California will soon restart its annual eligibility review for people enrolled in Medi-Cal, a process that has been suspended since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This means that starting in mid-April, residents enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for low-income people, will start to receive renewal notices in the mail. The process will be spread over 14 months. Some people may be automatically re-enrolled, but most people will have to fill out a renewal packet with information about their income and household size. People who no longer qualify or who fail to fill out the paperwork will lose their free or low-cost coverage.
State officials estimate that between 2 million and 3 million people could lose their Medi-Cal coverage. Ideally, people who no longer qualify for Medi-Cal will transition to a plan in the state’s insurance marketplace, Covered California, or to a job-sponsored health plan. Still, health advocates worry that many people could fall through the cracks or get caught in administrative hurdles and become uninsured, leaving them more likely to delay or forgo care altogether.
Currently, 15.4 million people — more than a third of the state’s population — are enrolled in Medi-Cal, the most ever, according to the California Department of Health Care Services. That’s partly a result of the increased need during the pandemic: As people lost jobs and wages, many also lost their medical insurance. From March 2020 to February 2023, Medi-Cal enrollment increased 16%, according to the department.
And as thousands of people became newly eligible for Medi-Cal, far fewer were coming off. Federal rules prohibited states from dropping people from government-sponsored insurance during the pandemic as a way to protect access to care. Now those federal rules are lapsing.
“I wonder how many of these 15 million people even know they still have Medi-Cal coverage?” — Shannon McConville, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California
California’s renewal process will restart on April 1 and should be completed around June 2024, meaning people can receive their renewal notices and paperwork anytime during this time period. Those who in the past have renewed in the month of June will get their paperwork first, said Yingjia Huang, assistant deputy director for health care benefits and eligibility at the Department of Health Care Services. This phased-in approach will help spread the caseload for county offices in charge of the review, Huang said, and also allow enrollees who have renewed in the past to keep a similar timeline.
To qualify for Medi-Cal, people can earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level — that’s $20,121 a year for an individual or $41,400 for a family of four. Some Californians, such as pregnant women and people with disabilities, may qualify with slightly higher incomes.
People who were eligible for Medi-Cal at some point during the pandemic, but who may no longer qualify because their income has increased, will be automatically transitioned into a similar plan through Covered California, Huang said.
“The system automatically will review their eligibility for Covered California and Covered California will send out the enrollment notice to the member, informing them of their options and to pay the plan premium. So there’s no administrative burden on a member,” Huang said. “We’re trying to make sure that process is seamless and streamlined.”
Whether people successfully make the switch will largely depend on their ability to pay their new monthly premium.
Most people who buy from the marketplace receive generous subsidies, and some people don’t have a premium cost at all. Nearly half of the people enrolled in coverage through Covered California pay less than $50 a month, according to the agency. Still, even a $5 premium, along with the accompanying deductibles and copays, can discourage people from buying a health plan, said John Baackes, CEO of L.A Care, which offers Medi-Cal and Covered California plans to Los Angeles residents.
This auto-transition into Covered California will be a new test for the state. In the past, when people disenrolled from Medi-Cal, they were likely to go without coverage at least temporarily. Between 2016 and 2019, roughly 65% of people who dropped off Medi-Cal (Medicaid in other states) had a period of uninsurance, according to national research from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
To help avoid unnecessary loss in coverage, state officials are asking enrollees to verify their contact information. The Department of Health Care Services estimates that about 12% of enrollees may have moved during the pandemic and are at risk of not receiving their renewal packets. People who have moved during the pandemic should update their address via the state’s KeepMediCalCoverage.org website or by contacting their local county office.
Health advocates are concerned that people won’t be able to access timely help, given the influx of calls and visits county offices may receive. The increased volumes compounded by workforce shortages can prove to be a barrier, said Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, a senior staff attorney with Justice in Aging, a legal aid organization that advocates on behalf of seniors.
“We need these county offices to be appropriately staffed because that is the first place people go with a question about eligibility,” Huyenh-Cho said. “We already hear reports of long wait times in general.”
Awareness that the renewal process is restarting is also key, advocates say. State and county officials have known that the Medi-Cal renewal process would restart at some point, even though the timeline was pushed back multiple times. The general public may be less aware. One national survey found that as of December, 64% of enrollees had not heard of the return to regular eligibility checks, though education efforts have been ramping up as the April 1 date gets closer.
