Press release from the North Coast Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team:
Size: 87 acres Containment: 80% Personnel: 231 Cause: Under investigation
Current Fire Situation
The Mile Post Fire remains within its established operational footprint as firefighters continue making steady progress toward incident objectives. Crews are focused on keeping the fire north of Mill Creek Road, south of Norton Creek, west of Norton Creek Road, and east of Highway 96 while strengthening containment lines and securing the fire perimeter.
Division D continues 40-foot mop-up operations on the south end while reinforcing containment lines and constructing a contingency line from Mill Creek Road to Highway 96. These efforts are focused on eliminating residual heat and improving line security should fire activity increase.
Night operations were successful, with firefighters monitoring fire activity, holding completed suppression work, and extinguishing isolated hotspots along the containment line. The fire remained entirely within its established footprint overnight, with no significant rollouts, spot fires, or operational issues reported. Crews also reported no traffic-related concerns, and Highway 96 operations remained incident-free. Firefighters will continue evaluating weather conditions and fire behavior to adjust tactics as needed while maintaining firefighter and public safety.
Traffic Advisory
Highway 96 between Hoopa and Weitchpec is open to controlled one-lane traffic 24 hours a day.
Expect delays and use caution while traveling through the area. Please follow all traffic control personnel and signage as fire crews continue operations. Thank you for your patience and cooperation in helping keep both the public and emergency responders safe.
Today’s weather will support continued firefighting operations with partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 86°F. Overnight temperatures are expected to cool to around 51°F, providing improved humidity recovery. Atternoon west to northwest winds of 5-10 mph may produce localized increases in fire activity on exposed slopes and ridge tops, while lighter winds are expected during the evening and overnight hours.
Fire behavior is expected to remain primarily creeping and smoldering, with the potential for isolated flare-ups in areas of heavy fuels and residual heat during the warmest part of the day.
Firefighters will continue monitoring weather conditions throughout the operational period and adjust suppression tactics as needed to maintain firefighter and public safety. Looking ahead, a gradual warming trend is expected over the coming week, with continued dry conditions supporting elevated fire potential across the region.
Public Information
North Coast Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team PIO- T RobRoy Latham 707-684-9482
Organizers of a citizen-led ballot initiative opposing Amazon’s proposed warehouse and distribution center in McKinleyville announced today that the measure will not appear on the November ballot.
Despite an outpouring of community support, the petition drive by the group Save Our Coast did not collect enough verified signatures to meet the state-mandated threshold in time for submission. Canvassers collected more than 4,300 voter signatures in 10 days, but ran out of time to reach the required 4,864 signatures in time for them to be verified.
The County Elections Office would have had to verify the signatures and send the measure to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors for approval by Aug. 7 to qualify for the November ballot, but the Board does not meet from July 14 through Aug. 11.
Organizer Tina Freeland said she was gratified by the enthusiastic support for the initiative, which would have restricted the size of warehouse facilities within the Coastal Zone. “We understood from the first that time was short to secure the required signatures,” Freeland said, “but well over 4,000 signatures were collected in a 10-day period. That should send a message to Amazon and the County.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Supervisors also considered Save Our Coast’s request to place the question on the ballot, but the Board determined that it could not, citing time constraints and differences in requirements between government-initiated action and a citizen-led initiative.
“When we could see that we were not going to meet the goal, we decided to ask the Board to adopt the initiative under their authority, but it couldn’t be done,” Freeland said.
Freeland urges residents to tune in to the Humboldt County Planning & Building Department’s virtual public scoping meeting on Tuesday, July 14, at 6 p.m. to discuss the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed 40,290-square-foot Amazon Distribution Facility. Visit https://humboldtgov.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/6265 for details.
She also urges written comments, which become part of the public record, be sent to Senior Planner Steve Lazar by July 29 at 5 p.m.: Humboldt County Planning & Building Department, 3015 H St., Eureka, CA 95501 or by email to slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us.
Pictured above is the old Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) sewing
room and the ladies who worked there,
including my mother, Helen (Koble)
Dillon (upper right-hand corner, leaning against the wall).
The photograph was taken most likely
around 1938. The building was located
on the corner of Fifth and I streets
across from the County Courthouse (now
a parking lot). The courthouse’s tall
clock tower could be seen for miles.
In addition to my mother, the only
other woman I can identify is Mrs.
Hauck (center front). Being the “boss
lady,” she was not required to wear a
smock, though everyone else was.
Smocks were a must on the job. In
fact, on their first day of work, the women would cut out their smocks, sew
them, and have them ready to wear
within a day or two. It was also mandatory to wear dresses. According to my
mother, one of the ladies came to work
one day wearing slacks and Mrs. Hauck
sent her home, docking her a whole day’s
pay. The salaries ranged from about $36
or $42 a month so, in the case the unfortunate woman in slacks, losing a day’s
pay was not so good.
