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During today’s meeting, First District Supervisor Rex Bohn faced criticism from fellow board members for including a handgun in Humboldt County’s auction basket at a recent meeting of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Board of Directors. 

The issue was brought up during the board’s discussion on the county’s current appointments to that board. Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell quickly made a motion to keep the appointments as is, with Bohn serving as the primary delegate and herself as the alternate.

Wilson | Screenshot

But Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said he had recently received a few phone calls from concerned individuals regarding the contents of Humboldt County’s auction basket at RCRC’s annual County Basket Drawing and Auction, which was held in Monterey County on Sept. 21. Each of the participating counties were asked to donate a basket to the auction, worth at least $200, featuring items that are representative of the county.

Humboldt County’s basket, assembled by Bohn, included a Traeger Grill, custom redwood benches, a YETI Cooler, $500 of Humboldt Grass-Fed Beef, a box of Humboldt Made treats and … a Smith & Wesson 9mm Cerakote handgun.

Wilson said he had received a number of phone calls from people who were concerned about the firearm being included in the county’s basket. There’s also a post about it on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, which has garnered over 760 views in the last 24 hours.

“So now people are talking about Humboldt County being purveyors of guns at a time when, you know, the biggest killer of kids is guns [and] suicide by gun is on the rise,” Wilson said. 

Clerk of the board Tracy D’Amico was hesitant to allow Wilson to continue the conversation without the consent of County Counsel Scott Miles, noting that “it’s not related to the agenda.” Miles said the conversation could continue, “but it must relate to the actual activities that took place in the capacity of the members’ delegacy to RCRC,” he said.

Wilson emphasized that the conversation was relevant to the discussion because it concerned the appointment of a board member who would represent the entire county on a state level.

“We’re promoting firearms and the distribution of firearms,” he said. “It’s not a party favor, and it’s not a door prize, right? It’s a firearm. It’s for the purpose of killing, or shooting people. I mean, that’s, like, generally why they’re developed, right? That’s what their point is. … It’s hard for me to accept that Humboldt County is a purveyor of that in our statewide organizations.”

Bohn sarcastically referred to himself as “a merchant of death,” noting his history in selling guns and cases of wine and liquor at various auctions. 

“If you want me to promise I’ll never sell another gun, I’ll do that,” Bohn said. “I’ve been a licensed hunter since I was 10 years old. I have never seen or bought a gun because you buy [them] to kill people. We can inflame that all we want. But, I mean, I know it’s an election year, let’s dirty up everything else as much as we can.”

Bohn said he had actually won a shotgun at a raffle and decided to trade it in for a pistol to donate to the basket. He emphasized that the gun and the transaction were completely legal, noting that under California law requires a 10-day waiting period before a firearm can be released to its new owner.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve had a gun in my basket,” he said. “And it’s not the first time that a gun in another county’s basket has been there. So the timing of this is … wonderful.”

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo pushed back on Bohn’s implication that the timing of the conversation had to do with Bohn’s reelection campaign, noting that the “timing of this has to do with the appointment that we’re making or considering.” Arroyo suggested that the board should postpone the appointment to provide “time to reflect.”

D’Amico said the board would have to make a decision on the matter in the next couple of weeks, prior to the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) meeting in mid-November. 

Arroyo | Screenshot

“I think handguns, in particular, is something that raises a lot of emotional questions … and policy questions around, you know, what we choose to represent us and how we want to be represented and by whom on a statewide level,” Arroyo said. “This isn’t about an individual’s character or anything, it’s just a question of what we as a board think is an appropriate representation of us. I don’t really know what deferring it would accomplish other than just a chance to take a deep breath and think about what makes the most sense.”

Bushnell asked what kind of direction Arroyo and Wilson were looking for, and whether their qualms were about the contents of the basket or the county’s representation with RCRC.

“I can say that I have attended almost all RCRC meetings since I’ve been elected and Supervisor Bohn does a very good job,” she said. “If you are questioning his representation on RCRC and how he represents the county, that’s one thing. If you’re questioning what he put in the basket, then let’s talk about that.”

Wilson admitted that it was “a bit dramatic of myself to say that a 9mm handgun is just made for killing people,” adding that it can also be used for self-defense and target practice.

“But what I’m getting at is that we try so hard to remove these from our streets,” he said. “We try so hard to secure these items so that they [cannot] create danger to our children and people in our community. They are so often used in crime, that it is a concern. … Mass shootings are a thing that are happening all the time, and this isn’t a hunting rifle.”

