Photo: Tressler.

Four p.m. on the metro is always packed, as the evening rush hour begins. For true metropols like myself, the Marmaray is the real way to get around the city, not the ferries steaming in the Bosphorus. Hundreds of feet below the city, the train is crammed with strapholders, many on their way from work on the European side to their homes on the Asian side. While the ferries are romantic, and certainly more picturesque, for tired commuters the Marmaray is faster, more efficient.

One of the things I like about the Marmaray is that, as a people watcher, you get such a variety of interesting faces, especially as more passengers board at the central stops near Taksim and Şişhane. You hear a range of accents and languages – Turkish, English, Arabic, Russian and so on – as well as people in all manner of dress, from miniskirts to burkas.

Naturally, aboard the crowded train, along with the general fatigue city dwellers have at that hour, there can be strain and tension, as hoards on the platform and those getting off the arriving and departing trains, jockey for precious space. Everybody’s in a hurry to get home. Occasionally tempers flare.

It was in this atmosphere that such an incident occurred this past week. I’d gone to Sariyer, a neighborhood in the north part of the city up near the Third Bridge, to look at a flat that my wife and I are considering renting (Our recently purchased flat in Kadıkoy may be demolished and rebuilt to earthquake standards, as many doubtless will be as a result of last month’s tragedies). By the time I boarded the Marmaray at Yenikapı and finally homeward bound, I was exhausted.

A trio of stout middle-aged ladies managed to elbow and squeeze their way into the last breathable space just as the doors were trying to close. Their nationality was indeterminate, and would have escaped attention if not for suddenly one of them burst out in this high mocking voice.

“Par-don! Par-don!” mimicked the lady, who was evidently aiming her wit at a young covered woman, dressed all in traditional black, including the headscarf. While the other passengers looked on, rather bemused, the young traditional woman, who appeared to be Turkish, switched to English.

“What did you say to me?” she demanded, in a sharp voice, leveling her gaze at the foreign woman. “Shut your fucking mouth!”

The foreign woman, taken aback and perhaps feeling threatened, said nothing. The covered woman turned away, squeezing into a tight space. The rest of us passengers averted our eyes, or else looked at each other with embarrassed smiles.

The train passed beneath the Bosphorus, the sound of air rushing through the tunnel was all that we heard the rest of the way until presently we arrived at the stop in Kadıkoy, where I got off. The young covered woman got off behind me. She offered a parting shot to the foreign ladies. “Yeah, fuck you all!” she shouted over one shoulder.

Part of me, to be honest, wanted to turn around and say, “Real nice. Aren’t you a religious person? Is Allah listening to you right now?” But she probably would have told me to go fuck myself as well, and I probably wouldn’t have blamed her. If she was Turkish, and I’m pretty sure she was, did she really need a yabancı lecturing her on her choice of words, or train conduct? Plus, it was rush hour, and I myself have had my share of such episodes over the years.

Istanbul has always been a city filled with foreigners. “Geography is destiny,” as people here so often say. It is a crossroads city, a transit city, a city of fortune, and of refuge, not to mention an ideal holiday for those looking for a taste of the exotic. For Turks, or locals, dealing with yabancılar is a part of everyday life, and for the most part the relationship is surprisingly harmonious.

But things are getting a bit more prickly nowadays. Thanks to the war in Syria, and now the war to the north in Ukraine, the city and country are flooded with refugees. The Syrians have been here for years, and many have either long-since integrated or moved on to destinations in Europe or America. The Russians and Ukrainians have traveled to Turkey for years, to the sunny beaches of Antalya and Adana. But the war has brought many more here, many snapping up apartments and other properties in hopes of obtaining a Turkish passport through investment. According to recent figures, about 250,000 Russian nationals are living in Turkey, along with about 100,000 Ukrainians.

The number here in the city is not clear, but just a layman’s glance – or rather, listen – does tell a story. On the bus ride in my neighborhood in recent months, it has become customary to hear conversations in Russian (or Ukrainian, I can’t tell the difference, honestly), which is something you almost never heard before, at least not in our neighborhood. It should be noted that these people I have brushed past on the buses and trains show nothing more or less than the normal courtesies one expects on public transport. Also, if altercations do occur, they are more often than not between fellow Turks rather than with foreigners.

