Jamey Estelle Hughes of McKinleyville passed away on January 16, 2026 at the age of 50 from pancreatic cancer. Known by her friends and family as Estelle, she was born on August 3, 1975 in Weaverville to Jody Proffi Brown and Jake Waldt. She spent her early life in Weaverville, McKinleyville, and Shasta County before moving to Salyer in her late teens. It was in Salyer that she met her future husband, Duncan Hughes. They were married in July of 1998 and welcomed their son Trevor the following year. Estelle loved motherhood and devoted her me to her son, while also taking up photography to capture memories of nature, family, weddings, and special occasions.

In 2003 her family moved to McKinleyville, where Estelle studied the art of Middle Eastern dance, performing in many shows throughout Humboldt, Trinity, and Shasta Counties. She also created beautiful, elaborate custom-beaded costumes as part of her art. Her home was her sanctuary, where she created a beautiful and bountiful garden of flowers and vegetables. She also found great joy in tending to her chickens and always had a dog or two to love on. She enjoyed inviting close friends and family for gatherings and delicious home-cooked meals. In 2011, the family welcomed son Cody into their home, adding another joy to her life. Estelle loved taking her children on hiking and camping trips to the surrounding beaches, rivers, and mountains, and enjoyed many outings with close friends and family.

During this me, Estelle found her love and passion in teaching and supporting children of the highest need. While working for over 11 years for the Humboldt County Office of Education, she also worked relentlessly to further her education. She received her Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education from College of the Redwoods in 2016, her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and Child Development from Humboldt State University in 2019, and her Master of Arts as an Education Specialist in Early Childhood from California State University, Sacramento in 2024.

This is just a small part of a big life. The world, her community, and everyone she touched have lost an incredible sparkle. Estelle’s beauty and grace were outshined only by her intellect and compassion, and there will be a hole in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her husband, Duncan Hughes, and her sons, Trevor and Cody Hughes of McKinleyville; by her mother, Jody Proffi Brown of Weaverville; her father, Jake Waldt of Salyer; her brothers, Joe Cloud (Nichole), Perry Cloud (Amanda), and Jacob Waldt (Bobbie); and her sisters, Cody Geminani (Damon) and Lark Waldt; her mother-in-law, Emily Arents; sisters-in-law, Leilani (Eddie) Cochran and Amelia (Scott) McKnight; her nieces and nephews, David and Troy Cloud, Amira and Nola Waldt, Madde Waldt, Darma and Dillon Geminani, Rebecca (Junior), Sefa and Tanu Alofaituli, and Zackary (Megan), Ashton, and McKenzie McKnight; and her aunts, Janet (Jock) Morrison and Jenni Flint.

The family offers a special thank you to the caregivers at the Providence St. Joseph Eureka Hematology/Oncology center and Hospice of Humboldt Palliative Care.

A celebration of life will be held on June 6, 2026 at Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 24 Fellowship Way, Bayside from 2 to 4 p.m., and memorial donations may be made to pancan.org.

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

Michele McCall-Wallace
July 3, 1961 - February 27, 2026

Our beautiful wife, mother, sister and friend, Michele Ann McCall-Wallace, joined the angels on February 27, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. Michele left us after a long, courageous battle against cancer and scleroderma. Her inspiring life was defined by an unwavering love for her family and friends, as well as limitless dedication to the arts and her community.

Born in Aurora, Colorado, to Sharon L. McCall (Willis) and Milton L. McCall (later married Maxine V. Duffy). Michele grew up with a passion for creativity and a drive for excellence that would shape her remarkable journey. After graduating from Cajon High School in San Bernardino, in 1979, Michele pursued her artistic dreams with determination. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture and painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in 1989. She later completed a Master of Arts in sculpture at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in 1993.

Always an artist first, Michele’s career as an arts professional spanned over three decades across the artistic, creative and cultural sectors. She started in her curly-toed shoes as an elf in Santa’s Village and would become an award-winning multimedia artist, curator, grant writer and recipient, assistant professor, educator, lecturer, gallery director, as well as a family/youth program designer.