Fifth District Supervisor and Board Chair Steve Madrone, who appeared via Zoom during today’s meeting, said he had heard “interesting” comments about the county’s baskets at previous RCRC meetings. 

“Many of them thought that our basket was just way over the top,” he said. “One person said to me, ‘Well, you know, all of the rules, or most of the rules that have been set around these baskets have occurred due to Supervisor Bohn’s inclusion of a gun, and at one point cannabis products, et cetera.’”

“And a dog,” Bohn quipped.

Madrone felt the county should choose a representative who would “represent the interests of the county in a good light.” He added that he was “disturbed” that Bohn did not seem to see “the inappropriateness” of his actions.

“It also has concerned me that you have a shotgun … or a rifle, something on the wall in your office,” Madrone continued. “And I don’t know if you keep ammunition or not, but it seems highly inappropriate to me to have a gun in the courthouse in your office.”

Madrone’s comments were interrupted by county counsel, who asked Madrone to stay on topic. Bohn interjected to say that the firing pin has been removed from the gun in his office, rendering it inoperable.

Bushnell said she would like to return to her motion but suspected that it wouldn’t receive support from the rest of the board.

Wilson suggested a reversal of the positions, meaning Bohn would take on the alternate position with RCRC and Bushnell would serve as the primary delegate. 

“I would be willing to do that,” he said. “Otherwise, I really do need to sit on this for a bit because I don’t have all the information. … I want to say, I do really appreciate Supervisor Bohn’s efforts in wanting to promote charities as best he can. I feel like the goal of being the best at that might overtake some decision-making that I would question.”

Bohn offered a second to Wilson’s motion, noting that the county didn’t belong to the RCRC before he joined the board. 

“I served 11 years, I’ve missed one meeting,” he said. “I remember the statement that ‘elections have consequences’ and no matter how this is painted  – and I can see how it’s being painted – hopefully you guys find someone to run against me and you can paint this against me too in the next six weeks. You better hurry.”

Bohn paused for a moment as if he was going to say something and shook his head. “I’m not gonna say it, you guys. I’m just not gonna say it.”

A few folks came out to bat for Bohn during the public comment portion of the discussion. Connie Stewart, Director of Initiatives for Cal Poly Humboldt, praised Bohn’s leadership, both on the Board of Supervisors and on the RCRC board of directors. 

“I was at that auction and it was not the only weapon-related auction item that evening,” Stewart said. “There was also a squirrel shootout at a ranch that happened that evening. So, this event tends to be and this board tends to be very rural. I actually make a joke that Rex is actually quite liberal in this group of people.”

Humboldt County resident Craig Johnson said he wasn’t going to call into public comment but was having “a really hard time” seeing Bohn “being dragged through the mud like this.” 

“He puts forth so much effort and time to our community and really represents a solid cross-section of our community,” he said. “We don’t all live in the same space and believe the same beliefs and I believe, in my opinion, Supervisor Bohn presents a cross-section of our community. What he did was not an issue [from] my standpoint. As he said, the firearm would be transferred through the legal channels so that is, again, the choice of the winner of that firearm to go through that process.”

Following public comment, Wilson and Arroyo seemed to backpedal a bit. Wilson felt as though everyone’s perspectives had been heard throughout the discussion and said he would be willing to go back to the original motion to appoint Bohn as the delegate with Bushnell as an alternate. Arroyo agreed.

Wilson rescinded his motion and seconded the motion Bushnell had made at the beginning of the meeting.

Bohn acknowledged that the RCRC “does have a policy suggesting no guns,” but decided to auction the gun anyway. A July 10, 2023 email from the RCRC President and CEO Patrick Blacklock that was shared with the Outpost notes that “firearms, cannabis, and live animals are no longer permitted” at the auction.

Before voting on the item Bushnell asked if she could do the basket in the future.

“Yeah, you can do the basket,” Bohn said. “Trust me, I don’t want to do the basket anymore.”

The motion passed in a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Press release from Academy of the Redwoods:

Alejandra Ramirez Peralta, a dedicated and accomplished 11th grade student at the Academy of the Redwoods, has been selected by the State Board of Education (SBE) Ad-Hoc Screening Committee as one of 12 semifinalists to move forward in the highly competitive selection process for the esteemed 2024-25 California State Board of Education Student Member position.