“I wonder how many of these 15 million people even know they still have Medi-Cal coverage?” said Shannon McConville, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, noting that many people, especially if healthy, distanced themselves from routine care during the pandemic.
“It’s just unfathomable to me that the state thinks that this is all going to happen without huge confusion on the part of the people we’re trying to serve.” — John Baackes, CEO of L.A Care
Baackes at L.A. Care said the onus of spreading the word about the renewal period also falls on the health insurance plans. L.A. Care, he said, has been beefing up its staff to prepare for the anticipated volume of calls and requests. It will also have 14 locations where people can go and get help filling out the hefty packet.
“The packet is 20 pages. It should be one page: ‘Where do you live? How much do you make? Thank you,’ but it’s 20 pages. So one of the things we’ll be doing is we’ll have these community resource centers spread across the county,” Baackes said.
Among his concerns is that the Medi-Cal renewal process will be taking place at a time when California is preparing for some key expansions and changes. Starting in 2024, more people will qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits as the state opens enrollment to income-eligible undocumented people ages 26 to 49, the last remaining age group. About 700,000 people are expected to gain benefits through that expansion.
At the same time, the state will also commence new Medi-Cal contracts with insurers, which could result in health plan changes for some enrollees. That’s a separate process, Huang at the state department said, and will not require any action from enrollees.
But these different moving parts happening at the same time will create more traffic in county social services offices, Baackes said.
“It’s just unfathomable to me,” he said, “that the state thinks that this is all going to happen without huge confusion on the part of the people we’re trying to serve.”
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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
Rose
Joy Crutchfield Sundberg peacefully returned to her Creator on
February 25, 2023 at the age of 90. She was surrounded by family that
loves her deeply. She was born on March 25, 1932 at Yah-ter he-wan on
the Klamath River, the third of five children, to Lila and Edward
Crutchfield. She grew up in Blue Lake and attended elementary school
there and graduated Arcata High School with the Class of 1950.
Joy
was Yurok and descendant from many Yurok villages, both river and
coastal ner-er-nerh. Her paternal grandmother was Susie Donnelly
Crutchfield born at the village of Cho’-kwee and the original land
holder of their family property at Yah-ter he-wan within the Yurok
Reservation. Her maternal grandmother was Mary Shaffer Natt born at
Tsurai village in Trinidad, and the granddaughter of Big Lagoon
Charlie. Her maternal grandfather was Robert Natt Sr. from the
village of Hop-pew on the Klamath River.
Joy
had a radiant fresh faced beauty with sparkling eyes, raven black
hair like Elizabeth Taylor, a sense of humor and quick wit, which
earned her the affectionate title ‘the Native Betty White’! Her
beauty shined through all her stages of life. She was a charming
hostess, a fashion trendsetter using her flair and daring wardrobe as
a backdrop to showcase local and other tribal jewelry artists when
she traveled to lobby for Indian rights. She remarked, “They may
not remember my face but they’ll remember the flashy big Indian
rings I wear!”
She
was a teacher of true indigenous history, speaking the hard (and
sometimes unpopular) truth yet she had grace and diplomacy;
a human rights, environmental and tribal rights activist; a servant
leader; political
activist in causes she believed in,
a lifelong
volunteer,
and a magnificent storyteller and cook. She loved jokes and had a
repertoire of many, delivering them with expert timing.
Once her ex-son-in-law
laughed so hard he blacked out and fell to the floor!
An
early act of defending human rights made her legendary to her
classmates. She single-handedly beat up the boy who was hitting girls
with a switch and making them cry. She learned how to fight sparring
with her brother Bill Crutchfield. To so many, she was a true friend.
She learned from an old friend who told her, “Joy, if you want to
have friends, you have to be a friend.” She had friends all over
the world.
Joy
was married for 34 years to Fred Sundberg, and together they had five
sons — Fred, Daniel, Marshall, Garth and Mark and – a
daughter,
Lisa. She has been the family matriarch of more than 65 grandchildren
and counting. When
her kids were young, the family split their time between their home
in Trinidad and the family cabin on the Klamath River on the original
family allotment. In the early 1960s the family operated the Paddle
Inn near Johnson’s, where jet boat tourists stopped in for lunch.
Joy served burgers and potato salad, and made fresh hot pies with
locally harvested huckleberries and blackberries served a la mode!