Deeply committed to those whose stories go untold, Michele worked with homeless youth and championed diverse voices. Her tenure at the Goudi’ni Native American Arts Gallery was a testament to this mission, where she used her platform to ensure indigenous artists received the recognition and space they deserved.

Michele believed in “setting the world to rights” through action. She served as Mayor and City Council Member for the City of Blue Lake, and most recently as a member of the City Council for North Plains, Oregon. Michele’s vision and collaborative spirit left an indelible mark on every community she touched.

Michele’s interests reflected her limitless creativity and zest for life. Among many pursuits, she was a founding member of The Brendas, a band that brought mischievous joy to the local scene in Blue Lake, particularly at The Logger Bar. Last year, Michele’s best friend, Lou Watson, brought the band back together for a final, standing-room-only performance at Michele and Jerry’s home. That night, defined by music and laughter, was one of many in which Michele gained notoriety for the perfect cocktail made with an unparalleled blend of intellect and wit.

Her kindness, compassion, courage, intellect and visionary leadership continually inspired those who knew Michele. Whether collaborating on internationally recognized art projects like Hillsboro-Bridge of Land and Sky or engaging in local community initiatives, Michele had an unparalleled ability to bring people together to create lasting positive change. Her artwork stands as an enduring symbol of her love for humanity.

Michele’s vibrant spirit lives on through her husband, Jerry; her children, Ellis and Milly; her siblings, Kenneth and Janice; and her extended family, who will all miss her warmth and brilliance. While we mourn, we find comfort in a shared knowing that “within a week, Michele will undoubtedly be running the show upstairs.” Michele will be deeply missed but forever remembered for the beauty she brought into this world through her art, service and love. In her memory, please consider a donation to help in the fight against scleroderma or breast cancer, support women’s shelters, or promote art education.

Michele will be honored at the Mad River Grange #590, at 4 p.m., June 20, 2026, located at 110 Hatchery Road, Blue Lake. Her ashes will be spread at the family home in McKinleyville, following the service.

Elwood FranklinBartlett passed away quietly in his sleep on February 28, 2026, at the Crescent City Care Center (formerly known as Crescent City Skilled Nursing) where he spent the last 22 months. Elwood was born on December 26, 1933, to Irving and Dora (Ransdell) Bartlett in Rohnerville. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters and brothers-in-law – Juanita (Ralph) Waggoner, Laberta (Don) Gwin, and Jean (Edward/Bud) Gwin and a niece and a nephew. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Deanna (Johnson)Bartlett, his brother-in-law Rick (Debi) Johnson and sister-in-law Sue Johnson- (Denny) Thissell. He is also survived by 4 nieces and 8 nephews, numerous great-nieces/nephews, and great-great nieces/nephews.

Elwood grew up in Humboldt County. After his mother passed, he lived with his sister Juanita and her family, in Hydesville. After a few years, he lived on the farms where his father was employed. In his high school years, he lived with his sister, Jean and her family, in McKinleyville. Elwood graduated from Arcata High School Class of 1953 and then went to college at Humboldt State for a semester before enlisting in the military. He served his county in the US Air Force during the Korean conflict where he was stationed in Alaska for several years. When he returned to Arcata, he went to work for Simpson Plywood Plant in Arcata until it closed in the 1970s. Elwood went on to finish the working phase of his life as a nighttime security guard at Westwood Commons housing project in Arcata. This was a position that Elwood loved because he could communicate and help a lot of young kids, a number of them without fathers or male role models in their lives. After he retire, young adults (previous kids from the housing project) would come up to him and say, “Elwood you helped put me on a good path in life, Thank you!” He was very proud of this time in his life.

Elwood’s interests were travel; learning about new places and their history; old Hollywood movies and their stars; music and dancing at the Swiss Club on Tompkins Hill; and learning and sharing family history. He always had information to give to anyone that wanted it. He liked helping people. He and his wife were “Volunteers of the Year” several times during their 17+ years at the Senior Resource Center in Arcata. For several years he delivered “Meals on Wheels” in Arcata. Elwood will be missed.