Alejandra’s outstanding academic record, leadership qualities, and commitment to educational excellence have garnered her this distinguished honor. Her passion for education and dedication to advocate for her peers make her an exceptional candidate for this role.

The next phase of the selection process will take place at the annual Student Advisory Board on Education (SABE) conference, scheduled from November 5 through November 8, 2023, in Sacramento. This event is sponsored by the California Association of School Councils (CASC) and serves as a platform for the brightest student leaders across the state to convene and discuss pressing educational matters.

During the conference, Alejandra will have the opportunity to present her vision and aspirations for the role of Student Board member to the student delegates in attendance. This presentation will be a crucial aspect of her candidacy, as the delegates will vote to select six finalists from the pool of talented candidates.

Following this, the six candidates will undergo interviews with the State Board of Education Screening Committee on Tuesday, November 7. From this group, three finalists will emerge and be recommended to the full State Board of Education for approval at its meeting on Wednesday, November 8.

Once approved, the names of the three finalists will be forwarded to the Governor’s office for consideration. The Governor will carefully evaluate the candidates and ultimately select one student to serve on the State Board of Education for the 2024-25 academic school year.

The Academy of the Redwoods community congratulates Alejandra on this well-deserved recognition and wishes her the best of luck in the upcoming stages of the selection process.

For further information about the SABE Conference, please visit: https://www.casc.net/sabe

The dumb future is now! A Tesla Cybertruck was spotted tooling around the county in the last couple days — see above for the reader-submitted clip of the cubist machine zooming its way toward Rio Dell. 

Update your brain! New shapes are coming for your roadways! 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear sister and friend, Margaret “Peggy” Ellen Andrews, saxophonist/musician, on October 19, 2023 from a valiant struggle with brain cancer.

Peggy was born on July 10, 1953 in New Britain, Connecticut, to Robert and Ronnie Andrews. From early on, she was precocious, creative, inquisitive and an inherently bright child. An avid book reader with a vivid imagination who absorbed stories and information like a sponge. She made friends easily throughout the years and managed to keep those connections thriving despite the many changes that occurred in her life.

Peggy graduated in 1971 from Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Middletown, Conn. and spent several years in Connecticut before moving out west to the Bay Area, where she began her journey as a self-taught saxophonist. She eventually settled in Southern Humboldt County in Northern California, and for over 40 years she lived on Duty Ridge Rd, better known as “the hill,” in Ettersburg. It is here where she finally found a sense of belonging, community and happiness while also developing deep sustaining long-term friendships.

During this time, she continued to expand upon her musical career which included performing in numerous local area bands and in different genres: Orchestre Sabrosita, Las Malandras, The Razers, Moo Moo & the Creamers, Mud, Sweat & Tears, Rod Deal & the Ideals, Bluethorn, and The Garberville Town Band and she also did some composing and coproducing for Bluethorn. Some of her fondest memories were of the live iconic early 1990’s performances with The Ideals during Reggae On The River which can still be viewed online. She also spent some time tutoring band students locally. Personally, her real interest in music was jazz. She found such joy in its melodies and complex compositions. It spoke to her in ways that other genres could not and became a cornerstone of her musical identity.

For several years, Peggy had attended Jazz Camp West in the Bay Area where she’d spend a week rubbing elbows with, learning from, and collaborating with many other skilled musicians while she further honed her craft.

Peggy had a decades long loving relationship with KMUD Community Radio having been involved from the beginning of its inception. She was a radio programmer, and was a successful fund raiser believing strongly in its mission of community service. For more than 25 years she hosted a monthly eclectic jazz program and amassed a devoted following of listeners. Peggy was known for exposing her audience to different and sometimes more obscure artists and delighted in audience feedback she’d receive on program choices.

She was an accomplished gardener and successfully grew just about every vegetable you could think of. In addition, she grew flowers and particularly loved sun flowers and lavender. People from all over were often drawn to her – she was engaging because of her great sense of humor, her relentless interest in and caring of others, and her unique ability to connect with all she met on a real personal level. Being around her somehow allowed your inner child to emerge, and boy was it fun … Peggy was someone you always remembered and who made a distinct and lasting impression. She lived her life on her own terms, (recently dubbed “Queen Of Free” by her brother Chris which tickled her) was rebellious by nature and was generous to a fault. No matter what came her way, she remained lovingly and fiercely devoted to her family and her many friends, and was deeply emotionally available on many levels. Besides that, no one else could give a bigger and better bear hug.