The pies were so good customers would fight for the last piece of pie
and they wanted it served in the pan with all the leftover juices,
while family members tried to hide any extra pieces of pie from each
other to enjoy after the tourists left. On the coast, they ran
Sundberg Trucking.
In
the late 1970s the family owned and operated the Aketa Inn on the
east side of the Arcata Plaza,
which was a restaurant and bar. Joy kicked off its grand opening with
the family’s favorite band and friend Merv George and his Band, who
played at almost every Sundberg family event. Her
favorite song she loved to dance to was “Running Bear.”
Joy
and Fred were active supporting their children’s sports teams and
education, Joy served on the PTA, Fred coached baseball, and they
hosted crab feeds to raise money to support their children’s teams
and school events. They started the Little League baseball program in
Trinidad.
In
the early 1960s Joy was one of the original assignees of the Cher-Ae
Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.
Joy
served as Chairperson there for over 26 years, and she is the second
longest seated female chairperson of any Tribe in the State of
California (1962-1988). During
her time as Chairwoman she establish the largest Indian bingo hall in
Northern California.
Joy
dedicated her life to the betterment of services for Indian people.
Her accomplishments and contributions so numerous they would be
impossible to state briefly. Among the many things she was the
proudest of helping to establish culturally appropriate indigenous
curriculum with the NICE Project; and
serving on the United
Indian Health Services, Inc. (UIHS)
Board
of Directors for 41 years becoming the longest serving board member
(1974-2015) and an outspoken advocate for health care for California
Indian communities. Mental health was her principal concern, and she
served on the Humboldt County Mental Health Advisory Board. Joy also
proudly served as a Board Member for the Inter Tribal Council of
California, the California Rural Indian Health Board, the National
Congress of American Indians, American Indian Scholarship, Inc., and
the Northwest Indian Cemetery Protection Association (NICPA).
Joy
was an
early protector
so when traditional
fishing
on the Klamath were being challenged, she leveraged
her position as a tribal government leader and stood
in the gap where she could to protect the rights of the Yurok people
until they had a form of a government to protect the
salmon, other natural resources and ceremonial rights. She would take
Yurok people to the State Capital to rally and defend their rights.
She knew by having their own government would give the people
services they were eligible for like housing etc.
So
when
the opportunities
came
to form a Yurok tribe she was supportive. After seeing a few failed
attempts of the Yurok people organizing she teamed up with Jesse
Short and Jimmy James and other Yurok activists
and
used her diplomacy to work with Hoopa tribal leaders to resolve
issues
that arose from the
four decades long legal
battles called the Jesse
Short
Case
that went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Its impact
prompted a legislative effort
that created the
Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act signed into law by President Reagan in
1988. Joy,
Jesse and others
made
long trips to testify in Washington, DC in front of the House and
Senate Select Committees on Indian Affairs in
support of a
tribal government for the Yurok people in
their indigenous lands and
laid
a foundation for
the people to
move forward.
And
it
reaffirmed
sovereignty
of the Hoopa Tribe over their homelands and three Rancherias
including her own.
They traveled throughout Yurok country holding meetings to educate
and consult the Yurok people about the legislation. While
emotions and controversy abound with Yuroks on many sides over the
issues of the legislation, in the end she meant well by her actions
and loved the people. Many families were hurt over these conflicts.
She found healing in feeding the people at the Sumeg brush dances and
seeing the families come together to heal loved ones. Some of her
greatest opponents became her friends through this process.
Appointed
in 1975 by Governor Jerry Brown to the California State Park and
Recreation Commission, Joy made the unprecedented motion to
repatriate the human remains from Yurok villages excavated by State
Park sanctioned archaeologists and housed at a State Park’s
warehouse in West Sacramento. Her motion was seconded and passed, and
she called her friend back home, Walter Lara, Sr. The next day he and
Victor Cutnose showed up to take the bones back home for reburial in
an undisclosed location. Walt recalled they tried to stop him and
flashed him papers, but he pushed past them and brought the ancestors
back home.