Still, the constant influx of new arrivals, coupled with the fall out from last month’s earthquakes down south, has people on edge, I think. Along with the economy, the double-digit inflation, and the fact that like everyone else we had finally managed to feel like we were living in a post-pandemic world, the earthquakes seemed to reinforce this idea of perma-crisis, that we just can’t seem to ever catch a break in this part of the world.

“I think we should get rid of all the foreign people,” said one of my students last term, in a half-joking way, when we were discussing possible cures to Turkiye’s many woes. Evidently his classmates agreed, for his pronouncement was greeted with approving chuckles.

The student’s comment came back to me when after the metro incident, as I walked up the hill to our apartment. The trip out to Sariyer and its environs, the high green hillsides looking north toward the Black Sea, was a refreshing change of pace, and the long ride back through the city – past the towers of Maslak and Levent, places I seldom go – gave me a chance to view the city from a fresh perspective. It’s good now and again to break from your routine commute.

Again, the long ride through the belly of the city was a reminder of all of the different people, of varying ethnicities and backgrounds, who inhabit this vast city. Yet, as the incident above illustrated, minor as it was in hindsight, tempers can get short from time to time with so many people jammed into such a small space, everyone rushing to meet his or her own individual destiny. I’m reminded of another discussion I had with a Turkish manager at one of the companies I used to teach at years ago. We were talking about the famous Turkish hospitality. “We like to treat our guests well,” is a saying most Turks would heartily agree with.

“Yes,” said the manager. “But sometimes there are just too many guests!” Indeed. As for myself, with a wife and son onboard, I have over the years graduated somewhat from yabancı to enişte, or “brother-in-law.” So at least on my better days, I like to count myself as exempt. But I try to remind myself from time to time that, in public places anyway, I am and always will be a foreigner. And in these trying times, it’s best to know one’s place.

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James Tressler, a former Lost Coast resident, is a writer and teacher living in Istanbul.

Although the Eel River can be calm and picturesque — a place for picnics and swimming like all rivers — it can also be unpredictable and dangerous. This was especially true in the late 1800s and early 1900s when crossing the water entailed a great deal more than zooming across a bridge in a car.

Though the water was a lifeline to the Eel River communities which cropped up alongside it, it was also a barrier. Before Fernbridge was built in 1911, the only way to cross the Eel was either by going straight through the water in a wagon or on a horse, crossing one of the pontoon bridges which were put in during low water in the summer, or using the ferries.

All methods had an element of danger — fording most of all. In fact most drivers wouldn’t risk fording if they had another choice. When the water was low, however, and with a good team of trustworthy horses it could be done most of the time without trouble. Still, it could be a harrowing experience.

Katherine Casanova, who grew up in Ferndale, remembers fording the Eel as a young girl in a spring wagon. She sat behind her parents in the removable children’s seat of the wagon, watching the wheels rolling in the tracks made by others’ crossings. The sound changed and she heard the grating of wagon wheels in the wet gravel of the river. She watched the water climb higher and higher up the spokes. It had reached the middle of the wheel! Katherine screamed. Fortunately, because they were crossing in summer, nothing more frightening than this happened and they came out on the other side safe and sound.

Fording the river didn’t have to be frightening — sometimes it could be downright amusing instead. It was generally windy down at the river; you literally had to hang on to your hat. Once Dora Casanova’s sunbonnet blew off in the wind. She watched, unable to do a thing, as it flew through the air, landed in the river, and was swirled away by the current.

Always there was a possibility of danger though, and ferries were generally preferred as being safer and more convenient. There were three of these “flat wooden barge-like boats” in operation on the Eel. Singley’s, East’s, and Dungan’s ferries glided quietly across the river, controlled by cables attached to both banks or by the ferrymens’ poles.

“It is a fond memory,” Andrew Genzoli once wrote of the ferries, “brought back by the quiet creaking of a block or the muffled crunch of a pole along the gravel of the bottom.”

Singley Ferry was the most important of the three. It was established in 1861 when William Bradford, a 36-year-old native of Illinois, threw his cable out across the Eel at the foot of Table Bluff opposite George A. Singley’s house. Although in the 1860 census Bradford’s listed occupation was “groom,” he did well as a ferryman until he decided to retire from ferrying in the late 1860s and hand the business over.