At this time, a Celebration of Life will be held in late April or early May, no date has been set. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Arcata Senior Dining Center, 321 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Pkwy, Arcata, CA 95521.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Elwood Bartlett’s family. TheLost Coast Outpostruns obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

It might be a little easier to see the stars over Humboldt Bay soon. 

The Arcata City Council voted last night to adopt a comprehensive update to the local coastal program, the policy framework for development and land use for properties that lay within the coastal zone. The last comprehensive update was completed in 1994. 

Many of the changes reflect an increased understanding of how sea level rise will affect Arcata in the coming decades. City staff organized all of the land in the coastal zone into different areas, based on the important infrastructure located in each one and how likely they are to be underwater in the coming decades. 

One of the most interesting additions to the program is the adoption of Dark Sky guidelines that will regulate electric lighting in the coastal zone. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors passed its own Dark Sky program last year. The rules prohibit using light fixtures that bleed excessive amounts of ambient light into the sky, which increases light pollution and makes it harder to see the stars. 

All outdoor lighting fixtures in the coastal zone must be shielded or recessed; the light it emits has to be restricted to the property it’s located on. 

Director of Community Development David Loya said at last night’s meeting it was the influence of Humboldt Waterkeeper, a local advocacy group dedicated to environmental preservation, that made the city decide to add the Dark Sky guidelines to the program. 

Humboldt Waterkeeper’s Policy Analyst Sylvia van Royen told the Outpost that they had been keeping an eye out for other opportunities to implement Dark Sky policies since they’d convinced the county to adopt one. Codifying these rules ensures that it’s not just up to individuals to keep the view nice, van Royen said. 

“It will make our night skies a little more visible, and reduce the ‘sky glow’ from the city of Arcata,” van Royen said. “[Humboldt Waterkeeper executive director] Jen [Kalt] just sent me a picture last night of the Arcata Bottoms from McKinleyville at, like, 8 p.m., and you can see the sky glow of the whole city from that far away, and that impacts wildlife, and our ability to see the night sky and stargaze, things like that.”

Large amounts of light pollution also can mess with migratory birds’ homing instincts, she said; Arcata’s coastal zone, which includes the marsh, is home to many of them. 

One reason staff and the Planning Commission decided to use the Dark Sky guidelines is because they endorse a variety of lights. 

“The homeowner who’s going to [hardware store] The Millyard to pick up a fixture — they’ll know they’re Dark Sky-compliant because their fixture will say it is on the box,” Loya said. “And that’s the easiest way to understand it.”

There’s also an option for detail-oriented wonks who are willing to parse BUG ratings. 

The motion to adopt the program passed unanimously. It may take a while before it’s official; Loya said the state Coastal Commission has to sign off on it, and the commission will likely ask for an extension. It could be a year or more before the program is officially updated. 

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Eureka’s Lamplighter Inn Shuttered Indefinitely After Two Mysterious Deaths

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Note: The official order closing the motel was released to the Outpost this morning, following a public records act request. It can be found here.

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Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On February 21st, 2026 at approximately 2:00 p.m., Officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) and members of the Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) were dispatched to a motel at the 4000 block of Broadway for a report of two unconscious patients due to a possible drug overdose. Upon arrival, one patient, 37-year-old female, was found deceased and the additional patient was transported to a local hospital.

On February 26th, 2026 at approximately 12:00 p.m., EPD and HBF were dispatched to an additional report of two individuals unconscious at the same motel in the 4000 block of Broadway, and in the same room as the call from February 21st, from a suspected drug overdose. Again, one patient, 36- year-old female, was found deceased and the additional patient was found in critical condition and was transported by City Ambulance to a local hospital.