In
1976, the Northwest Indian Cemetery Protection Association (NICPA)
was founded by Walt’s Uncle Milton Marks, the first grassroots
Indian organization of its kind in the nation. Marks reached out to
Professor Dave Fredrickson (Sonoma State University), to team up with
conscientious archaeology students to help NICPA develop an Indian
owned consulting business to conduct field reviews of projects and
make suitable recommendations for site avoidance and protection. Joy,
Walt, and many others were active in NICPA, educating people
(including archaeologists) about the sins of archaeology that robbed
graves in the name of science. Years later historian Tony Platt would
interview Joy, Walt and others about their experiences in his book
Grave
Matters
(2011, Heyday Books, Berkeley).
The
idea for a state park featuring a reconstructed Yurok village was
first proposed in 1928 by Alfred Kroeber. In 1991, the concept
finally became a reality with the opening of Sumeg village at
Patrick’s Point State Park, since renamed Sue-meg State Park. Given
her family ties to the Ner-er-nerh coastal Yurok at Trinidad and Big
Lagoon, Joy was a key member of the Sumeg Advisory Committee
appointed by Superintendent Bill Beat, who met over two years to
provide guidance and help plan the design, uses and operation of
Sumeg for education and the cultural enjoyment of all visitors. Every
year on the last weekend in June, Joy and Walt Lara, Sr. and
their families
have organized
the
annual Brush Dance at Sumeg Village for
over 30 years,
a healing ceremony that brought together participants from the Yurok,
Hupa, Karuk, Tolowa and Wiyot tribes and the greater community
(Indian and not). Every year Joy
mustered an army of potato peelers, cooks, servers and dishwashers,
and fresh salmon was cooked Yurok-style on redwood sticks over the
fire. She raised funds each year to pay the Medicine Woman and to
feed the hundreds of dancers and observers by holding an annual “Tea
by the Sea,” at truly high tea replete with table linens, fine
china cups and saucers (pinky finger extended was a must), delectable
tea cakes, little sandwiches and such, and a Silent Auction with
wonderful items donated by her wide reach of friends and associates.
Hats and girdles were mandatory attire, with prizes for the best
hats. She was the best hostess ever, we all felt at home and happy to
support the Brush Dance at Sumeg.
In
her later years she traveled the world – China with her sister
Elaine, and Africa, Egypt, the Caribbean, England, Scotland and
Ireland, Italy, Lake Titicaca in Peru, Mexico’s Copper Canyon by
train, New Zealand at the invitation of Maoris, and more with her
many dear girlfriends and daughter. Joy and the girlfriends would get
together for weekly dinners and walks up on Trinidad Head for
moon and sun
rises on Easter and New Year’s, and an annual Winter Solstice
Party. She
had a rule they followed, “We’ll listen about your aches and
pains for three
minutes, then you have to shut up!” They preferred to focus on
having fun. And we
can’t
forget the “Moonies,” she loved gathering with her friends and
howling at the full moon! While
some of the girls are still upright, she will be happy to see her
dear friends at the Pearly Gates, including but not limited to Nancy
Hilfiker, Peggy Stebbins, Maxine Raymond-Lewis, Jenny Hawks and
Olivia Jackson.
What
brought her joy was having margaritas, going to parties for family
and
friends, seeing her namesake great granddaughters Kaia Rose and Kalia
Joy, going to the Dollar Tree and playing slots at the Heights
Casino, and shocking the casino host John Morias with one of her
jokes.
She
was preceded in death by her parents Lila Natt Crutchfield and Edward
Crutchfield; grandmothers Susie Donnelly Crutchfield and Mary Shaffer
Natt; Grandfathers Robert Natt Sr. and William Crutchfield,
her
sisters Elaine Clary and Mary “Jackie” Birchfield; brother
William Crutchfield,
Sr., and
her son Marshall Sundberg.
Joy
is survived by her brother Robert Crutchfield, Cousin Jean Walker,
her dear friends Jackie Hammer, Rachael Joseph, Janet Eidsness,
Shirley Shortridge, Walt Lara and her weekly dinner crew Lesley
Sundberg, Lisa Spellenberg,
Cathy Coffman, Susie Knight, Yoshika Skelton and her niece Tracy Lee
Crutchfield. Her children: Fred Sundberg, Sr., Dan Sundberg, Garth
Sundberg, Mark Sundberg, Sr. and Lisa Sundberg; grandchildren, great
grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins
and friends too numerous to mention here by name but she loved and
cherished each and every one. Even if she didn’t always get your
name right she’d say “at least I didn’t call you by the dog’s
name.”
