It is with a heavy heart that we announce the unexpected loss of Donald “Donny” Thomas Ferguson. He departed the world on October 23, 2022, leaving just as he entered it — with a kind, compassionate soul, seeking adventure. Donny was born in Seattle, Washington on January 23, 1971 to Roberta and Robert Ferguson.

Those who had the chance to be acquainted with Donny knew he faced little hesitation to put others before himself. A fun memory shared with his sister, Robin Ferguson, happened on a particularly warm summer day spent in South Dakota. On this summer day, he swore to his sister that he would catch a fish using only his hands. With extreme focus, he watched the rippling water. Moments later, in one swoop, he pulled out a shiny little fish presenting it to Robin. He loved to bring her joy but, above all, he was protective of his older sister. During the earthquake of 1992, Humboldt experienced a higher magnitude earthquake. He held his sister’s hand throughout the duration offering her words of comfort.

The mother of his children, Karmen Davy, shared a memory that also spoke of his protective nature. Donny spent time with Karmen as she fed her beloved quarter horse Taffy. One evening, they heard a low, almost mechanical, rumble. While looking toward the tree line in disbelief, a mountain lion was stalking them. In calmness, Donny looked toward Karmen telling her not to panic. As most would, she ran toward the car leaving behind her jacket in the dust-covered pasture and — well, Donny too.

He loved to encourage his daughter, Kelsey, with her photography endeavors. He guided her with his kindness and wisdom which helped her push through difficult times. These stories show Donny’s nature: he was driven by kindness, compassion, and dedication to his loved ones.

Donny had a long list of hobbies that included BMX, fishing, clamming, cooking, birdwatching, technology, and motorcycles. He extended these passions to his two daughters: Kelsey and Jaycie Ferguson-Davy. From a young age, he had numerous accomplishments, some including but not limited to a black belt in jujitsu and winning numerous sprint car races.

He is preceded in death by his father Robert Ferguson and brother Randy Ferguson. Donny leaves behind his children Kelsey and Jaycie Ferguson-Davy, his mother Roberta Ferguson, brother Vance Ferguson, sister Robin Ferguson, niece Josie Ferguson, his uncle Ray Tyson, his aunt Cheryl Tyson, and his six grandchildren. Donny also leaves behind his sober living community which had become an extension of his family.

In lieu of flowers, please hug someone you love and tell them how special they are to you.

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

Joan Katri was born in 1939 in Eureka to Bernard and Mary Katri. She grew up in Ferndale, graduating in l957 from Ferndale High School.

Joan attended and graduated from California School of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. She then worked in commercial art in San Francisco for several years after which she lived on the East Coast for a number of years.

Joan returned to Ferndale about 40 years ago and became involved with the art community. She was active in the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce , the Ferndale Museum and the Art Co-op.

She is survived by her twin sister, Janice Holdaway, of Magnolia, Texas and brother, Dennis Katri, of Fortuna.

A memorial gathering will planned at a later date.

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

Helen Louise Watson, age 64, passed away on January 22, 2023. Louise was born December 14, 1958 in Eureka to Frank and Helen Wingo. She lived almost her entire life in Manila, from birth, until 2011, when she moved to Eureka. Louise married her high school sweetheart, Larry Watson, in 1974. She was known to many as “Aunt Lou” and was always willing to feed you, let you sleep on the couch, take a shower or help if she could. To her she had many kids and she loved them all, but she would also tell your ass off if you needed and sometimes even if you didn’t.

Louise was known for her loud personality and no-nonsense kind of attitude. She had many hobbies in her early years — she loved her horses and grew up riding on the beach of Manila. Later in life she loved beading, art and spending lots of time with her grandchildren whom she taught many naughty things and loved more than this world could ever imagine.

Helen is survived by her daughter Alisha Watson and her husband Mike Plante Jr., daughter Erica Fike, son Terry Watson, granddaughters Kiarra Plante, Abigayle Plante and her partner Alivia Seymore, grandson Mike Plante III, great-grandson Michael Plante IIII, brother and his wife Bill & Kathi Wingo, brother Franklin Wingo JR., brother Jim Wingo, niece Trisha and her husband Josh Dane, great-niece Maddison Dane, great-niece Taylor Dane, great -nephew Jacob Dane, great-nephew Colt Dane, niece Tanya Nottingham, nephew Franklin Wingo 3rd, nephew Robert Hunt and his wife Jeni Hunt, great-niece Kaetee Hunt, great-nephew Shane Hunt and his family, niece Violet Glass, great-niece Kashandra Darity, great-nephew Brayan Wade, great-niece Mahaylah Flood, cousins Hazel & Russel Fry, very close friends Danny Moss and family, Tom Stover and family, Jamie Peters & Karen Nichols.

Helen is preceded in death by her husband, Larry Watson, parents Frank & Helen Wingo, in-laws Gerald and Violet Watson, nephew Bill Wingo Jr., brother -in-law Gerald “Punky” Watson, sister-in-law Laverna Beach, sister-in-law Ethel Miller, nephew Wayne Frisbee, nephew Carl Frisbee, and dear friends Curt Nottingham and many other close friends.

A special thanks to hospice of Humboldt and all of the other very special people that have helped throughout Helen’s illness.