The ferry went through many changes in ownership throughout the next several decades, always remaining essential to the residents of the lower Eel Valley. In 1884, when it was established as a railroad shipping station, it became even more important. Farmers came from miles around to ship their produce at “Singley’s Station” on the north side of the river.

Although it was such a popular crossing, not everyone used the ferry. In fact, until 1891 when a steam winch was installed, a pontoon bridge was used whenever low water made it possible.

The year 1891 was an eventful one for Singley Ferry. The Humboldt Times reported the destruction of the faithful ferry “Black Maria,” stating: “The ‘Black Maria’ is no more. [The ferrymen] are in mourning, for the staunch old dug-out has done great service…and in times of high water could always be relied on. …The current was never too strong for the ‘Black Maria’ to stem. … Apparently a pile of floating driftwood had hit the moored ferry at night ‘demolishing her beyond repair.’ “

Despite this small disaster, Singley’s continued to carry passengers and freight across the Eel. In 1910 it was still doing a phenomenal business. Viola McBride, who spent her childhood in Ferndale, remembers going to the Singley Ferry in 1910. Her four-year-old eyes were impressed with the size of it; in addition to her family’s car (an old model with big drum brass headlights) the ferry carried a four-horse stage, more than one horse and buggy, several saddle horses, and a couple of cows.

The crowded state of the ferry, along with the increasing number of automobiles, could be dangerous for people with horses. Drivers would often get out to soothe their team, holding the horses’ heads and talking to them softly to calm them down. And the ferry itself was not the only danger. Singley’s hill on the north side of the river was extremely steep. Horses were always bolting and acting up.

In 1877 the notorious hill caused what the Humboldt Times called an accident of “a somewhat serious nature.” Charley Stone had been heading up the hill in his buggy, driving a pair of “fine horses.” Suddenly, the horses spooked. They wheeled around, overturned the buggy and spilled the startled Stone onto the ground. He watched, helpless, as they flew down the bank, and “plunged into the river.”

Stone watched, but the horses had disappeared beneath the waters of the Eel. Nothing was seen of horses or buggy but a single cushion “that went floating down with the current.” It was assumed that the team had stumbled into a hole and gotten stuck.

In all instances, a good, calm horse a driver could trust was invaluable — especially when that driver had to cross the unpredictable river on the crowded ferry.

Singley’s, though quite popular, was not the only ferry along the Eel. The East brothers’ ferry, which was farther upriver than Singley’s and near Alton, was also commonly used. Generally it was frequented by people from Grizzly Bluff and Alton, but in certain circumstances other travelers used the East’s Ferry. The Eureka newspaper reported: “Several teams were compelled to drive through Fortuna last evening and cross at East’s Ferry in order to get to the Ferndale side. The ferry house at Singley’s is so far from the river on the Ferndale side that travelers on the other bank were unable to raise the ferryman.”

Fortunately for the “several teams,” the ferryman at East’s heard them ringing the bell and they were able to cross the river.

Although it was known as the “East’s Ferry” at this time, it had originally been established by a man named Barnett in 1880. Six years later, John East had purchased it; the community approved. In 1891 the Ferndale Enterprise stated: “Mr. East has [the ferry] in good shape, and will accommodate the public as well as the best of [strangers].”

Throughout the 27 or 28 years that the East brothers owned the ferry, the operation generally went smoothly, although there was at least one mishap. In 1896 the river rose, tore the ferry from its cable, and sent it swirling down to Centerville where it was found smashed beyond repair. A new ferry was built with lumber that the East brothers purchased from San Francisco. According to the Ferndale Enterprise, this was “the finest ferry ever operated.”

Between this “fine” ferry and the ferry at Singley’s, almost everything and everybody got across the water. However, there was another ferry, west of Singley’s, called Dungan’s Ferry. It was established in 1861 and ran, as the other ferries did, until the building of the bridge in 1911.

