Surrounded by the immense love of family and best friends, Karen Lynn Hill peacefully passed away on June 3, 2025. Karen embraced life with an adventurous spirit, turning every moment into a vibrant and unforgettable experience. Her boundless curiosity and fearless enthusiasm inspired those around her, leaving a legacy of joy, exploration, and love. She truly lived life to the fullest.

Born June 30, 1948, in Eureka to Harold and Virginia “Ruth” Hill, she was the youngest of four. She adored her older siblings and never stopped celebrating them throughout her life. After attending local schools, Karen graduated from College of the Redwoods with her AA degree. She worked as a teacher’s aide at Freshwater Elementary School, where she enjoyed all the students and kept up with their lives as they continued beyond grade school.

Karen eventually became a phlebotomist and loyally worked for General Hospital for 30-plus years. Everyone who had their blood drawn knew Karen, and she made sure to make friends with all her patients. Karen loved her toys—her beloved horse Jerobe, her motorcycles, kayaks, the “Dolphin” (a small RV which she used to teach her great-nephew Jack to drive stick).

Karen also committed herself to adopt a highway cleanup stretch on 101 for many years. If Karen wanted to do something, she made it happen, and for that, she is such a role model for all of us! Along with her best friend, Colleen, they couldn’t help but get themselves in fun trouble. The stories of their escapades are legend. Camping at “The Cove” and Reggae on the River were annual pilgrimages. Her lasting legacy is her absolute loyalty and commitment to the ones she loved. Friends and family were the center of her life. She never missed a graduation, a recital, or a birthday. Not only did she show up, but she took care of everyone.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Harold Hill; brothers, Pete and Tom; sister, Linda Macdonald; brother-in-law, Jack Macdonald; and nephew, Shane Hill. She is survived by her sisters-in-law, Jackie Hill and Diane Bonomini; nieces, Jill Macdonald, Polly Endert, Sally Macdonald, Heidi Hill, Molly Hill, and Shannon Fulton; and her very best friend, Colleen Murrish, and Colleen’s daughters, Carmen Sargent and Heidi McDermott, along with their families. She is also survived by many great (and great-great) nieces and nephews, who all affectionately called her “AK.”

Please join us for a celebration of life Sunday, September 7, 2025, at the Benbow Historic Inn from 2–5 p.m. If you would like to donate, Main Stage Humboldt is an organization close to Karen’s heart (mainstagehumboldt.org), or any charity of your choice.

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

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal wants to remind the public that aerial fireworks are illegal in most parts of Humboldt County.

“Fourth of July is a special time in our community. We are asking citizens to please be responsible. If you set off illegal fireworks, there are many things that could go wrong, including harm to yourself or others, fires, and stress for sensitive people and pets,” said Sheriff Honsal.

There is no safe place to launch illegal fireworks in Humboldt County. If someone’s fireworks cause a fire, they will be responsible for the cost and damage. If there is an injury or death, they may face fines, penalties, or criminal prosecution.

The goal of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is to encourage our community to celebrate our Independence Day responsibility and to keep families and structures safe this holiday weekend. Please think about our community before you launch illegal fireworks.

‘Safe and sane’ fireworks

Residents can celebrate Fourth of July weekend with “safe and sane” fireworks purchased from vendors, including sparklers, fountains, and firecrackers. Before igniting them, please pay attention to your surroundings and be mindful of people, animals, traffic, and dry vegetation. It’s also important to lock up your pets and give them a quiet place to retreat, as fireworks can cause stress for animals.

Professional fireworks

To safely view aerial fireworks, there will be shows in Fortuna, Eureka, and Benbow. These professional events are produced by trained staff with safety gear and the fire department on standby. The 2025 lineup includes Newburg Park in Fortuna on July 3, the Fourth of July festival in Old Town Eureka on July 4, and the Fourth of July festival at Benbow State Recreation Area on July 4. 

