hara argued that protecting female athletes doesn’t have to come at the expense of transgender girls.

“Why does protecting some students have to mean discriminating against others?” they asked. “Why are we approaching civil rights laws as a zero-sum game?”

###

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

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plan to produce a cheap, generic insulin for the 3.2 million Californians with diabetes is behind the schedule he announced and unlikely to make it to market for several years, industry experts say.

Civica, Inc., the nonprofit drug manufacturer contracted to produce insulin for California, has not started clinical trials or applied for approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration, both of which are likely to take more than a year to complete.

During his 2023 State of the State tour, Newsom announced California would begin selling insulin for $30 a vial with a “2024 delivery in terms of timeline,” pending FDA approval.

That target has come and gone.

Realistically, the state is at least one year away, if not more, multiple industry experts told CalMatters.

“You could be anywhere from 12 months to two or three years before you get your actual approval — and that’s if nothing goes wrong,” said James Bruno, a longtime chemical and pharmaceutical consultant for drug manufacturers.

A 2020 law aimed partially at bringing down insulin prices allowed Newsom to negotiate the 10-year, $50 million contract with Civica. Newsom earmarked an additional $50 to seed the construction of a drug manufacturing facility in California.

In the meantime, insulin prices have dropped nationally as a result of public pressure, the Biden administration’s 2023 cap on insulin prices for some seniors with Medicare, and changes to Medicaid rules that tied drug prices to inflation. At least 25 states and the District of Columbia have also implemented monthly co-pay caps to help offset continuing expenses for diabetics.

California is not one of those states. Newsom in October rejected a $35 monthly insulin copay cap. In his veto message, he cited the state’s $100 million investment in insulin production as an example of his administration’s efforts to reduce costs without a price cap.

The state’s effort to manufacture insulin is “getting at the underlying cost, which is the true sustainable solution to high-cost pharmaceuticals. With copay caps however, the long-term costs are still passed down to consumers through higher premiums from health plans,” Newsom wrote in his veto message.

Newsom spokesperson Elana Ross said in a statement that the governor remains committed to making affordable insulin, but did not answer questions about an updated timeline for when insulin would make it to market or how much money the state has paid to Civica for meeting various manufacturing goals.

“That process is underway and moving forward, though there have been delays, which is not unusual,” Ross said. “The priorities of both the administration and Civica continue to be quality and price, and all parties continue to advance development toward FDA approval with those north stars.”

Ross also refused to answer CalMatters’ questions about the state’s plans to develop a manufacturing plant in California. Industry experts say it would take far more money than the $50 million California has budgeted, and many years to build one from the ground up.

Allan Coukell, chief government affairs officer at Civica, said manufacturing has begun at the company’s new pharmaceutical plant in Virginia but there is no timeline for when the first insulin — a generic for glargine — will be available on the market.

“We want to be careful about setting expectations. We’re working through the process and it’s going well,” Coukell said.

FDA approval for new drugs takes years

Bringing a drug to market, even a generic one, takes years, experts say. And biologics, like insulin, which are produced by living organisms such as cells and bacteria, are even more complicated.

FDA approval requires the manufacturer to be able to prove that its manufacturing plant and processes are safe and repeatable. The manufacturer must demonstrate that its raw drug substances are pure and potent. It has to show that the drug is stable in its packaging, and it must conduct extensive analytical and clinical testing to establish that the drug is safe and highly similar to the brand-name product.

“You have to show the FDA that if it quacks like a duck (and) walks like a duck, it is a duck in every aspect compared to the innovator molecule,” said Govind Rao, a professor of chemical and biochemical engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

The FDA approved Semglee in 2021, the first interchangeable biosimilar insulin, four years after the manufacturer submitted its initial application and two-and-a-half years after the manufacturer resubmitted the application addressing concerns from the agency. The primary clinical trial took a little over one year to complete, according to government records.

Rezvoglar, approved later in 2021, received FDA approval a year after submitting its application. It took another year for the FDA to grant interchangeability status to Rezvoglar, meaning it can be substituted at the pharmacy for Lantus, the brand name insulin glargine, without needing a separate prescription.

The length of time it takes for a company to develop a drug, get FDA approval and bring it to market is highly variable, said David Gaugh, executive vice president for the Association for Accessible Medicines, a trade organization for generic drug manufacturers. It depends on how experienced the company is and what its data looks like, Gaugh said.