The idea of building a bridge across the Eel had been around officially since 1898. The Ferndale Enterprise wrote an article about a petition supporting the idea of a bridge. This petition had been “industriously circulated in the Eel River Valley.” The Enterprise predicted that the bridge would cost $60,000 — “perhaps more” — which could be easily raised in four or five years. They saw no problem getting the money. It was finding the site, they predicted, that would be difficult. They foresaw the bridge somewhere near the Singley Ferry section.

The people living in Grizzly Bluff near the East’s Ferry, however, had different ideas. In May of 1894, 25 Grizzly Bluff citizens met and declared that they wanted the bridge to be built at the East’s crossing. They elected a committee to “agitate the aroused interest” in this issue. Unfortunately for the Grizzly Bluffers, no one else in the county wanted the bridge at East’s, and the idea was soon dropped. The Ferndale Enterprise had made an accurate prediction. The bridge would indeed be built at Singley’s crossing.

Though this prediction had come true, their estimate of $60,000 did not; the bridge actually cost $245,967. Fortunately this sum, which seemed extravagant at the time, was provided by funds raised by taxation. Consequently the bridge was paid for by the time it was finished.

The high cost was due to the special new structure planned for the bridge-to-be. The engineering and design plans of John D. Leonard included a bridge of reinforced concrete. He’d already had experience with this material, as he had used it to construct several buildings in San Francisco. At first, the city didn’t like the buildings. Who’d ever heard of building something out of concrete? They also thought the structures were very ugly. However, after the buildings had withstood the San Francisco earthquake intact, the citizens began to look on them more tolerantly.

The residents of the Eel River Valley looked forward to their new bridge not with tolerance, but with pride. “The length of the individual spans of the new bridge surpass any other reinforced concrete bridge in the world in size…” bragged the Humboldt Standard. Everyone was impressed with the size of the magnificent future bridge. The Humboldt Times carefully pointed out the details: “The bridge had a length of approximately 2,500 feet, 1,025 being devoted to the approaches. …The roadway across the bridge is 24 feet wide, the cement bulwarks on each side being about one foot in thickness.”

A great deal of man-power and material went into constructing such a “queen of bridges.” Some 19,500 barrels of cement were poured and reinforced with miles of steel cable. Tons of gravel from the Eel River bed itself were also used.

All these raw supplies were molded into the form of a bridge by “men, donkey-engines, Sonoma graders, Fresno scrapers, wagons, and man-pushed and horse-drawn gear.” There was no heavy machinery available.

With so much going on, the construction of the bridge was a big event in itself, although it only took one year. People flocked to see the wooden skeleton slowly filling out and taking shape.

Evelyn Whitney’s father was one of those who knew a big event when he saw one. He brought Evelyn, who was only six, and her aunt, who was about three years older, to walk along the catwalk. This wooden “sidewalk” along the side of the bridge was for the workmen and was only one or two boards wide. Evelyn’s aunt was frightened and clung to Evelyn’s father. He had to help her across, but told his daughter, “Go ahead, Evelyn, I know you can do it.” With this, the six-year-old marched across the bridge unaided. When she got to the other side, there was nothing to do but march right back — and so she did.

But if a lot of people came to see the bridge in the making, everyone came to see the finished product. The paper reported that “as far as the Valley towns are concerned, a starving man will not be able to buy five cents worth of onions in Ferndale and Fortuna. Those towns will move bag and baggage to the new bridge.”

A “Celebration of Fernbridge” was planned for Thursday, Nov. 17, 1911. The courthouse in Eureka closed down, and the Board of Trustees declared a holiday. Schoolgirls released from classes were put to work slicing hundreds of loaves of bread. Tons of fresh beef sizzled in the barbecue pits. There were speakers in abundance, and even a brass band. Trains from Eureka to the bridge ran at a special $1 per-round-trip rate. People poured in on buses from Ferndale.

Not even the fact that it was raining fazed the celebrators. In fact it is said that, being Humboldters after all, “the rain was accepted as a part of the observances — a sort of christening.”

At the end of the celebration. Chairman Coonan called for three cheers. Someone from the crowd remembers that “the chorus of voices echoed through the wet air, bouncing from span to span and out into the hills.”

The building of the bridge inspired pride because of what it brought to the residents of the valley. People began to move around more and contact with “the outside” expanded. The variety of goods and the ease with which they were transported also increased.