(Click to enlarge)
There
will be a viewing at her daughter Lisa’s home on Sunday March 5
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Joy’s fire will be going, and an opportunity for
friends and family to send Joy the things she will need in the next
world. Joy will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at the family
graveyard at Yah-ter he-wan on March 6, 2023. She will be followed by
a procession leaving 1220 Boyd Road in Arcata at 8:30
a.m.
on Monday March 6, heading west on 299 to 101 North. They will exit
at Trinidad where she will be led by the Trinidad and Westhaven Fire
Departments at 9 a.m.
to make her final drive through the Trinidad Rancheria and the City
of Trinidad then they will proceed north to be loaded into the
Klamath at Ter-wer. She will then be carried by boat to her final
resting place. Family graveside services will start at 11 a.m..
Pallbearers
are her first line of grandchildren: Marci Sundberg, Chris Sundberg,
Fred Sundberg, Rachel Sundberg, Adam Sundberg, Megan Sundberg, Nick
Sundberg, Max Sundberg, Ryan Sundberg, Angela Sundberg, Ronald
Sundberg, Sheri Sundberg, Jennifer Sundberg, Randy Sundberg, Renea
Sundberg, Mark Sundberg II, Stacy Sundberg, Terry Brown, Aliesha
Brown, Zack Brown, and Kayla Maulson.
Honorary pallbearers: Bob Crutchfield, Bill Crutchfield, Ron Birchfield,
Terrance Brown, Kevin Maulson, Danny Chapman, James Brown, Justin
Brown, Michael Cady, Nate Cady, Mike Ruiz, Nick High, Matt Rivas,
Nate Quinn, Jerry Brink, John Provolt, Brandon Sundberg, Jordan
Brown, Jeremiah
Brown, Thomas Brown, Cameron
Cox, Willard Carlson, Will-bear Carlson, Walt Lara, Sr., Walt Lara,
Jr., Ernie Albers Jr., Muss Colegrove, Walter Gray, Gary Risling,
Merv George Jr., John Green, Ted Hernandez, Virgil
Moorehead, Sr.,
Rodney Vigil, Frank Masten, Matthew Sylvia, Peter Nix, Joe
Giovanetti, Loren Bommelyn, Leo Carpenter, Jr., Joe Lindgren, Danny
Cox, Bill Briggs, Travis Nabahe, Greg Anderson, Dick Kidder,
John
Morias and Butch Rindels.
In
lieu of flowers please make donations to the Trinidad and Westhaven
Volunteer Fire Departments in gratitude to those who served her as
her health failed. (Checks made out to either, or for tax deductable
donations receipts, the Westhaven Volunteers is a 501(C)3
non-profit.). TVFD PO Box 370, Trinidad, CA 95570 or WVFD PO Box 2141
Trinidad, CA 95570 or at
this
link.
The
family also wishes to thank Joy’s doctor Antoinette Martinez and
the team at UIHS for the years of care, as well as the staff at St.
Joseph’s Hospital who graciously hosted the family as we said our
goodbyes.
We
also would like to thank Paul’s Mortuary in services they provided
so we could carry out our private ceremonies and burial.
Her
family is hosting a Celebration of Joy’s Life on April 15, 2023, at
the Bingo Hall at the Heights in Trinidad, from noon to 3 p.m.
For
questions please contact Lisa Sundberg at 951-833-8888 or by email at
LisaSundbergInc@gmail.com
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Joy Sundberg’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Russell, as his family called him, was born in the very recently opened Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna to Alfred (Al) and Joan Anderson. Al was born and raised to the age of 14 in Rio Dell, then moved to Honeydew where he maintained a lifelong connection. Joan was born and raised in Ferndale, and has lived the last 46 years in the Sierra foothills, mostly in Grass Valley.
Russell was from European heritage. All of his immigrating ancestors did so between 1860 and 1900, and all of them came to specifically Humboldt County. Those local ancestral names included: Norrie, McGrath, Genzoli, Minetta, Toroni, Hansen, Petersen and Anderson.
Russell’s family moved to the first new house built on Renner Drive in Fortuna when he was just seven months old. He lived at that house until he graduated from Fortuna Union High School in 1976.
When Russell was three years old he contracted a serious case of spinal meningitis. Although UCSF doctors had braced his parents for the worst possible outcome, he recovered. However, Russell believed the effects of that invasive experience, which he remembered well, lasted his entire life.
