When the miners had depleted the lowlands, the easy-to-get-to gold claims, they pushed on through the forests, into deep canyons. They climbed the rocky mountains to find streams running white with rapids — always in the hope that here may be a new bonanza. As the miners moved, they left behind them the easier, faster methods of transportation. No longer could they go by locomotives, stagecoaches, wagons. At times it was almost impossible for four-footed animals. It was necessary for supplies and machinery to be carried into the mining country, where settlements cropped up almost overnight with population numbers running into the hundreds. Like magic, rumors of gold drew masses of humanity.

The pack train became an indispensable necessity, linking the mines with civilization and the source of supply. In some of the more isolated localities, the arrival of a pack train was an event of importance. The mule pack train can be given a major portion of credit for the early-day development of Humboldt’s interior, the country of northern and northeastern Humboldt County.

A. Brizard’s famous pack train shared in this growth. Besides serving the branch stores in the mining country, the pack trains carried freight — pipe, machinery, supplies — for the mines. It was reported, as the packing season came to an end, Brizard pack trains had carried a half-million pounds. Brizard was not alone in packing, for there were numerous operators serving the countryside.

According to Hutching’s California Magazine, December 1856, “There are generally forty to fifty mules in a train, mostly Mexican, each of which will carry from three hundred to three hundred and fifty pounds, and with which they will travel from twenty-five to thirty-five miles per day, without becoming weary.”

In Humboldt, the mileage accomplished was shorter, because of the mountainous country. The mule trains passed over some of California’s ruggedest terrain to reach their destinations.

Hutching’s said:

If there is plenty of grass they seldom get anything else to eat. When fed on barley, which is generally about three months of the year, November, December and January, it is only given once a day, and in proportions from seven to eight pounds per mule. They seldom drink more than once a day, in the warmest weather. The average life of a mule is about sixteen years.

The Mexican mules are tougher and stronger than American mules; for, while the latter seldom can carry more than from two hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds, the former can carry three hundred and fifty pounds with greater ease.

It was not possible to carry food in the freight train, enroute. At night at the end of the run, the mules were turned loose to graze along the trail.

In 1865, when Alexander Brizard and James A.C. Van Rossum purchased the firm of William Codington & Company, Codington was in the forwarding business. From this point it may be assumed the Brizard firm added a pack train service to the mines of the Klamath-Trinity area.

A notice in The Humboldt Times dated May 26, 1865 states: “Particular attention paid to Forwarding Goods to any part of the Mines. All orders will be filled with care and will receive prompt attention at the old stand of Wm. Codington and Company.” This store was located at the corner of Ninth and G Streets, and was occupied by the new owners. A corral was located just west of the store.

Mules are found listed in the Humboldt County assessment rolls for 1867 as being owned by A. Brizard. “There is something very pleasing and picturesque in the sight of a large pack train of mules quietly descending a hill, as each one intelligently examines the trail, and moves carefully, step by step, on a steep and dangerous declivity, as though he suspected danger to himself, or injury to the pack committed to his care,” said an eye-witness account in Hutching’s magazine. In Northern California, there were at least five thousand mules engaged in packing in 1856. The number was to grow as population and commerce increased.

Oscar Lord in the Humboldt County Historical Society yearbook for 1954, wrote:

The early settlers of Northern Humboldt, Klamath and Siskiyou Counties were supplied with provisions, furniture, and gold mining equipment brought in by pack trains. These trains usually consisted of from 30 to 40 mules, each carrying an average of 300 pounds. A bell-mare led the pack train. There was also a mule for each packer. The crew consisted of a boss packer, a packer for each 10 mules, and the bell-boy who doubled as cook, led the kitchen mule. During the trip the men subsisted on pancake bread, bacon and beans. “The three large trains operating in this area in the 1880’s were owned by Alexander Brizard, who had 125 mules; Thomas Bair, who had 60 mules; and William Lord, who had 75 mules.

Pack train routes, as Mr. Lord remembered them, were described in these words:

One of the old trails taken by the pack trains into the Orleans Bar country started at Arcata, then went to Trinidad, and northeasterly over the mountains by Redwood Creek near the homestead of the Hower’s, which was a stopping place for many years; then up the Bald Hills; through the Hooker ranch to French Camp; down into Martin’s Ferry; to Weitchpec and Orleans Bar. Another trail, which was used more than the trail by Trinidad, commenced a short distance east of Glendale; to Liscom’s Hill; down into the North Fork of Mad River; to Fawn and Elk Prairies; down into Redwood Creek at Beaver’s; to Hower’s, through the Hooker Ranch, etc., as noted above. A loaded pack train took seven days to travel the 78 miles from Arcata to Orleans. The return trip without a load took only five days.