During the second incident, after the patient was transported, HBF personnel on scene displayed signs of mild Carbon Monoxide exposure. HBF conducted atmospheric monitoring inside the room using a gas monitor, which registered elevated levels of Carbon Monoxide in the room. No Carbon Monoxide detectors were located in the room. HBF Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief/Fire Marshall, Detectives and Evidence Techs from the Criminal Investigations Unit with EPD, Pacific Gas and Electric Company responded to the scene. Occupants were evacuated from the motel while it was ventilated. The property owner was contacted and at that time, City of Eureka’s Code Enforcement and the Chief Building official were requested to the scene. The Chief Building official, HBF Fire Chief and the Fire Marshall determined the motel should not be occupied until mechanical inspections of each room were completed and additional fire code violations are remedied. The City of Eureka Building Official served the business owner with a First and Final Notice requiring the location to be closed until identified violations are remedied and inspected.

It should be noted, in accordance with the California Fire Code, HBF conducted the annual fire inspection of the motel in July of 2025, violations were notated however upon additional inspection a week later, the violations were corrected.

Humboldt County Sheriff Coroner’s Office was contacted and advised cause of death for both decendants is listed as pending investigation. The names of the decedents are being withheld until notification of next of kin can be verified.

This is an ongoing active multi-agency investigation. Anyone with information contact EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit at 707-441-4300.

All the aging and possibly hazardous poplar trees located in a Rio Dell park will be soon removed, the city council decided with a few heavy hearts in a meeting Tuesday.

Memorial Park, located across the street from City Hall, has a row of trees that are leaning and cracking and haven’t fully recovered after a 2024 infestation of satin moths.

A satin moth. Vincent Malloy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The city plans on removing all trees in the park, totaling about 14, and replacing them.

In a report to the council Wednesday, City Manager Kyle Knopp said staff and the city’s tree service company found the trees need to be cut down due to their condition.

Knopp said the trees, believed to be planted around 1983, have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years and have recently deteriorated.

Pests infested the trees in 2009. They recovered, but a new infestation that partially defoliated the trees popped up in 2024 and they’ve not entirely recovered since.

“There is concern that many if not all of the trees are in the process of dying,” according to a staff report.

Randy Jensen, streets superintendent, said the trees are cracking. He also estimated 80-90% of the trees are leaning significantly, with one leaning onto a power line.

Any work to thin out the trees could mean a weight imbalance, said Jensen.

“As a public safety, liability concern, the issue does need to be addressed,” said Knopp, urging action on the issue. He suggested the council either engage a professional arborist to check the condition of the trees, or remove and replace the trees.

Councilmembers agreed they did not want to be known as tree killers, but pointed to liability concerns.

“I am a major tree person. But these trees are towards the ends of their lives, and the city is going to be liable if anything happens,” said Mayor Debra Garnes.

She was most concerned about the cracking and the age of the trees, estimated to be 43 years old.

Garnes pointed out people often park underneath the trees during Wildwood Days.

“I hate thinking of cutting down a tree just to do it. But there is a reason, and there is a liability to the city that’s attached to it,” she said.

Councilmember Amanda Carter agreed. “Just because it’s a tree doesn’t mean it’s a good tree,” she said.

Councilmember Julie Woodall leaned towards having an arborist check the trees out, just to make sure. Councilmember Robert Orr, on the other hand, said since it’s an issue of liability, “It’s time to replace!”

Two public commenters encouraged the city to replant the trees. One called for a community event to refresh the park.

The council voted unanimously to seek bids for tree removal, with one absence. Woodall said she voted in support with a heavy heart.

City Manager Kyle Knopp said in an email the trees will be removed as soon as possible, with the tree that leans into the power pole coming out sooner.

According to the staff report, staff will next begin the process of replacing the trees with a more pest-resistant variety and will research funding options.

The leading species contender is the Acer Bowhall, according to Knopp. He said city staff are recommending a variety that is resistant to pests, wind and lives longer than the poplar, but it will be up to the council.