But though the bridge aroused such gratitude and pride in most, in some it also inspired mischief. In its early days, the approaches were much steeper than they are today. One day Viola McBride was driving with a friend and her friend’s “fellow.” As Viola neared the steep approach to the bridge, she noticed, much to her irritation, that they were kissing in the back seat. She decided to put a quick stop to this. Coming up to the sharp bend between the steep approach and the flat part of the bridge, she slammed her foot on the gas pedal. The car flew up into the air and landed with a thump. The girl was very surprised — and quite annoyed — but Viola was satisfied.

Such stories about the bridge abound in the Eel River Valley. The bridge is truly a landmark for the community. Fernbridge is, as everyone is quick to point out, a “sturdy” bridge that has survived a great deal. It is not only a “monumental” structure, as the California Division of Highways notes, but is also unique and beautiful. It represents home to those who live near it. As Andrew Genzoli, historian and long-time resident of Ferndale, said, “For the person who has made his or her home in Ferndale or the Eel River Valley, the sudden appearance of the long graceful arches of the old bridge, be it from the east or the west, fills one with warmth.”

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Original editor’s note: “Tamara Smith, author of this manuscript, received the first place award in this year’s Humboldt County Historical Society Scholarship Contest. Smith, a student at Fortuna Union High School, received her award of $250 during the May general meeting of the Society.”

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The story above was originally printed in the July-August 1992 issue of The Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society, and 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.

Richard “Dick” Cahill peacefully passed away at the age of 86 with his family at his side on March 3. Dick was the second of seven children born to Leonard and Bridget Cahill and grew up in Loyalton.

Developing his strong work ethic no doubt came from his family dynamics. During the Depression years, Dick’s job around home was his morning and evening chores of milking the family cows by hand: Lucy 1, Lucy 2 and Lucy 3. Being in a large family, it was his personality to be peacemaker among his siblings.

Having been active in high school government and sports, especially football, Dick graduated from Loyalton High School in 1955. His family moved to Arcata and Dick enrolled in Humboldt State College, where he became part of the Lumberjack Football teams from 1955 to 1958. In his senior year he received recognition as an All-American Tackle. Later, in 1963-1964, he played for the local Humboldt Foresters and was inducted into the Humboldt State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. So many wonderful friendships were created over those years.

Dick spent a brief stint in the military at Fort Hood in Texas, Killeen Base, High Security Operations, where he served as secretary to the Commander.

He returned to Humboldt County to finish his education and graduated from HSC in 1965 with a teaching credential in Social Studies and Physical Education. While at Humboldt, Dick met the love of his life, Pat Regli, and the two were wed in Ferndale on August 5, 1961, later settling there for 55 years. As their children grew up, the Fortuna-Ferndale sports rivalry became an interesting and entertaining family issue.

Dick started his teaching career at Westwood High in Lassen County, but quickly returned to Humboldt, where he began his legacy at Fortuna High School. Dick, more commonly referred to as “Coach Cahill”, taught several subjects at Fortuna High. He believed some of the best teaching happened outside of the classroom, and as such, committed his extra time to supporting Fortuna’s student athletes. During his tenure at FUHS, Dick coached baseball, JV football, varsity football for 21 years and was Athletic Director. In 1978 he was named the NCS Division II Coach of the Year and inducted into the Fortuna High Hall of Fame in 2014. He was very grateful when former students and players greeted him, just to say hello or thank him for what he had taught them while reminiscing about fond memories.

Retiring from his 31-year teaching career in 1995, Dick spent quality time with his four children and their families in Humboldt County and Visalia. Some of his favorite activities were traveling, golfing, cheering on the 49ers, abalone diving in Fort Bragg, and spending time at the family cabin at Ruth Lake. He especially enjoyed attending and encouraging the sports and various activities of his seven grandchildren, and was always a great source of entertainment wherever he went.

Dick is deeply missed, but he leaves a legacy that will continue to live on in the hearts of many. What Dick accomplished in his lifetime, he did humbly, quietly and sincerely. When confronted with challenges, he was always optimistic and reminded others to see the bigger picture and not “sweat the small stuff” in life. Treating all with respect and dignity, his moral compass always pointed in the right direction, inspiring others to live their lives the same way.