“I would make a general statement that it’s probably going to be somewhere between two and four years” to bring a biosimilar insulin to market from start to finish, Gaugh said.

Civica, a nonprofit founded by hospitals facing drug shortages, is not an untested drug manufacturer. It produces about 80 generic drugs for hospitals across the country. Insulin is Civica’s first biosimilar product. A year before contracting with California, Civica independently announced it would produce insulin by 2024.

It is possible for the FDA to fast-track drug applications that are high-profile or politically sensitive like insulin, pharmaceutical consultant Bruno said, but even then the review process is at minimum six months.

A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency cannot confirm or deny the existence of a pending product application, but the typical review cycle is 12 months from the time of submission. That would put Newsom’s insulin project more than a year behind his stated schedule.

California aimed to disrupt pharmaceutical market

When he announced the Civica deal in early 2023, Newsom made it clear that the project’s goal was to disrupt the practices used by drug makers, insurers and their distributors to jack up prices. By eliminating those players and wielding its enormous purchasing power, California could offer insulin at-cost to people who need the drug to survive.

“This is a big deal, folks. This is not happening anywhere else in the United States,” Newsom said during his 2023 State of the State speech in Downey. “This fundamentally lowers the cost, period, full stop.”

Insulin is frequently held up as the poster child for a broken health care market. People have relied on the drug for more than 100 years, but its price keeps increasing partially because demand is high and drug distributors and insurers could profit. Between 2012 and 2021, the price for a one-month supply of insulin increased nearly 200%, peaking at $541 per month in 2019, according to the Health Care Cost Institute.

The three major brand-name insulin manufacturers — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi — cut prices between 65% to 80% in 2024.

Former Sen. Richard Pan, a Democrat from Sacramento and a pediatrician, said the state’s plan to produce insulin by 2024 sounded “ambitious” but he was not involved in the contracting discussions. Pan authored the 2020 legislation that enabled California to pursue the deal with Civica and establish CalRx, the brand under which future state generics will be sold.

“I had to trust the administration was having conversations and had information about how far along they were in their process and whether they were able to hit a 2024 deadline,” Pan said.

Some health economists say recent moves by major insulin manufacturers to drastically lower prices will cause companies that are in the process of producing new biosimilar insulins to pull out of the market because there isn’t enough of a profit incentive to recoup the cost of producing a cheaper generic.

In that case, Pan said California’s plan to produce a biosimilar insulin becomes even more important. If major manufacturers can drive competition out of business, they could just increase prices again down the road, Pan said.

“Someone can say ‘Oh if it’s already down that much, is it still worth doing or not?’ Well, it’s one way to keep (prices) down,” Pan said. “If we can still produce it for less than they’re selling it, why not make that…available to Californians and our Medicaid program and save some money.”

Pan’s legislation also allowed the state to negotiate a lower price point for naloxone, a drug used to reverse opioid overdoses. In that instance, California leveraged its purchasing power and is acting as a distributor for an existing drug on the market rather than supporting research and development as well as manufacturing costs.

In addition to price drops, Eli Lilly and Sanofi created financial assistance programs to cap consumer out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month.

Those savings aren’t necessarily universal, however, depending on the type of insulin patients need or prefer. In a statement at the time, Sen. Scott Wiener, author of the 2023 bill that would have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for Californians at $35 per month, called Newsom’s veto a “major setback” for diabetics.

“This is a missed opportunity that will force them to wait months or years for relief from the skyrocketing costs of medical care when they could have had it immediately,” Wiener said.

###

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.

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

Surrounded by family, Carole Judith Schafer of Bayside, passed from this earth into the gates of heaven on Friday, November 8, 2024, at the age of 80.

Carole was born in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 17, 1944. She grew up in Lodi, California with her parents, Harry and Vera Christensen, and siblings Lewis Christensen, Gary (Amy Lou) Christensen and Jan Christensen. After she graduated high school, she met her husband Forrest Arthur Schafer when they were paired together as tennis partners. Forrest & Carole married and moved to Bayside, where they proceeded to be lifelong partners. They would have celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on June 26.

When they arrived in Humboldt, Carole began working at Eureka Orthopedic Group for Doctors Hitchko and Grigorieff. A short two years later her and Forrest began their family which prompted her to leave their employ to raise her children and run a daycare out of her home. After 16 years and countless children (she often recalled that half the children on the Freshwater Elementary School bus got off at her driveway), she gave up daycare and went back to working outside of the home, processing claims at Humboldt Del Norte Foundation for Medical Care (now known as Humboldt IPA). She retired from there after more than 10 years to join Forrest with their real pride and joy, spending time with their grandchildren. 