The highlights/thrills of Russell’s youth revolved around BB guns, bicycles, motorcycles, hunting, fishing, camping and staging adolescent antics with his Renner Drive friends Mike, Dennis, and Steve. His family maintained a long time summer connection with the Southern Humboldt town of Phillipsville where Russell spent countless sunny days exploring the redwoods and swimming in the river with the friends he made there.
In 1972 Russell entered high school in Fortuna. His new classmate Robert Wilson learned of Russell’s real first name and started calling him George; that name stuck, and from that point on he became George. He forever credited Robert with changing his name.
Upon graduation from high school in 1976, George followed his father’s construction trail to the small town of Grantsville, Utah. It was Grantsville that George called home for the remainder of his life. George, encouraged by his father, joined the National Guard, then ultimately transitioned to active duty U.S. Army Station at Fort Polk, Louisiana where he gained experience operating and maintaining heavy equipment as his father did. He was discharged in 1982.
After the service George returned to Grantsville and found work at the salt plants, and other jobs often having to do with operating heavy equipment or some type of construction. He early on made several good friends in Grantsville that lasted many decades. One of George’s fondest endeavors was raising horses with his friend Alan Johnson. His family knew this brought him great pride and joy as he often talked about his horses Buster, 50/50, Lightening and Thunder. George, on occasions, brought his friends Alan and Todd to California for site seeing and fishing on his father’s boat out of Humboldt Bay where they loaded up on salmon for the return trip home to share with their family and friends. George was very happy to give his friends that Pacific Ocean experience, as they spoke very fondly of those epic adventures. George’s family from afar will be forever grateful to Ernie and Vicky Matthews and children for embracing kindness towards George over the past 40 years, giving him so many great memories, including him on their family gatherings and looking after him, especially over the past few years as George was winding down.
George passed away in his home in Grantsville from natural causes. Proceeding him in death: his father Al Anderson (1935-2012), his grandfather Fred Anderson (1880-1940), his grandfather George Hansen (1898-1958), his grandmother Marie Petersen Anderson Meland (1909-2006), and her husband Leonard Meland (1916-1992), and his grandmother Margaret Toroni Hansen Townsend (1914-2007), and her husband Bob Townsend (1916-2005), with whom George Russell had a special connection.
George Russell leaves behind: his mother Joan Hansen Anderson, his stepmother Jan Anderson, his sister Kim Anderson Hinkson and her husband Terry, his brother Leonard Anderson, his former sister-in-law Lynn Anderson, his nieces Kate Hinkson Fults and her husband Frank, Rachel Hinkson Howard and her husband Troy, Jesse Hinkson Belnap and her husband Levi, Hannah Hinkson Jones and her husband Eric, Emily Hinkson and Sara Anderson, nephew Charlie Anderson and his wife Carrie, and 20 great nieces and nephews, plus his 11 year old black labs Bear and Bessie.
George Russell will be buried at a graveside service very near his Marine Corps father in the military section of Ocean View Cemetery on March 3, 2 p.m. reception following at the Monday Club in Fortuna. All are welcome.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of George Russell Anderson’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
The identity of a man located deceased in the Eel River has finally been determined after 25 years through DNA, thanks to a partnership between the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office’s Cold Case Unit, the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) and Othram Inc.
In March of 1998, a Loleta resident and his father were searching the Eel River by boat for driftwood when they located what appeared to be human remains in the river near Cock Robin Island. Sheriff’s deputies responded via jetboat and recovered the remains. The decedent was found to be partially clothed and in advanced stages of decomposition. No identification was located.
Following this recovery, an autopsy was conducted, and it was determined the remains had been in the water for approximately one month. The decedent’s cause of death was listed as possible drowning. The deceased was described by investigators only as being a white male adult, 5 foot 10 inches tall, about 170 pounds, and likely 35-45 years old. This description did not match any reported missing persons from Northern California.
During the investigation, the CA DOJ was able to recover one latent fingerprint which was ran through the Automated Latent Print System but received no matches. A forensic dental examination was completed by a local dentist. A DNA sample was obtained and entered into both the California Missing Persons DNA Database and the National Unidentified Persons DNA Index. The DNA profile was routinely searched against profiles from both missing persons and other human remains in the Combined Index System (CODIS). No profile matches were ever made.