Dick’s dedication and commitment to his family, job and students consumed most of his days. He was an active member of Ferndale’s Assumption Parish, serving on the finance committee for many years and also volunteered at the Ferndale Museum.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents Leonard and Bridget Keough Cahill; brothers John, Bill, and Gary Cahill; in-laws A.J. and Elizabeth Regli; brothers-in-law John Silva, Alan Rohrbach, Dale Gier, Joseph Regli, and Jimmy Regli; sister-in-law Eileen (Wes) Simpson.

He is survived by Patricia, his wife of 62 years and children: Denise, Visalia; Christopher (Lea), Fortuna; Jennifer (Rob) Budwig, Ferndale; and Greg (Sandi), Visalia; grandchildren: Zach (Kayla) Cahill and Great Granddaughter, Amelia, Katrina (Travis) Mendes, Nolan Cahill, Ava Cahill, Bridget Cahill, Grant Cahill and Grady Cahill; sisters: Shannon Rohrbach, Catherine (Don) Dellabalma, and Nancy Silva; in-laws: Elaine Cahill, Carole Cahill, and Camille Regli, Phil (Harlean) Regli and John (Sally) Regli: cousin Mike (Carol) Cahill as well as many Cahill and Regli nieces and nephews.

A 7 p.m. rosary will be held on Friday, March 31, at the Assumption Church, Ferndale. The funeral mass will be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Mario Laguros on Saturday, April 1st at 10 a.m., also at Assumption Church. Interment will immediately follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Fortuna Veterans’ Hall, Main Street, Fortuna from 12:30-4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be sent to: Fortuna High School Football Program, 379 12th St. Fortuna, 95540; Hospice of Humboldt, 3327 Timber Fall Ct., Eureka, CA 95503; Humboldt Senior Center, Alzheimer Services, 1910 California St., Eureka 95501; or your favorite charity.

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

James Arnold McAuley died on March 8, 2023 at age 91. The son of William and Margaret McAuley, he was born in Merced, California and grew up in San Francisco.

He was known as Jim to many, as Mac to his close friends and contemporaries, and as Coach McAuley to a large and very special group of people.

After serving in the Air Force, Jim came to Humboldt in the 1950s. He attended and graduated from Humboldt State, meeting his wife of 68 years, Janis McClaskey, and where he is remembered in the athletic Hall of Fame. He began his coaching career with a successful stint at Arcata High School, followed by one year at Santa Rosa Junior College.

In 1967, Jim was recruited to return to Humboldt County to start the football program for the fledgling College of the Redwoods, which resulted in a ten-year run at the helm of CR football. The first football team in 1967 won three games and lost six, with several close losses. The next season CR won the State Championship, starting a remarkable nine-year window where the team won 84 games, losing 7, with one tie. In all, from 1968 to 1976, CR won three California state championships, two Northern California championships (in years when the state championships were not contested), and nine Golden Valley Conference championships. He also coached baseball for a several years, as well as the golf team for many years.

Jim said the success of the CR football teams was the players, and otherwise largely due to the coaches he worked most closely with, Fred Whitmire and Tom Giacomini. In 1977, after stepping down as football coach, Jim became the Athletic Director at CR until his retirement in 1991.

The community responded to the success of College of the Redwoods football by building a covered, on-campus stadium for the Corsairs, through private donation of time, money and materials. That effort was extraordinary, as a stadium rose out of the south-east corner of the campus. Fans, whether at Eureka High School for home games in the early years, or at Community Stadium on the CR campus, provided loud and strong support of the local team.

As a coach, he was honored as the California Community College Football Coach of the Year four times. He is a member of the California Community College Commission on Athletics Hall of Fame and the California Community College Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Additionally, he is a member of the Arcata High School Hall of Fame, and the College of the Redwoods Hall of Fame.

He enjoyed fishing for much of his life, as well as time spent with Frank Powers, who Jim met while teaching at Arcata High School. The Powers and McAuley families had adjoining properties with cabins along the Salmon River near Cecilville, California for many years.