If you see any dangerous and reckless activity related to fireworks, please contact your local law enforcement agency. “It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep our community safe,” said Sheriff Honsal. Due to the call volume on the Fourth of July, law enforcement will be prioritizing life safety calls for service. On the Fourth of July, please only call 911 when there is an immediate danger to life or property.  
For more information about fireworks safety visit the CALFIRE webpage here: https://readyforwildfire.org/prevent-wildfire/fireworks-safety/.

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Caltrans is seeking public input on an ambitious plan to rebuild and replace the aging Eureka Slough Bridges on Highway 101 with a pair of modern, earthquake-resilient structures.

Last week, Caltrans released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Eureka Slough Bridges Project, kicking off a 45-day public review period. The 502-page document includes two design proposals for “mirrored” bridges — a set of identical bridges that run parallel to each other, carrying traffic in opposite directions — as well as a “no-build alternative,” which isn’t recommended by the agency. Construction is slated to begin in 2029 and is expected to last for four to five years. 

One proposed design (Alternative 2A) is projected to cost $321 million, while another (Alternative 2B) is estimated at $293 million. The construction process would look different for each design, but the key difference in the finished product would be the distance between the northbound and southbound lanes, as seen in the renderings below. 

“Build Alternative 2A would construct a temporary bridge to manage traffic during construction, whereas Build Alternative 2B would construct a new southbound bridge adjacent to the existing southbound bridge to manage traffic during construction,” according to the DEIR. “The use of a temporary bridge would allow the new bridges to be rebuilt on nearly the same location as the existing bridges, while constructing the new southbound bridge adjacent to the existing would allow traffic to use the existing bridges throughout most of the construction phases.”

I know what you’re thinking: C’mon, the bridges are fine! Why can’t Caltrans just fix what needs to be fixed instead of tearing the bridges down and starting from scratch?

Caltrans Public Information Officer Myles Cochrane told the Outpost that engineers looked at various options to retrofit the structures but determined that “replacement is the only viable option to bring the bridges up to modern standards and enhance multimodal safety and access.”

The bridges — built in 1943 and 1956 — are approaching “the end of their design life,” meaning they were built so long ago that they no longer adhere to modern safety standards.

“The southbound bridge is considered fracture-critical, which means it lacks backup supports,” Cochrane said. “So if one key part fails, the bridge would need to be closed in the interest of safety. It also has a non-standard profile, meaning the shape and slope of the road as you drive on and off the bridge don’t match modern guidelines. This outdated design makes it more challenging for drivers to see clearly and react in time, which has led to a collision rate that’s twice as high as similar bridges across California.”

Folks interested in learning more about the bridge replacement project can attend a virtual public meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23. Written comments on the DEIR can be sent to eurekasloughbridges@dot.ca.gov or via snail mail to: Steve Croteau, Branch Chief, Caltrans North Region Environmental, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501. Comments must be submitted by Saturday, August 9.

More information on the project can be found here.

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Caltrans release:

Crews have made major progress toward reopening Route 36 east of Swimmer’s Delight near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park. Thanks to around-the-clock efforts over the past three days — including work with two helicopters — more than 100 logs have been removed from the slope. While there is still much work to be done, we’re on track to reopen the highway to one-way traffic by this Thursday, barring any unforeseen events.

We’ll continue to assess and address remaining hazards before turning our attention to long-term slope repairs and a future catchment area. A huge thanks goes out to the fallers and loggers who’ve exhibited precision in their safety skills while making this challenging work possible. We’re also extremely grateful to Columbia Helicopters, who delayed their Alaska deployment to get their Chinook helicopter here. We couldn’t have done it without them.

We remain committed to restoring safe and reliable travel on Route 36. Route 299 continues to serve as the only state highway detour in Humboldt County.

PREVIOUSLY:

• One Arrested, Two At Large Following Early Morning Burglary in Arcata, APD Says
• Another Arrest Made in Arcata Burglary Case

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Press release from the Arcata Police Department:

On June 26, 2025, at 4:30am, Arcata Police Officers interrupted a residential burglary in the 400 block of Shirley Boulevard. Three suspects fled on foot and the incident concluded with one suspect in custody after a foot pursuit.