Missing persons cases stay open until solved. In December of 2022, the HCSO and the CA DOJ partnered with Othram Inc., a forensic genealogy lab, to determine if advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the unidentified man or a close relative. With funding provided by Roads to Justice, the CA DOJ sent Othram a DNA extract from the unknown man’s remains. Othram scientists used forensic genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Once the profile was built, Othram’s in-house genealogy team used forensic genetic genealogy to produce investigate leads.
Sydow
In mid-February of 2023, the HCSO received the Othram report indicating the DNA profile may belong to Jeffery Todd Sydow, born in 1963. The report included several genetic relatives, including a possible sister named Shirl from Missouri. HCSO Investigators were able to contact Shirl, who confirmed that she did have a brother named Jeffery Todd Sydow. Shirl told investigators that for unknown reasons Jeffery stopped communicating with family members. Their last contact with him was in the mid-1990s. Over the years Shirl had tried to reach out to Jeffery but could not locate him. As family was not sure whether the loss of contact was intentional, Jeffery was never reported as a missing person. The DOJ was able to compare the one latent print with fingerprints known to be Jeffery’s and got a positive match.
Family members are making arrangements with the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office to have Jeffery’s remains released for burial with other deceased family members.
We’d like to thank the California Department of Justice DNA Lab and Othram for their outstanding work and assistance in solving this case and providing the Sydow family some closure for their missing loved one. The HCSO is continuing its partnership with the CA DOJ and Othram, and is reviewing several of our missing persons investigations for the use of this latest DNA technology.
Anyone with information regarding Sydow and his last known activities or whereabouts prior to his death, or information that may assist in the investigation of any open missing persons cases, is asked to contact HCSO Cold Case Investigator Mike Fridley at 707-441-3024.
HUMBOLDT TODAY: Humboldt gets a little break from the extreme weather before heading back into the yuck, the Yurok Tribe is excited about a new partnership, plus a dreamer on a solar-powered bike rolls through Eureka as part of his world tour. Those stories and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.
Arcata City Councilmembers Meredith Mathews, Sarah Schaefer and Kimberly White discuss the Gateway Area Plan during a council meeting on Mar. 1 | Screenshot from online meeting video
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You’ve likely been reading about (and hopefully attending) workshops and meetings surrounding Arcata’s Gateway Area Plan – that section of the city’s general plan that aims to rezone 138 acres near the downtown area to facilitate the development of high-density housing – for a few years now. And at this point, you’re probably wondering when the heck you will see some of these changes that you’ve been hearing so much about.
Well, that was exactly the topic of discussion at Wednesday night’s Arcata City Council meeting, during which the council discussed the controversial plan, specifically the public engagement process and the timeline for the plan’s adoption moving forward. David Loya, Arcata’s community development director said that if everything goes smoothly, the plan should be adopted about one year from now.
Loya began by providing councilmembers Sarah Schaefer, Meredith Matthews and Kimberly White with an overview on what the public engagement process has looked like so far, mentioning that the city has held more than 120 meetings and workshops on the Gateway Plan since 2018. Councilmembers Stacy Atkins-Salazar and Alex Stillman both recused themselves from the discussion (and likely will be from all future Gateway Plan meetings) because they both own property within 100 feet of the Gateway Area.
Map of the Gateway Area in Arcata
Since the beginning of 2023, public engagement and the Arcata Planning Commission meetings have been primarily focused on establishing the framework for the form-based code the city will use to rezone the Gateway Area and guide future development. Once a month the city has held a public workshop on one specific topic of the code, followed by a Planning Commission study session to consider the public’s feedback and make recommendations.
The most recent of these public workshops, held on Feb. 23, focused on streetscapes, parking and open space. The Planning Commission will hold a study session focused on the same topics on Mar. 18. There will be another workshop on Mar. 30, followed by a Planning Commission study session on Apr. 22. After that, all of the commission’s recommendations will be used to guide a draft of the form based code by the end of this June.
But some councilmembers and community members were concerned that as workshops and meetings continue that public participation has declined, and become less diverse and less representative of the community.
“I am worried that as process has gone on with more public meetings and no final decisions, I’ve seen public participation decline, and become less diverse and representative,” Arcata resident Melodie Meyer said over Zoom during the public comment period.
