###

Press release from the Bureau of Land Management:

Ferndale – The Bureau of Land Management will offer two untrained Mustang yearling fillies and four wild burros for adoption Saturday, March 9, at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale.

Anyone interested can see the available animals between noon and 5 p.m., Friday, March 8. The adoption begins with a silent auction at 9 a.m. Saturday. Animals not taken during the auction will be available on a first come, first served basis for a $125 adoption fee. The BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program applies to this event; adopters receive a check for $1,000, when they receive title to their animals a year after adoption.

To qualify, adopters must be at least 18 years old and have facilities that meet the BLM’s requirements. Title to the animals remains with the federal government for a year, after which adopters can apply for title. Detailed information about adopter qualifications and facility requirements can be found online.

The adoption event is being held in conjunction with the Back Country Horsemen of California Trail Obstacle Challenge, a free event for spectators. The event includes demonstrations on back country horse and burro packing topics, including Dutch oven cooking, predator encounters, trail etiquette and correctly packing gear.

The BLM is responsible under the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burro Act for protecting and managing wild horses and burros on public lands. The agency periodically removes animals from the range when populations exceed levels established to allow wild horse and burro herds to thrive in balance with other range users, including wildlife and permitted livestock. These animals are then available for adoption at events throughout the country.

To learn more about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program, please visit: https://www.blm.gov/whb.

Photo: Andrew Goff.

It’s been cold as hell the last few nights and there’s more rain coming soon. That means the Eureka Rescue Mission has been very busy.

Yesterday, the Mission’s operation manager put out a call on social media, in the Humboldt County On Alert Facebook group. He wrote:

We are in need of essential items like brown rice, white rice, pinto beans, macaroni, milk, eggs, cheese, butter, bologna, ham, turkey, and black tea. Your donations, big or small, make a significant impact. If you’re able to contribute, please drop off items at the Eureka Rescue Mission at 110 2nd St in Old Town.

Reached this morning, the Rescue Mission’s executive director, Bryan Hall, confirmed that they’ve been putting up a lot of people lately, and while they’re not yet in crisis mode as far as the state of their pantry is concerned, some donations of the items mentioned would be very helpful right now, especially with the mission housing 50 women and children and up to 80 men a night.

“It’s not that we’re desperate right now, but we always have a need,” Hall said.

Got some rice or beans or pasta or dairy or eggs or lunchmeat you can part with? Hall said that you can drive them up to the Rescue Mission — 100 Second Street — anytime. There’ll be people there to help you unload, if you like.

Also, of course, the Mission is more than happy to take any monetary donation you might have to offer. There’s a handy donation link on their website. Also, you can phone the Mission’s main line — (707) 445-3787 — and ask for Carol. She’ll help you help them in any way you like.

Gomez campaign photo via Facebook.

Rogelio “Roy” Gomez’s campaign for county supervisor submitted overdue financial disclosure forms to the county elections office on Monday, the same day that the Outpost asked for details about the campaign’s fundraising efforts to date.

Gomez is challenging incumbent Mike Wilson for the Third District seat on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

As we reported Monday, the Gomez campaign previously filed a Form 470, which is for candidates who don’t intend to raise and/or spend $2,000 or more. This despite the fact that his campaign announced in December that it was in “full campaign fundraising mode,” was soliciting donations via PayPal and had professionally designed yard signs. 

Asked for confirmation that the campaign had not raised or spent more than $2,000, campaign manager Jessica Gomez (Roy’s wife) replied via Facebook Messenger, saying they would not answer any questions about “campaign fundraising, advertisements, or any other information regarding our campaign” unless the Outpost first reported on Eureka City Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez’s interest in anarchism.

The Gomezes have made impassioned public comments on this issue at Eureka council meetings and elsewhere, theorizing that a majority of the five-person council may have infiltrated city government in order to dismantle it from within:

At some point on Monday (employees at the Elections Office couldn’t say exactly when), the Gomez campaign turned in a 470 amendment form disclosing that it had, in fact, exceeded the $2,000 fundraising threshold, with an explanatory note saying, “some funds still on hold by paypal.”