Later that day APD Detectives identified an additional suspect as 47-year-old Arcata resident, Alvar Shane Sovereign. Sovereign was arrested without incident for burglary and fresh charges for felon in possession of ammunition, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A search warrant was served on a residence associated with Sovereign located in the 1100 block of Madrone Avenue in Arcata. The search yielded a firearm and methamphetamine. Sovereign was booked and lodged at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on an additional charge of felon in possession of a firearm.

On June 29, 2025, Investigators with the Arcata Police Department arrested a third suspect, 43-year-old Arcata resident, Daren Rasella, on the 800 block of Courtyard Circle in Arcata.  Rasella was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the charge of residential burglary.

The Arcata Police Department would like to thank the community for their continued support in reducing crime. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Arcata Police Department’s Investigations Unit, at 707-822-2424, or the Anonymous Crime Tipline, at 707-825-2588.

California’s revamped Low Carbon Fuel Standard takes effect on Tuesday, despite fierce Republican criticism and increasing Democratic trepidation over its potential to raise gas prices.

The new rules — which expand a program to reduce climate-warming gases and clean the air — ratchet up requirements for cleaner fuels and broaden a $2 billion credit market aimed at cutting emissions from cars, trucks and freight.

No immediate hike in gas prices will occur. Experts say the future impact is uncertain because it depends on how much the oil industry spends on buying credits and then passes it onto consumers.

The previous fuel standard, which was set in 2011, added 9 cents to the cost of a gallon; a UC Davis researcher estimates that the new one could add 5 to 8 cents per gallon.

The Newsom administration is bracing for more political attacks as Republican legislators have seized on the issue. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office issued a fact-check memo defending the rule and saying the impacts are exaggerated, while Republicans in the Legislature and Congress say it would damage the economy because Californians already pay the most in the nation for gasoline. State Sen. Brian Jones requested an audit of the rule, calling it “nothing short of price gouging by Newsom, hitting Californians where it hurts the most.”

Democratic lawmakers last week introduced legislation that would cap the price of the standard’s fuel credits in an effort to rein in price spikes at the pump. The measure is supported by one of the state’s most powerful Democrats, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, who said it “will reduce costs for drivers across the Golden State while continuing to move our climate and energy goals full steam ahead.”

The new fuel standard is projected to reduce carbon dioxide-equivalent gases by 558 million metric tons through 2046, according to the air board’s economic assessment. Those reductions are equal to the emissions of more than 120 million cars on average in a year. Some critics say that is an overestimate, because soybean fuels may not be as clean as reported.

Cleaner, low-carbon fuels include biofuels made from soybeans or cow manure. The program has been particularly successful in reducing the diesel fuels used by medium and heavy-duty trucks. Over the 13 years, it has displaced 25 billion gallons of petroleum fuels, according to the air board.

The new fuel standard was temporarily delayed earlier this year when the state’s administrative law office rejected it and sent it back to the air board to add more clarity to the rule.

Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Bakersfield Democrat, last month called for the resignation of California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph over concerns that the agency did not study the economic impacts of its new standard.

Randolph said in a statement that gas prices are “over a dollar per gallon cheaper than just a few years ago. Our efforts to deploy more zero-emission vehicles and reduce fossil fuel use is working to cut demand and create more competition in the fuels market, and the (fuel standard) is a big part of that effort.”

In an unrelated action, California’s gasoline excise tax, which is adjusted annually, will increase by 1.6 cents per gallon on Tuesday. The tax is primarily used to pay for roads and highways.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

The National Weather Service’s Eureka arm is cautioning folks to the east to stay alert. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for today through 11 p.m. on  Tuesday for interior Humboldt, and parts of Trinity, Mendocino and Lake counties due to the threat of dangerous weather conditions.

“Scattered thunderstorms are expected to produce lightning and gusty and erratic outflow winds,” NWS announced in a release today. “New fire starts are possible.”

Stay safe out there, friends.