Fred Weis – an Arcata resident who frequently speaks at Gateway meetings and started the Gateway Plan-focused website arcata1.com – also spoke during public comment, urging the council to make some sort of tangible decision related to the plan, adding that he thinks “people are upset that nothing seems to be happening.” Weis also suggested that the city host more walking tours of the Gateway Area because many people couldn’t attend the tours held previously, due to COVID.
Councilmember Meredith Matthews mentioned that groups and individuals can contact city staff or the council to request a walking tour of the gateway area at any time during this process.
The council also discussed ways the city might be able to increase outreach to Arcata’s underrepresented groups, particularly the Latinx community. Mayor Sarah Schaefer mentioned that the City has held some Spanish speaking meetings, but they have not been well-attended. Schaefer said that the City is working with Equity Arcata to find ways to conduct more outreach to the Latinx population and other people of color in Arcata to help them be more involved in the public conversation around the Gateway Area Plan.
The council also felt that one of the best ways to bolster community engagement would be to complete a written draft of the form-based code as soon as possible, so that the public will have something to review when providing feedback. Loya said that Ben Noble, the City’s design consultant, is working very hard to meet the deadline of June 30, when drafts of the form based code, and the General Plan Update should be complete. (To be clear, the Gateway Area Plan is a component of the City’s General Plan.)
Timeline for Gateway Plan milestones | Screenshot from Arcata City Council meeting
The City plans to release the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the General Plan. After the plan has circulated for six months, received comments and any necessary adjustments have been made, the city should be able to adopt the EIR, the form-based code and the General Plan Update – including the Gateway Plan – by March 30, 2024.
A collapsed brick fireplace and chimney from the Dec. 20 earthquake in Rio Dell. | File photo.
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Press release from the Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation:
The Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF) has set aside at least $1.2 million for nonprofit organization, tribes and government entities helping residents of Rio Dell and surroundings areas displaced by December’s 6.4-magnitude quake.
“These funds will continue to help with immediate assistance provision and build a more resilient community going forward,” said Michelle Carrillo, HAF+WRCF’s Director of Strategy, Programs and Community Solutions.
The $1.2 million is in addition to the nearly $500,000 that HAF+WRCF directed to recovery efforts led by incredible volunteers and organizations active on the ground. The money came from generous contributions from the foundation’s donors and philanthropic partners, Carrillo said.
In light of this disaster not reaching the FEMA threshold for public aid, HAF+WRCF and the broader philanthropic network recognized early on how critical philanthropic dollars would be to response and recovery for Rio Dell and the surrounding Eel River Valley,” Carrillo said.
“We are committed to working with local community groups, tribes and governmental entities to support a healthy recovery process, particularly for those who might be especially vulnerable to the long-term impacts of displacement, trauma and housing insecurity,” she said.
While HAF+WRCF does not grant funds to individuals, it does distribute grants via its Disaster Response & Resilience Fund to qualifying community entities. The foundation has partnered with the city of Rio Dell and the County of Humboldt to determine how best to serve displaced residents struggling to find adequate shelter, food and supplies.
“The City of Rio Dell’s collaborative partnerships with the county, state, and community organizations like HAF+WRCF are crucial to moving our recovery efforts forward,” said Rio Dell City Manager Kyle Knopp. “Our top priority is to end earthquake-related displacement for our residents, and these funds will bring much-needed relief to help displaced residents rebuild or find acceptable alternate accommodations.”
Humboldt County 2nd District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell said. “With no federal disaster relief funds coming to move our recovery efforts forward, funds provided by HAF+WRCF are critical to help Rio Dell and the county meet our collective goal to end earthquake-related displacement. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to HAF+WRCF and their philanthropic partners for their partnership and generosity.”
To administer the funds, the foundation has assigned Senior Program Officer Ali O. Lee to work with community partners and the foundation’s Community Response Team to allocate those resources.
Where the funds come from In the days and weeks since the quake struck, HAF+WRCF’s new and existing donors responded by contributing to the foundation’s Disaster Response & Resilience Fund. Most contributions came from large, non-local foundations and donors, which HAF+WRCF is leveraging to meet local needs across its four-county service region.
The partners include Sierra Health Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Marin Community Foundation, Sacramento Region Community Foundation, Humboldt Health Foundation, Amalgamated Foundation and The California Endowment.
Organizations that helped elevate the need for support include Northern California Grantmakers, The Mendocino Community Foundation, and the League of California Community Foundations. They were joined by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Social Innovation team with support from Senator McGuire.