For many years, Peggy made annual week plus trips to the east coast to visit family and friends. During this time, she would stay with her mother which further strengthened their understanding of one another and their unique bond. During the last two visits she ever made, Peggy spent some time caring for her mother. She eagerly and proudly filled that role with both kindness and empathy. Throughout the years, she always remained close and connected to her family and her east coast friends in spite of the physical distance.

She was a passionate animal lover for her entire life and was quite knowledgeable about many animals. She deeply loved all her pets which over the many years included cats, dogs, monkeys, an iguana, birds, turtles and tropical fish. During her life on the hill, she was a consummate champion of the downtrodden and as a result, several homeless cats and at least one dog sought her out sensing a kindred spirit and most of them eventually became part of her family. She was a nature lover and believed strongly in protecting the environment. She was self-taught on technology easily navigating computers and she even built a computer. Very independent to the core, she worked on car engines and systems. She demonstrated remarkable resiliency and determination in spite of all the many hardships she endured. Although we can’t imagine a world without her, she made an indelible mark by helping us see the goodness in and around us. We will always think of her as that impressionable and whimsical person who loved robots, science fiction, video games, Shark Week and could belt out a melody on her saxophone like nobody’s business. We will miss her eternal optimism and her perpetual childlike wonder of the universe.

Predeceased by her parents, Peggy is survived by three siblings: Christopher Andrews of Manchester, Conn.; Laura Colker (Hank) of Pittsburgh, Penn.; Eric Andrews (Jeannie) of Sherman. Conn.; her beloved three cats Windsor, Thomas and Henry; countless loving friends, and several cousins.

A special thank you to UCSF Department of Neurology, Eureka Rehab and Wellness, and Jerold Phelps Skilled Nursing Facility for your kindness, compassion and care during the last months of Peggy’s life. We also want to thank Paula Bartholomy who was a tireless and loving advocate and close friend throughout Peggy’s illness and life. In addition, we’d like to thank her many other friends for their love, visits and all kinds of support during this time – you know who you are. We are so grateful to all of you. Peggy spent her remaining days trying to regain strength, connecting with family and friends while she also earlier on had developed newly acquired insatiable appetites for both chocolate and mashed potatoes. Her final days were peaceful.

A celebration party of Peggy’s life will be planned in the community by her devoted friends in the future. Details will be announced when known.

Donations in Peggy’s memory can be made to:

KMUD Community Radio Inc, PO Box 135, 1144 Redway Dr, Redway, CA, 95560 or Miranda’s Rescue, 1603 Sandy Prairie Rd, Fortuna, CA 95540.

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Donald L. Comstock, 88, died on September 25, 2023 at St. Joseph’s Hospital with his children by his side. Donald was born November 1, 1934 in Crescent City to Albert “Don” Comstock and Mary Lou (Gunst) Comstock and was the oldest of three children.

Donald was raised in Greenville, Calif. and spent summers at his grandparents’ ranch in Orick. After graduating from Greenville High School in 1952, he went on to earn a degree in Civil Engineering from Santa Clara University. He attended SCU on a football scholarship and belonged to ROTC; graduating as a 2nd Lt in the Army.  He completed Basic Training in Texas and fulfilled his military service at Ft. Lewis, Wash. Never wanting to be far from his family’s ranch, he moved back home to Orick where he became a part time dairy farmer with friend Bob Kring until the ’64 Flood. He would milk the cows in the early morning then drive to his job at CalTrans in Eureka. He met his wife, Karen Vanderpoel, in Orick when a CalTrans coworker set him up with her cousin who was visiting for the summer. They were married for 25 years and although their marriage ended, their friendship remained until her death in 2019. They raised their family in Eureka.