There will be no services at this time.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Louise Watson’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: Humboldt’s Queer community communes in Ferndale, protesters gather in front of Wildberries Marketplace, and a week of sunshine ahead, as told in today’s LoCO newscast by John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING:

• (VIDEO) Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Hold Community Communion in Ferndale 
• Second Suspect in Attempted Freshwater ATM Burglary Arrested, Sheriff’s Office Says
• Humboldt Supes to Consider a Grant Application Request for a Local Behavioral Health Triage Center at Next Week’s Jam-Packed Meeting

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Good news for fans of non-motorized transportation: The last stretch of trail needed to connect Eureka and Arcata is getting closer to realization.

At its regular meeting tomorrow, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is slated to approve plans for the Humboldt Bay Trail South, a paved, four-and-a-quarter mile waterfront pathway between the two bayside municipalities. The agenda item also calls for the board to authorize the public works director to put the project out for bids, pending authorization from the Federal Highway Administration.

“It’s a really big step,” said Hank Seemann, the county’s deputy director of public works. If all goes to plan, he said, people will be cycling, jogging, roller-skating and skateboarding between the Arcata Plaza and the Eureka boardwalk before long.

“I would fully expect it to be complete by summer of 2024,” Seemann said, adding that construction could begin on or around May 1.

The project is expected to cost $16,046,902, and the funds are already lined up. The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorized $2 million dollars for the project, and in October the California Transportation Commission allocated nearly $13.3 million. Add in $1.25 million committed by the California Department of Transportation and the total construction budget stands at $16,396,000. (Caltrans will administer the funding.)

Like the other stretches of trail that have been built in recent years, this paved, standalone path will be separated from the roadway, offering users a buffer for the noisy, dangerous traffic on Hwy. 101. The majority of the trail will be situated between the highway and the defunct railroad corridor, though as you can see in the diagram above, one mile-long segment will skirt around the far side of Brainard mill site.

Here’s that stretch of shoreline:

At the southern end, the trail will cross the Eureka Slough railroad bridge, connecting with the Eureka Waterfront Trail. The plans call for replacing about 125 of the bridge’s treated timber crossties. That represents about a quarter of the total number of crossties — those in the worst shape. The county’s request for bids will include an “additive bid item” to replace more like 75 percent of the crossties, including ones that are in “fair to good condition,” according to a staff report.

That extra work — estimated to cost another $353,000 — will be completed if the winning bid comes in below the available construction budget.

The project calls for major modifications to the Eureka Slough Bridge, construction of three new trail bridges and removal of the northernmost stretch of the eucalyptus trees lining Hwy. 101. County staff previously concluded that those towering trees represent a safety hazard and must be removed in order to complete and maintain the trail.

Construction will also include widening of the railroad prism, repairs to the shoreline armoring along that prism and elevating the section between Brainard and Bracut to address flooding hazards.

The intersection with the driveway for the Bracut Industrial Park is the one place where trail users will have to deal with cross-traffic. Seemann explained that the project will include several traffic-calming measures there, including solar-powered streetlights to improve visibility.

The item is listed on the consent calendar for tomorrow’s agenda, meaning the board could approve it early in the meeting, along with a slate of other items, without specific discussion. But Seemann said the matter will be pulled for discussion because staff needs to make a slight change to the recommended action.

The change relates to the steel rail lines, which technically belong to the Great Redwood Trail Agency (or GRTA, formerly the North Coast Railroad Agency). About a mile and a quarter of these rail lines will be removed in order to raise the rail prism and repair shoreline armoring between Bracut and the Brainard mill site. 

Old though it is, these rail lines have scrap metal value. The bid documents call for the contractor to take possession of the rails and cash in on them to help offset costs, but GRTA staff weren’t keen on that, Seemann said.

“After further communication with them Friday and today, we decided to change that approach so that we’re going to stockpile the rails and then GRTA will come in and take possession and manage the salvaging for the net revenue,” he explained.

The Federal Highway Administration needs to authorize the project before the request for bids can be issued, but Seemann said he expects that authorization to come in within a week. 

“We also have an agreement with the California Conservation Corps to start vegetation removal in mid-February,” Seemann added. “So motorists will start seeing some [trail-related] activity by the [Corps] in about a month.”

PREVIOUSLY: Ferndale Drag Show Canceled After ‘Beware’ Sign at Local Church Prompts Concerns About Extremist Response

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Following complaints from a local church about an ultimately canceled drag show in Ferndale, Humboldt’s queer community and allies held a “community communion” in the Cream City on Sunday.

The Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence-organized event drew around 150 people to Ferndale City Hall for a morning of songs and celebration of diversity. Sample the tone of the event in the video below.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Suspect Arrested in Failed Three Corners Market ATM Burglary Case

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

A second suspect wanted in connection with a smash-and-grab burglary near Freshwater has been arrested.

On Jan. 22, 2023, at about 3:50 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies served a warrant at a residence located on Clough Road in Loleta, which was known to be associated with 54-year-old Charles Steven Flinn. Through follow up investigation, Flinn was identified by deputies as the second suspect in a burglary of a business on January 8.

Flinn was located at the Loleta residence and was taken into custody without incident. He was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of burglary (PC 459/461(b)), vandalism (PC 594(b)(1)), conspiracy to commit a crime (PC 182(a)(1)), possession of a controlled substance (HS 11377(a)), parole revocation (PC 3000.08(f)) and parole hold (PC 3000.08(c)).

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.