The ladies made clothes which were
distributed to families on welfare. They
sewed shirts, dresses, blouses, even
men’s, women’s and children’s underclothes. Six thicknesses were cut at a
time with very large scissors.
My mother, Helen, worked on the
third floor or “cutting room.” There, the
ladies stood on their feet eight hours a
day, leaning over tables, cutting garments for the ladies on the second and
first floors to then sew. Often, Helen
would walk to work from 2161 Albee St.
in order to save the nickle bus fare. The
money might be used to send my two
brothers and me to an occasional Saturday picture show (which cost a dime
each).
There were always several trucks
parked on the I Street side, loaded with
wood for sale. Sometimes I would meet
my mother after work and she would
pay the driver the $5 for a load of wood.
We would also get to ride home in the
truck which was a great treat for us. The
driver was kind enough to unload the
wood in our yard. A good bargain: a load
of wood, a ride home and direct delivery
into the yard!
Helen bought the Albee Street home
for $15 down and $5 a month. It was
unusual at the time for an unmarried
woman with three children to be buying
a house but Mr. Walker of the Bank of
Eureka (now the location of the Clarke
Museum) apparently had great faith in
my mother and the WPA because he
approved the loan. Through the years,
as she paid off that loan, she mentioned
many times how she appreciated Mr.
Walker and the trust he had in her.
My mother is gone now, as is the
WPA, but what a terrific woman she
was. For the most part she was in good
health all of her life, right up until her
last weeks. She died at age 87.
###
The piece above was printed in the September-October 1991 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.
With sadness, but also a lifetime of great memories, the Cox family shares our loss of Edward “Ed” Cox II, who passed unexpectedly on June 28, at his home in Eureka, at the age of 79.
Ed was a fourth generation Humboldt County native. He attended Marshall Elementary School, Eureka Junior High School, and was a 1965 graduate of Eureka High School.
When he was a young boy, Eureka had no youth football programs, so Ed and his dad, Ed Cox Sr, along with cousin, Tim Cox, set out to change that, becoming the founders of the Humboldt County Pop Warner “Pee Wee” Football league.
Following high school, Ed enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving with a combat engineer battalion in Vietnam. Ed was never one to talk about his time in the service, but he was proud to have served his country.
Following his military service, Ed attended Humboldt State University, playing football for the Lumberjacks while earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He then went on to attend McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, graduating in 1977, and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1978.
Ed determined early on that the practice of law was not for him, although his skills and law degree would benefit him greatly throughout his lifetime. Ed’s true calling in his work life was that of an entrepreneur, primarily in the land and timber industry. He absolutely loved putting land and timber deals together.
When California regulations became too restrictive, he moved the majority of his business activities to Gold Hills, Ore., near Jacksonville, where he maintained a second residence/office during the week for about 20 years. Ed’s work in the timber industry continued to the very day of his passing.
Some of Ed’s best business advice included, “Always make your money on the buy, not the sell,” and, “In this world there are two types of people: producers and consumers. Always be a producer!”
Ed loved watching his kids and grandkids excel in sports. He also enjoyed golf and surfing. Ed started surfing in the ‘60s and throughout his surfing days stayed true to his “old school longboard.” Because of this he was known and revered at the North Jetty by the younger surfers as, “Big Ed on Big Red.”
For years, Ed made annual surfing trips with his boys, driving from Eureka to Baja, Calif., camping on the beaches of Mexico and surfing for a week at a time. Ed loved good Mexican food, and was known for his chili verde and old fashioned tacos.
But as much as he loved all of these experiences and adventures, everyone who truly knew Ed knew that his No. 1 love and passion in life was his beloved high-school sweetheart and wife of 57 years, Diane Cox. Through thick and thin, and times of great happiness and sorrow, they were at each other’s side until Diane’s passing in 2023. Ed missed Diane dearly, and the family takes comfort in knowing that they, along with son Dan, are together once again.
Ed had lots of friends and was known as a kind and fair man who would help out or lend a hand to anyone in need. His and Diane’s home was always open to anyone who needed advice, protection, a place to stay, or a good meal. He will be missed dearly by many.
Ed is survived by his children, Ed Cox III, Randy (Melinda) Cox, Zack Cox, Nick Cox, and Joe Cox, all of Eureka; sister Lana Griffith of Portland, Ore.; brother Dave (Marilyn) Cox of Weaverville; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and so many others that he loved and shared his life with.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Diane, son Danial “Dan” Cox, and his parents, Ed Sr. and Charlotte Cox.
A graveside service for family and close friends will be held on Friday, July 17th, 10 a.m. at Ocean View Cemetery in Eureka. A celebration of life to honor Ed will then be held on Saturday, September 5, from noon-4 p.m., at the Eureka Elks Lodge, where all are invited to remember Ed and share your favorite memories and stories.
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Edward Cox’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
It’s taken over half a year, but the big pile of rubble taking up half of a city block where multiple businesses and apartments once stood before a fire torched it to the ground is on-track to be cleaned up within the next few weeks.