Donald had a 30-year career with California Division of Highways in Eureka, beginning as a surveyor and later retiring in 1992 as Senior Transportation Engineer for District 1. Over the span of his career at CalTrans, he surveyed the Oregon Mountain Tunnel and was part of the design team on the Elk River Overpass and Redwood Park Bypass among many other transportation projects in Humboldt and Mendocino counties. After retirement, Donald would hook up his fifth wheel and spend weeks in Arizona for Spring Training. He often took his fifth wheel on long road trips to Wymoning, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and Washington to visit family and friends. He cherished lifelong friendships with many of his high school classmates, never missing a chance to see them at class reunions. He loved the trips to Hawaii with his daughter and her family. He was very active in his grandkids lives, attending soccer games, swim meets and most Holiday celebrations. However, his favorite place to be was on the ranch in Orick. He could often be found tinkering in the shop, cutting wood or atop his Kubota mowing the lower fields to golf course standards.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Albert “Don” and Mary Lou Comstock, and former wife, Karen Comstock. Donald is survived by his son, Doug Comstock (Orick); daughter, Kim and husband, Matt Smith (Loomis); grandkids Luke and Brooke Smith; sister, Betty Sailors (Covington, Wash.); brother, Robert Comstock (Mollala, Wash.); cousin Donna Sinclair (Prescott, Ariz.); sisters-in-law Linda Vanderpoel (Roseville), Lorainne Heck and Sandra Vanderpoel (McKinleyville); and brother-in-law Kenny Heck (Blue Lake); as well as his beloved nieces and nephews.

We will be having a private celebration of life at a later date. We will hold you in our hearts until we can hold you in our arms in Heaven, Dad.

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Joe passed away gently September 5, 2023 succumbing to Parkinson’s. He was born to Minyard Barnett and Lottie Cason Barnett October 7, 1943 in Nevada, Missouri.

His father was an evangelical Baptist preacher. They moved to Eureka when Joe was eight years old.

He was a hard worker. As a young kid, he started with a paper route and then advanced to obtain a commercial fishing license working on The Dory. At 16 he also started as a food clerk at Purity market. He worked 44 years in the grocery industry, mainly for Safeway, where he retired as the manager of the McKinleyville store. He spent most of his vacation time hunting, camping and commercial fishing, having purchased a vessel himself, the TJ, named after his kids.

Joe married Waletta Haywood in 1961 and had two children, Tina Marie Barnett (Anaya) and Joseph James Barnett Jr.

Later in life he married Margie Carol and they retired together in 2003, allowing them to spend more time with family and friends hunting, fishing and cutting lots of firewood.

Joe truly enjoyed spending time with his co-workers and friends. They were very dear to him. They and his family will miss him very much.

He has left behind his wife, Margie Carol and Tina Anaya, Joseph Barnett Jr., Tosha Martins-Bowling, Amber Guerrero, Carolyn Barnett, Cassandra Barnett, Jesse Bowling. His great-grandkids are Kaylee, Carson, Taven, AJ, Scarlett, Aaron.

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Have you seen the giant whale in the middle of the street in Old Town? Don’t worry, we’re not talking about a real whale. It’s a large, colorful mural on Second Street, between F and G Streets. And if you haven’t seen it yet, you might want to check it out soon, because it won’t be there for very much longer. 

The whale mural was done as a collaboration between three local artists, Blake Reagan, Kyle Sanders and Chris Dmise, who painted the piece on Second Street as a part of the Eureka Friday Night Market last week. The process was relatively quick for this particular mural, with the artists starting on Friday, Oct. 20 at about 3 p.m. and finishing up the piece at 7 p.m. that night, all while blasting whale songs while they worked.  

Blake Reagan told the Outpost today that the whale is a humpback and is about 75 feet in length, larger than an actual humpback whale, which generally grow to be somewhere between 45 and 60 feet long. 

But this beautiful, majestic creature will not be gracing our Old Town street for very long, as the City of Eureka is planning to repave the street. Brian Gerving, director of the public works department, said that he was not entirely sure when that portion of street would be torn up, but that work on the Old Town streets is expected to resume this Thursday, so the whale could be gone as early as this weekend. 

Raelina Krikston, coordinator for the Friday Night Market, told the Outpost that she asked the artists to paint that section of the street to provide some “vibrancy” on that block, which is closed off for the market, but didn’t have any vendor booths set up there. Because the street was slated to be repaved, it was incredibly easy to get approval from the City to paint a mural there. The artists were also well aware of repaving plans, and were happy to paint the piece, even knowing that it would be temporary. 

Krikston said that the project was a great success — many people stopped to watch the artists paint on Friday night. She’s hoping that this project will help encourage the community and the City to think about adding murals to surfaces other than walls. She also hopes to have more opportunities for live, public art at future Friday Night Markets. 

“It was a good opportunity to bring it all together and we were lucky enough to have support with the market,” Krikston said. “People really enjoyed it…We could maybe do it every week.”