Carole had many hobbies. She loved spending time in her garden tending to her roses and her old English garden berm. She liked doing all kinds of arts and crafts, and met many cherished friends in ceramics, painting, and quilting classes. To the family she was a seamstress extraordinaire. Her grandchildren will forever fondly remember the countless costumes and matching pajamas & holiday outfits. Her favorite past times were reading, watching her favorite programs & movies and playing games with friends and family. She also enjoyed her monthly Good Sams RV Group trips with Forrest and her dogs Molly & Macy. Carole was a very devoted mother, grandmother and friend. She was always there for those that meant the world to her.

Carole is survived by her children Cristine Duncan, Jeff Schafer (Chloe) & Amy La Jeunesse (Joseph), her grandchildren, Shelbye Duncan (Waylan), Brooke Cabrera (Juan), Kindyl Wildrick (Tyler), Bryce Schafer (Hilanea), Riley Secor (Marissa), Joshua Duncan, Micah Duncan, Alexis La Jeunesse, & Joseph Jamie “JJ” La Jeunesse, and her great-grandchildren, Braelynn Cabrera, Jaxson Cabrera and Violet Schafer. Carole was preceded in death by her husband, Forrest Schafer, her mother, Vera Christensen, her father Harry Christensen and her brother, Lewis Christensen. 

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 25 at the Lutheran Church of Arcata, 151 East 16th Street, Arcata, California, with a reception immediately following. The family will have a private interment at 2:00 pm.   

In keeping with Carole & Forrest’s wishes the family asks, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Humboldt County Search & Rescue (P.O. Box 410, Eureka, CA 95502) or the Lutheran Church of Arcata (151 East 16th Street, Arcata, CA 95521).

###

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

In Loving Memory of Gary David Noar

Gary Noar, age 66, of Trinidad, passed away from complications of kidney cancer & pulmonary embolism on December 6, 2024. Gary was an adventurous spirit and avid hiker. He loved motorcycles and exploring the great outdoors.

Gary was a loyal friend, brother and uncle, and was a loving pet-parent to his cat Max aka Maxine aka “Not My Cat”.

An informal get-together to celebrate Gary Noar’s life will be held on Jan. 19, 2025, 1 p.m. at Trinidad Town Hall. Friends and family are invited to join in remembrance and support.

Gary Noar was born in Lynwood, California in 1958. He graduated from Bellflower High School in 1976. He moved from Southern California up to the Trinidad area around 1983.

Gary graduated from Cal State Humboldt with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems in 1998. Due to a lack of jobs locally, he moved to Alaska about a year later to work at a university in their I.T. department.

Around 2002, Gary got an I.T. job at Cal State Humboldt, and worked there until he retired in 2023.

We are very thankful that the good Lord blessed Gary with an extra 18 months of life beyond the original cancer prognosis.

We appreciated his sense of humor and the way he heartily laughed at jokes. We deeply miss Gary — and will always remember his kindness and thoughtful ways.

Frank Allen Machado
October 16, 1958 – January 1, 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Frank Allen Machado, who left us too soon on January 1, 2025, at the age of 66, following a brave battle with cancer. Born and raised in Ferndale, Frank was a beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Frank grew up on the family dairy farm in Ferndale, where he learned the value of hard work from an early age. He had three children — Amy Sad, Trisha Wick, and Zachary Machado — and Frank became a proud grandfather to Kaelyn and Nathan Sad, and Hayden Wick. He also cherished his role as stepfather to Mike, Jesse and Pete White, and as a grandfather to their children. Frank’s family meant everything to him, and he shared his love and wisdom with them at every opportunity.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, Frank is survived by his brother Rick Machado. He was preceded in death by his brother Ron Machado. Frank is also survived by his many nieces, nephews and extended family.

In his earlier years, Frank sought adventure, working as a sea urchin diver in Albion, California, and Port Orford, Oregon, before returning to Ferndale in 1994. There, he started a fencing company, which he continued to run until his final days. A man of tireless work ethic, Frank was known as the hardest working person many knew, and he set high standards for those around him, always encouraging others to be the best versions of themselves.