His retirement years included golfing into his 80s, cribbage in the club house at Eureka Golf Course, and travel with his wife Janis. Measured by the depth of his character, he was loved and respected by his family. He is the father of Lynn McAuley Rambach (Glenn) who passed in 2017 and Bill (Cynthia) McAuley. He has two grandsons, Neil (Michelle) McAuley and Ross McAuley and one great granddaughter, Marie Lynn McAuley. He is survived by his sister Barbara Wolff and three nephews and a niece.

The family would like to specially thank Fred Whitmire, who was Jim’s hand-picked successor as head football coach at CR. Fred was instrumental in ensuring a steady flow of visitors, cards, and letters during Jim’s final days. The family would also like to thank those who were able to see him recently, the nurses and staff at St. Joseph Hospital and Granada Rehabilitation.

The family will hold a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made a favorite charity.

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

Paul Ronald (Ronnie) Wright beloved by family and friends suddenly passed away on February 27, 2023, at the age of 83. Paul was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but spent his formative years in Yucaipa, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. He is survived by his devoted wife of 12 years, Dolores Wright; and two of his four children, Geoffrey Wright and Cynthia Freeman; nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and five siblings. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 45 years, Kathleen Wright; children Jacqui Bursztynsky and Emily Wright; sibling Michaeleen Butterfield and his parents Helen Malpass and Paul Wright, Sr.

Paul was especially known for his dedication to his family, children, grand-children and great-grandchildren and his community. Throughout his life he held leadership roles in many of the children’s activities. He was a Girl Scout leader; Boy Scout leader; International Order of Rainbow for Girls – Rainbow Pop and Board Member; Jobs Daughters International – Associate Guardian; and DeMolay for Boys. Additionally, he was an active volunteer for nearly twenty years with the Northern Counties Logging Interpretive Association, a precursor to the Timber Heritage Association, and volunteered thousands of hours supporting their causes of acquiring, preserving and displaying antique steam powered and other logging equipment, in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. He was also docent at the Humboldt Maritime Museum. He dedicated many summers with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at his home in Eureka, where he taught them horseback riding, camping skills, woodworking, boating, and antique car renovation. He took his protégés on many camping adventures, numerous times to the beach and area lakes, car shows and across the western states to visit many national parks.

In his professional life he held many upper management roles in Bell Laboratories; New Jersey, Pacific and Nevada Bell; and with AT&T. He helped to design many up-and-coming technologies in phone services, computer systems development and leadership within the telephone company. He was dedicated to many charities in his home and state communities, and through his dedication to helping others succeed, brought hope and service to Masonic and Masonic youth organizations.

Paul was greatly dedicated to his extended fraternal family within the Masonic Orders, including the Masonic Lodge, Order of Eastern Star, Order of Amaranth, White Shrine of Jerusalem, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Scottish Rite, Shriners and was a previous member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. He began his affiliation with the Masonic Lodge in New Jersey in his late thirties. He was Raised to Master Mason and served in many positions during the forty plus years of service. He held many of the highest offices in these organizations, including Past Master of multiple Masonic Lodges, Grand Steward with the Grand Lodge of California; Grand Junior Warden with the Order of Eastern Star of California; Grand Royal Patron of the Order of Amaranth and member of Ferndale and Camelia Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star; the Black Diamond Court with the Order of Amaranth in California; Member with Tall Cedars of Lebanon in New Jersey; Member of the Jinn’s Band and Renegades Mini Car Unit with the Aahmmes Shriners in California; and Member of Scottish Rite in California. Other community service included membership with the Model A Club and the Eureka Rhododendron Club.

A memorial service, open to all, is planned for March 17, 2023 at 10 a.m. at the Goble’s Mortuary at 560 12th Street in Fortuna, immediately followed by a reception with light refreshments. A public viewing is available from 3 to 7 p.m. on March 16, 2023 at the mortuary. A private graveside service is planned for family after the service.