The campaign also submitted a Form 410, disclosing the formation of a recipient committee, “Elect Roy Gomez,” which is required of campaigns that exceed the $2,000 mark. The data entered on that form says that the Gomez campaign reached the qualification threshold five days earlier, on Feb. 21.

According to the Fair Political Practices Commission’s campaign manual for local candidates, “A committee that qualifies during the last 16 days before the election must file Form 410 within 24 hours of qualifying.”

We reached out to the Gomez campaign via Facebook Messenger to ask about the discrepancy, and though our message was “seen” by the page manager a little before 10 a.m., no one from the campaign responded before the time this post was published. We will update if we get a response.

Jay Wierenga, communications director for the FPPC, told the Outpost that while any violation of California’s Political Reform Act can carry a penalty of up to $5,000, the commission considers such things on a case-by-case basis, with leeway given for mitigating factors such as lack of experience from first-time candidates. 

Election Day is next Tuesday, March 5.

From the Fortuna Police Department’s Facebook page:

On February 28, 2024 at approximately 8:25 am Fortuna Police Officers responded to Fortuna Union High School to assist the California Highway Patrol at the school. Initial reports were that a person of interest in a CHP investigation involving an earlier collision was last seen entering the school campus.

Upon arrival Fortuna Police Department Officers learned the school had been placed in a precautionary lockdown until further information could be gathered. It was quickly determined that was no threat to students or staff and the lockdown was lifted. The majority of the police presence was cleared from the school campus and California Highway Patrol continued their investigation. All inquiries into the California Highway Patrol’s investigation should be directed to their agency.

All public safety agencies place a very high priority on the safety of our schools. Fortuna Police Department would like to thank allied agencies for their quick response and offers of assistance.

California offers extensive pregnancy benefits to low-income mothers, but the state’s top health agencies have no way of knowing how many people are getting help or whether the program improves the health of moms and babies, a new report from the California State Auditor asserts.

The audit’s findings come at a time when California is grappling with increasing rates of maternal mortality, persistent disparities for Black women and growing maternity care deserts. In 2020, the state reported the highest rate of maternal mortality in a decade, and Black women were three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than others.

Despite statewide efforts to reverse those trends in recent years, the departments of Health Care Services and Public Health fail to monitor one of the longest-standing pregnancy programs for moms and babies, the audit found. The departments have not made any significant improvements to the program since its establishment in 1984, the audit said.

“We found that neither Health Care Services nor Public Health provide the perinatal program with sufficient oversight,” State Auditor Grant Parks wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

Medi-Cal is the state’s public health insurance program for extremely low-income residents. It pays for roughly 40% of all births in California. Parents and pregnant patients on Medi-Cal die from complications at a rate 3.7 times higher than those with private insurance, according to state data. Babies with Medi-Cal are the most likely to be born with a low birth weight, a predictor for other health complications later in life.

In a joint statement to CalMatters, health care services Director Michelle Baass and state Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón said the agencies would work together to address the audit findings. They plan to conduct regular reviews of Medi-Cal providers that include audits and enforcement actions. They also plan to update informational material outlining pregnancy benefits.

“It is our collective responsibility to hold each other accountable while raising the standard higher to ensure that pregnant individuals in the Medi-Cal program have timely access to quality, equitable maternal health care services,” the statement said.

Under the state’s Comprehensive Perinatal Care Program, Medi-Cal members are eligible to receive health education, nutrition counseling, psychosocial services, prenatal vitamins, referrals to other social services and an individualized care plan.

Early assessments of the program conducted in the 1980s and 1990s showed a significant decrease in low-birth weight babies among those who received services. Today, auditors found, the state is not collecting sufficient data to assess how many people are using services or whether the program is helping vulnerable patients.