Frank had a zest for life that was truly infectious. His love for road trips and his willingness to help anyone in need left an indelible mark on all who were fortunate to know him. He loved golfing, NASCAR, spending time with family and friends, and indulging in great food. His laugh was unmistakable, and his presence always lit up any room. He was the life of every gathering, and his spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

For the last two years of his life, Frank shared many unforgettable adventures with Alice Plant, and together they created many memories. She was the definition of happiness to him and the rock that he needed until the very end.

Frank leaves behind a legacy of love, strength and resilience. He will be deeply missed by all who loved him, but his spirit will live on in the hearts of those who knew him best.

###

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

Born in Central Point, Oregon on November 28, 1946, and passed in McKinleyville on January 8, 2025.

Known by his coworkers, friends, and family for many years as” Hammering Hank” or “The “Hammer,” Hank was the life of the party and the center attraction. He was the team cheerleader for all! One of his favorite mottos was “Been there, done that, and I have the T-shirt” — there wasn’t much that he hadn’t done or tried in this lifetime, and he had all the stories and battle wounds to show for it.

He held many roles at PG&E as part of the line division and was a legend in his own time. After retirement from PG&E in 2004, he then went on to become an inspector for Candus Corporation and traveled all over the state of California.

Hank was a long-time member of the Faith Center Foursquare Church in Eureka. He loved to tell stories and had a passion for the outdoors, whether it be fishing on the Mad River, fishing in the ocean whenever the bar was perfect and the swells were within reason, or trolling the lagoons. He loved to hunt, play poker, collect special coins, can tuna and cheer on his kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews at sports, rodeos and gymkhanas. Hank was the best cheerleader and was always proud to support everyone related or not.

Hank leaves behind Roberta (Berta, or Bert) his wife and partner for 45 years ; daughter Karon, son-in-law Mike Nelson, and grandchildren Michaela, Brittney, and Jacob; aon John and daughter in-law Tara; daughter Kathy and her partner Noah Schiller, and grandchild Kiersten Yorks; sister Mary Bracken; brother John Waelty; great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, sister-in laws, brother-in laws, his best friends Ross and Donna Hanes, the Faith Center community, and multitude of friends.

Preceded in death by his mother Arla Lewis; stepfather Augie Lewis; father Henry Oral Waelty; stepmother Roberta Waelty; brother Bobby Waelty; and nephew Michael Waelty.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Timber Ridge of McKinleyville, Hospice of Humboldt employees and volunteers, family, and friends that came to visit.

A celebration of life will be held at Faith Center Four Square Church located at 1032 Bay Street in Eureka, CA 95501 on January 25 at 11:30 a.m.

###

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

Irene Warner
February 4, 1945 – January 12, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Irene Warner, who peacefully left this world on January 12, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family. She was 79 years old.

Born in 1945, Irene spent the majority of her life in Humboldt County, with additional time spent in Ukiah, Willits, Oregon and Southern California throughout her journey. Irene was a woman of immense compassion and generosity, dedicating much of her life to caring for others. Whether in her professional role as a caregiver or in her personal life, she always prioritized the well-being of her family and friends. She was known for her selflessness, often opening her home to offer a safe and warm place to stay for those in need. Irene’s nurturing nature extended to all those fortunate enough to know her.

In her leisure time, Irene enjoyed reading and could often be found singing and dancing whenever music played, a testament to her vibrant spirit and zest for life.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Bill Augusta and Leona Hamilton; her sister, Mary Lou Augusta; her beloved husband and lifelong companion, Dan Warner; her daughter, Kristina Warner; and her granddaughter, Hailey Augusta.

She is survived by her siblings twin sister, Barbara Augusta and brother Billy Augusta; her daughters, Genave Amorosano and son in law John Amorosano, Melissa Augusta, and Michelle Warner; her son, Dan Warner; as well as her cherished grandchildren, Joshua Winkler, Christina Moody, Joseph Winkler, Amanda Alger, Jeremy Willison, Ashliegh Augusta, Bella Augusta, Lauren, Christopher, Jacob, and Jocelyn. Irene was also deeply loved by her great-grandchildren, Bradley Willison, Kylie Willison, Everly Willison, Paislee Augusta, Gabriel Martinez, Christian Martinez, Mikayla Fornah, Serene Ebo, and Ariel Ebo. Irene’s family extended to numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, too many to name, but each of whom held a special place in her heart.

Irene’s legacy of kindness, love, and devotion will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her memory will forever live on in the hearts of her family and friends.

A celebration of Irene’s life will be held at a later date, and details will be shared with family and friends.

###

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