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

HUMBOLDT TODAY: We’re not out of the woods yet, folks. A wet weekend ahead could add to the weather-related woes making life on the North Coast more difficult. But the good news is Humboldt Today has decided you get to pick this year’s Best Picture. You lose some, you win some. Those stores and more on today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING: 

• Will Eureka Finally See Development on the Big Gravel Lots by the Boardwalk? City Looks to Declare the Parcels Surplus and Seek Proposals for Mixed-Use Project.
• Fortuna Police Conduct Old-Fashioned Weed Bust Downtown; 100 Pounds, Plus Money, Guns and Shrooms, Confiscated; One Arrested
• Yurok Tribe Taps Law Enforcement Veteran to Investigate MMIP Cases
• California Storms Create Paradox: Too Much Water in Reservoirs, Too Soon
• Rio Dell’s Long-Suffering Sewage System Took Another Dump Tonight

HUMBOLDT TODAY can be viewed on LoCO’s homepage each night starting at 6 p.m.

Want to LISTEN to HUMBOLDT TODAY? Subscribe to the podcast version here.

Press release from EPIC and the Center for Biological Diversity:

Conservation groups and Humboldt residents filed a legal challenge this week to a fourth attempt by Caltrans to approve the controversial Richardson Grove Project.

The project would realign portions of Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park to facilitate oversized commercial truck traffic, risking damage to a grove of ancient redwoods that are up to 3,000 years old. To realign the road, Caltrans proposes cutting and paving over roots of adjacent old-growth redwood trees.

The challenge was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Protection Information Center, Californians for Alternatives to Toxics, Friends of Del Norte, and several individual Humboldt residents with generational family ties to Richardson Grove.

“In its unrelenting pursuit of this unnecessary and fiscally foolish highway construction project, Caltrans has ignored its obligations to adequately evaluate the environmental impacts and is prepared to sacrifice the iconic Richardson Grove and desecrate our state park,” said Peter Galvin, director of programs at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We simply can’t and won’t let this beloved remnant of primeval forest be damaged.”

“Caltrans has pulled the same play from the playbook: Deny obvious impacts and push ahead,” said Tom Wheeler, executive director of the Environmental Protection Information Center. “We are stuck in a Groundhog Day nightmare where the agency refuses to take accountability for its sloppy work.”

“The fact that Caltrans refutes as ‘non informative’ new scientific research on the effects of paving over the roots of redwood trees demonstrates the callous nature of their dogged approach to completing this needless project,” said Don Gillespie of the Friends of Del Norte. “Richardson Grove deserves better.”

The recent Caltrans approval of the project violates the California Environmental Quality Act, a state law that requires public agencies to evaluate and disclose the environmental impacts of a project and to limit or avoid those impacts to the extent feasible. Caltrans failed to prepare an environmental impact report for the project, did not consider or evaluate significant environmental impacts, did not adopt effective and enforceable mitigation measures, and failed to circulate a valid environmental review document for public review and comment. Each prior approval of this unnecessary road widening project has been halted by legal action and a state or federal court stop work order.
Since the project’s inception in 2007, new research published in 2021 has documented how cutting and paving over the roots of old-growth redwoods causes long-term harms to coast redwood forests.

Researchers with the California Department of Forestry, Utah State University and Michigan Technological University found that road construction significantly harmed adjacent old-growth at Humboldt Redwoods State Park, causing growth suppression, elevated water stress and crown dieback of redwoods. This study and other evidence was submitted to Caltrans but the agency has denied that the research could better inform the project.

Richardson Grove State Park is considered the gateway to the redwoods, where tourists often first encounter large redwoods when heading north on Highway 101. It is home to one of the last protected stands of accessible old-growth redwood trees in the world. The park has essential habitat for protected species, and its creeks support runs of imperiled salmon and steelhead trout.

The plaintiffs are represented by the law firm Gross Klein PC. The CEQA case filed on March 7, 2023 is #CV2300375.

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Asked about the latest developments with the project last week, Caltrans District 1 sent the Outpost the following statement:

The Richardson Grove Improvement Project along U.S. 101 in southern Humboldt County would make minor adjustments to the current alignment of the highway to accommodate industry-standard STAA trucks. The project would improve the movement of goods in and out of the area. No old-growth trees would be removed and the roadway would look much the same after construction. Additionally, the project’s limited root disturbance would not affect the continued health of old-growth redwoods in the project area.  For this proposed project, Caltrans recently made available the Responses to Comments on the Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report. Those responses are available here. For up-to-date project information, please visit the project web page.