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

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On a brisk January morning, physician assistant Brett Feldman searched the streets of Los Angeles for patients, knocking on car windows and peering into tents. It was the day after a winter storm had doused the city, and many of the unhoused people Feldman usually treats had moved to find somewhere dry.

Feldman leads the street medicine team at the USC Keck School of Medicine, providing primary care to thousands of L.A.’s homeless individuals. Many have chronic conditions, mental health disorders, wounds or other medical issues; they need health care desperately.

But Feldman and other street medicine providers across the state are worried that changes made to Medi-Cal eligibility by President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will cause a majority of unhoused people to lose insurance, limiting their options for care.

“It’s very possible over 90% of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness will lose insurance,” Feldman said of his L.A. patients.

Medi-Cal, also known as Medicaid federally, provides health insurance for low-income people and those with disabilities. The new law requires states starting in 2027 to verify that able-bodied adults younger than 65 without dependent children are performing 80 hours or more of work each month in order to qualify for Medicaid. It also requires states to verify income and other eligibility criteria every six months as opposed to once per year.

State officials estimate up to 2 million people – about 14% of the state’s 14 million Medi-Cal recipients – will lose coverage, either because they don’t meet the work requirements or because they get overwhelmed by the paperwork.

Meeting those requirements will be particularly challenging for the state’s roughly 180,000 homeless people. They often have no phones or internet to complete a job application. They have limited access to meals, showers or clean clothes. They commonly struggle with addiction or mental health conditions and often don’t have the ability to work. Research shows that homeless individuals have far worse health outcomes and a lifespan nearly 20 years shorter than the general population.

Often those who need health care the most are the ones who are least able to work, Feldman said.

Physician’s assistant Brett Feldman checks his patient Gary Dela Cruz on the side of the road near his homeless encampment in downtown Los Angeles in November. Feldman is the director and co-founder of Street Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/Catchlight Local

Without insurance, people who are unhoused won’t be able to pick up medications or find primary care providers. Their health conditions will worsen, and they’ll rely on emergency rooms more.

“This is going to be a huge issue for the unhoused,” said Kelly Bruno-Nelson, an executive director with CalOptima, an Orange County Medi-Cal plan that provides health insurance for an estimated 11,000 members with unstable housing.

Work exemptions

The law carves out exemptions for people who can’t work: those with substance use disorders, disabling mental health conditions, complex medical conditions and other disabilities. Children, people who are pregnant, foster youth and those with disabilities are also exempt from working, though they will be required to renew their Medi-Cal eligibility every six months.

On paper, many homeless Californians likely qualify for work exemptions. Nearly half of homeless Californians have a complex behavioral health need, including regular drug or heavy alcohol use, hallucinations or recent psychiatric hospitalization, according to recent reports from the UCSF Benioff Housing and Homelessness Initiative. About 60% report at least one chronic condition, and roughly a third have conditions that make bathing, dressing or eating difficult.

But to claim an exemption, a patient needs a doctor to certify it. Only half of insured and unhoused Californians regularly get care and only 39% have a primary care provider, Benioff data shows.

In L.A., even fewer unhoused people have a primary care provider. Just 7% of the population had seen a provider in the past year between 2022 and 2023, according to a study published by the USC Street Medicine program, meaning very few people would have medical exemptions certified under the new law.

That means many eligible people could lose Medi-Cal: people like Samantha Randolph.

The 37-year-old has lived the streets of L.A. for more than five years. She wouldn’t even know where to begin finding a job if she had to, she said. Her ID cracked in half, so she threw it away. Someone stole her phone months ago, and she has no recent work experience.

“I’m on my own. I’m doing this by myself,” Randolph said on that same January morning.

Randolph, who is seven months pregnant, would qualify for an exemption from the work requirements come 2027. Feldman’s team also checks on her regularly to monitor the baby and could certify an exemption if necessary. But even that’s no guarantee that Randolph wouldn’t inadvertently lose Medi-Cal.