The number of babies born too small in California has grown slightly in the past 10 years to about 7.3% of all births, auditors noted, although the state still has fewer low-birth weight babies than the national rate of 8.5%.

Data limitations were so significant that the State Auditor’s office could not complete its assessment of how many eligible patients received benefits statewide. Data was only available for 14% of the roughly 14 million Medi-Cal enrollees.

The audit also found that the agencies have conducted very little oversight of the doctors, health departments and insurers that administer benefits in each county. Instead, the state has relied on “voluntary local oversight” and general compliance investigations that do not specifically address maternity care. The Medi-Cal member handbook also fails to notify enrollees about pregnancy-related benefits.

The audit warned that without state intervention, the problems would continue.

“Medi‑Cal members may not seek available services because they are unaware of the perinatal program, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of poor maternal and infant health outcomes,” the audit said.

In the joint statement, Baass said the Health Care Services department plans to also publish a Birthing Care Pathway report this summer that will have policy recommendations on how the state can “effectively reduce maternal morbidity and mortality and address racial and ethnic disparities.”

###

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.

Drew Spencer Rotermund, 77, passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at his home in Bayside.

Drew was born on September 10, 1946, in Akron, Ohio to Rod and Marian (Deitz) Rotermund. He was a 1964 graduate of Eureka Senior High School, and afterwards served in the US Army Reserves from 1966 to 1972. Drew’s lifelong dream was to serve in law enforcement, and in 1970 he realized that dream by joining the Alaska State Troopers. His career with AST spanned 24 years and encompassed postings all across the state of Alaska. Drew’s legacy in law enforcement lives on through his role in the development of programs such as “Shoot-Don’t-Shoot” and “Arraignment by Television,” versions of which still survive to present day.

Of all Drew’s career accomplishments, his proudest moments were those spent as an instructor at the AST Academy in Sitka. Drew loved teaching and took pride in each student’s advancement.

He retired as First Sergeant in 1994, and shortly after returned to Humboldt County. Drew spent 11 years living on his mountain property in the Dinsmore area, where he enjoyed a peaceful life of chopping firewood, reading and a good crossword puzzle. Drew eventually moved back to Bayside, where he spent the final years of his life. His family and friends will remember and miss his humor, his counsel and the way he left a room.

Drew is survived by his son Brett (Dani’) and granddaughter Gina; nephew Ryan (Jennifer) Moore and niece Darby; and sister Kay and nieces Cecily and Emily. Services are being planned by the family.

Wilma May Pfingsten was born on March 29,1946 in Casper, Wyoming to Carl and Norma Weber. She grew up in Wyoming and moved to Arcata as an adult. Here she met the love of her life Jim Pfingsten, and a short time later they married. They were together for more than 53 years. They had a beautiful family of three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren which they loved with all their hearts.

Wilma spent most of her adult life living among the ancient redwoods in northern California, raising a family and loving her church. She was a longtime member of the Trinity Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school with her best friend for many years, sang in the choir and served food to those in need at the church Pantry Food Bank. Wilma was an animal lover, so she made sure that the Pantry was always stocked with dog food. She also had two dachshunds named Coco and Abbey which were always by her side.

After retiring from Mad River Adult day, Wilma enjoyed a life of traveling and camping with her family. Wilma and her husband Jim spent every summer camping at the R-Ranch with their ranch family, playing card games and living life to the fullest. Wilma never met a stranger that she couldn’t chat with or share her contagious laugh. She was a kind and loving woman who was dearly beloved by everyone. She gave everything to her family, friends and faith. They were the center of her world. 

We would like to thank everyone who cared for and came to visit her in the last few months of her life. We would especially like to thank the staff of Seaview Rehabilitation and Wellness Center for their devoted and loving care of our mother.

You’re welcome to join us for her Celebration of Life on Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. at the Trinity Baptist Church in Arcata. In lieu of flowers, we request donations to be made to the Trinity Baptist Church Pantry.

###

The obituary above was submitted by Wilma Pfingsten’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.