Obtaining all of the permits necessary to clean the site up has been difficult, Arcata’s city manager, Merritt Perry, has previously told the Outpost, but the gauntlet’s almost been cleared. The company the property owners contracted to do the cleanup, California-based Environmental Remedies, has secured the demolition permit, the encroachment permit, and completed the air district notifications and Department of Toxic Substances requirements, Perry told the Outpost in an email earlier this week. The only thing missing from the company’s checklist is to register a large-quantity generator with the California Environmental Reporting System.
What does all of that mean? Basically, it means that all of the sundry governmental organizations that like to keep tabs on projects that might disrupt the environment have been notified there’s one commencing, and have given their blessing. (There are likely copious amounts of heavy metals and other nasty chemicals in the wreckage that may start circulating around when it’s being cleared.)
Perry said the company is anticipating starting in a few weeks, and will share the schedule once it’s finalized. A spokesman for Environmental Remedies told the Outpost that they’ll likely start before the end of July.
The job will be a big one. It’ll take eight to 10 weeks to complete, the spokesman said. The waste has to be catalogued and sorted before it’s taken to a landfill. He said they’ll tamp down on the dust by spraying the debris with a fine mist before any of it gets moved.
Nearby residents don’t need to be worried, he said. They’ll follow all local, state, and federal regulations, and the open, unconfined job site will likely prevent any runaway dust from harming anyone.
The California Supreme Court upheld a decision Wednesday that cements the legality of county oversight of sheriff’s departments — and the body’s power to obtain records.
A lawsuit filed by Sonoma County sheriff’s officers and their union had challenged the power of an oversight agency established by the county’s supervisors and voters. Earlier this year, a California appellate court found this body was legally authorized to subpoena the county sheriff’s office while probing whistleblower inquiries, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The justices unanimously denied an appeal of this finding on Wednesday, according to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle. Involved attorneys told the Chronicle this ruling confirms that all counties have the power to create civilian sheriff oversight systems, which can have subpoena powers to compel documents from these offices.
Proponents of an in-the-works ordinance to establish civilian oversight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office lauded the decision.
“It establishes without question that counties may — it’s discretionary, if they choose — create an oversight commission,” said Larry Giventer, a proponent of the ordinance, in an interview.
Giventer, who was part of the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury that recommended oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, and is a member of Eureka’s police oversight committee (though he emphasized he was speaking as an individual), said the kind of oversight proponents are seeking is similar to other California counties — and is the same type confirmed by Wednesday’s order.
The model for these oversight bodies in California comes without management or punitive function. The bodies review reports and make recommendations to the law enforcement agency.
For example, the city of Eureka’s system involves an independent police auditor that reviews complaints, reports from internal affairs and makes recommendations to the Eureka Police Department (EPD). Eureka’s citizen-led Community Oversight on Police Practices board works alongside the auditor in this work.
Giventer noted that of the about 30 recommendations of Eureka’s independent police auditor, Southern California-based OIR Group, EPD has implemented or is working to implement all reccomendations.
Giventer pointed out that state law previously explicitly gave county boards of supervisors and voters the power to make oversight boards. Under 2020’s Assembly Bill 1185 and 2025’s AB 847, these groups could issue subpoenas and access officer personnel files.
But the order issued Wednesday cements the constitutionality of oversight groups. This has statewide implications, with oversight commissions in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Marin and Monterey, attorneys told the Chronicle.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors recently advanced work towards a proposed ordinance to establish an oversight group. The board voted in May to form an ad hoc committee consisting of Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo and county staffers to develop a draft ordinance for a civilian-led oversight system that would eventually go to voters.
This followed proponents pushing to take the issue to voters and opposition from Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal. During public meetings on the matter, Honsal questioned if establishing oversight of an elected official was appropriate, and argued the public’s trust in the office is high.
A spokesperson from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office did not return an emailed request for comment by publishing time.
For now, proponents are essentially waiting to see what happens with the county proposal. Giventer said the group is not presenting a deadline to the supervisors but is seeking further discussion and editing to understand the points of view of everyone, especially the sheriff.
At this time, he doesn’t know where the ordinance will end up. The route will either be an ordinance by county staffers or submitted a ballot initiative by proponents. He said proponents are hoping to meet with the sheriff in a couple of weeks.
“We’re confident that an oversight body would be a constructive improvement for law enforcement,” he said, explaining that it will add transparency, accountability and be a way for the public to ask questions of law enforcement. He emphasized the effort is not a criticism of the sheriff’s department.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is currently experiencing a telephone service outage affecting the Main Station, Garberville Station, McKinleyville Station, and the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.
If you have an emergency, call 911 immediately.
For non-emergency assistance, please use one of the following temporary phone numbers:
(707) 502-7579
(707) 601-5504
Humboldt County Information Technology (IT) staff are actively working to restore telephone service as quickly as possible. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding while this issue is being resolved.