Her health insurance expired six weeks prior to Feldman’s visit because the county enrollment office mailed the paperwork to an address where Randolph doesn’t live. Without Medi-Cal, which pays for maternity housing in the city, Feldman can’t get her inside.

“I’d love to get you out of here as soon as possible,” Feldman said to Randolph as he listened to her breathing and examined a bump on her head. “I’d love to get you somewhere safe and cozy.”

His benefits team has been working diligently in the background to re-enroll Randolph in Medi-Cal. Without identification and other documents, it has been a slow process.

State tries to automate eligibility checks

State Medi-Cal officials are working to launch an eligibility verification system that will automatically check for work requirement compliance and exemptions. They hope to spare the estimated 3.5 million Californians like Randolph who will need to comply with the law’s new requirements the headache of having to prove their qualifications on paper.

“This is a top priority for us in the department, really seeking to minimize the harm to members to the greatest extent that we can,” said Tyler Sadwith, state Medicaid director at the Department of Health Care Services.

The department is looking to purchase workforce data that will capture gig workers and more timely information about income than tax returns. The state already uses IRS data and information from other welfare programs like food stamps and cash assistance programs to verify Medi-Cal eligibility.

To exempt income-eligible students, the department wants to pull information from the state’s universities and colleges. And it is working to identify medical diagnosis codes that could be used to exempt people with disabilities or other qualifying conditions like mental health or substance use disorders.

If the state can link all of the data together, some qualifying and exempt Medi-Cal recipients won’t need to provide additional information.

“They won’t have to take action. They will receive a notification that they have been successfully renewed,” Sadwith said.

But there are gaps that will be difficult for the state to fill with automated data and questions left unanswered by the federal government. Evidence of volunteer work, for example, doesn’t exist in a large database, and it’s unclear if the federal government will require the medical diagnosis codes that could signal a qualifying exemption be reverified by a provider every six months. If they do, many unhoused Californians who don’t see a provider in time could still get kicked off of Medi-Cal.

Department officials also acknowledge that in states that have previously tried to implement work requirements, eligible people always fall through the cracks.

Matt Beare, a street medicine physician in Kern County, said falling through the cracks is the norm for people who are unhoused. Already, people like Randolph lose Medi-Cal all the time.

The law’s new requirements will only make that more likely.

Not even street medicine providers who work daily to find and follow up with unhoused patients can guarantee that they can locate them. Encampment sweeps, violent crime and weather force people to move frequently.

“The cost of falling through the cracks is likely human life,” Beare said.

Homeless could lose access, housing

California has invested significantly in street medicine teams over the past five years.

Street teams deliver comprehensive primary care services wherever unhoused people are: under bridges, on the side of the road, in encampments. They administer antipsychotic injections and contraceptives, provide wound care, deliver medications and help with substance use disorder treatment. Perhaps most importantly, they often travel with benefits counselors, social workers and housing specialists.

That and other Medi-Cal investments have helped the state chip away at its homelessness problem.

But with droves of patients expected to fall off of Medi-Cal, some providers predict that street medicine teams may also disappear, worsening the chance that unhoused Californians have a provider who can certify their work requirement exemptions.

“It’s going to be very fiscally difficult for those programs to be able to sustain themselves,” Bruno-Nelson with CalOptima said.

Without Medi-Cal, unhoused people won’t be able to see specialists, get diagnostic testing or obtain most medications. They’ll rely more on emergency rooms. And because California policymakers have tied some housing and other social services to Medi-Cal, many experts worry members of this vulnerable population will lose their best chance at stability.

“These people are spinning through — some with 50 emergency room visits a year because they’re so sick — a vortex,” said Gray Miller, chief executive of Titanium Healthcare, a case management company that helps Medi-Cal recipients coordinate health appointments, find housing and manage chronic conditions.

Back in L.A. hours after he found Randolph again, Feldman takes a call and smiles. The county has finally approved her Medi-Cal application, which means Randolph now qualifies for maternity housing. He sends a colleague to pick her up.

“I’m so happy we got Sam inside.”

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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.