On the first page of the Arcata Union, Vol. 2, No. 1, July 30,1887, one finds A. Brizard advertising at the “Stone Store, Arcata,” with branch stores: Orleans, Willow Creek, Weitchpec, in Humboldt; Somes Bar, in Siskiyou Co., Francis and White Rock, New River in Trinity County.

Attention is called to packing:

Running my pack trains to above points, am prepared to furnish transportation to these or any points in the mountains on favorable terms. Goods consigned to me for transportation will be stored free in my fireproof building.

For many years the A. Brizard pack trains were loaded in corrals in town. Then the train was taken out of town about a mile on the Alliance Road, where time was taken to readjust the packs for the remainder of the trip.

Before the advent of the Arcata & Mad River railroad, freight was carried from Arcata to mountain destinations. Later freight was to be loaded aboard the trains. This cut down the distance considerably and saved the strength of the mules for the mountainous work.

According to a note found in the Blue Lake Advocate, dated April 18, 1891, this was the time when the new loading location came into use. Mrs. Eugene F. Fountain, Blue Lake historian, included this in her “The Story of Blue Lake” on October 6, 1955.

Mr. Brizard’s train under the management of J. Zeigler left Blue Lake Wednesday morning for Somes Bar, with a cargo for Martin’s Ferry, Orleans Bar and Somes’ Bar. This is the first train which left this spring and after this all of Mr. Brizard’s pack trains will start from Blue Lake.

Mrs. Fountain reported in a story she found in the Blue Lake Advocate, July 27, 1895, the fact the pack trains often returned with “pay-loads.” Sometimes they made special supply trips:

Every year A. Brizard’s pack trains make a few trips to Etna, Siskiyou County, where they pack a whole lot of flour from the mill there, to supply his stores at Somes Bar, Orleans, Francis and White Rock. The two trains in charge of Ed Scott and Weitchpec Ben, respectively, are expecting to go to the Etna mill in a few days. Mr. Brizard usually buys every year about 45,000 pounds of flour from that place.

When the Blue Lake Advocate celebrated its jubilee May 7, 1938, a story from the files for December 26, 1903 is featured: “THE PACKING SEASON OVER.”

The packing season from Blue Lake to different points in northern and northeastern Humboldt is now closed for the winter, A. Brizard’s train under the charge of Oscar Brown, has gone to winter quarters at Bald Mountain, while the other train, under Ed Scott, is making its last trip to Hoopa and Weitchpec. The faithful mules will be turned out for their winter vacation on Brizard’s Bald Mountain ranch, and in about two or three months packing operations will be resumed. Ed Scott, one of the best boss packers in Humboldt County, has decided to quit the business and from now on he expects to be employed for the Orleans Bar Gold Mining Co., at Orleans. Ed put in a good season last year, having been on the road and trail since February 15th, but he considers this kind of life as a little too hard for him, and hence his resignation.

At the end of the next season, February 20, 1904, the Advocate said:

Brizard’s pack mules, some seventy-seven in number, were driven from Hoopa to Bald Mountain, Saturday, for a change of pasture. Some thirty-three head, in charge of Domingo Bibancos, the old Chilean packer, were taken to Arcata Monday for a week’s stay, where they will be fed hay. The packing season will commence some time next month.

Mrs. Fountain wrote the mules were being loaded behind the A. Brizard store at Blue Lake. At times there were unavoidable mishaps such as this:

When leaving the freight yard with a load of shovels, one of the faithful mules turned its back too close to a window in the store building and as a result the long shovel handles passed through a pane of glass. The loss was charged to that particular mule’s credit with a little remonstrance on the side.

Besides Domingo Bibancos, another South American packer, was Sacramento Moreno. In 1881, in an advertisement, Brizard recognized his association, as the “Brizard & Moreno pack train.” This association remained until 1887, when Moreno sold his interest to Brizard. Moreno was in Arcata in 1873, when in March of that year, Edmond Le Conte sold the packer property in Arcata for $450.

Alexander Brizard was convinced he had the best pack trains, the best packers, and he did not hesitate to say so. In a letter on June 8, 1896, to J.T. Parsons of San Francisco, an official in the Red Camp Mining Company, Brizard wrote:

As to the transportation your company requires will say this is my line and flatter myself that I can handle in more satisfactory manner than anyone else in this section. Trust I need not refer you to anyone for my reliability and facilities to carry out any engagement. I refer to this for there are some with only a few mules who will offer to take all that is offered them, and do the work where and when they can or convenient.

I deliver goods beyond Cedar Flat and could not if the other route you mention is used. The goods then must go by rail to Redding thence to Weaver by team, 40 miles to North Fork of Trinity, by team about 20 miles, thence by pack mule to Cedar Flat, another 24 miles. It has to go through all these hands, each adding their charges. There is no regular pack train running between North Fork and Cedar Flat. You would have to have someone arrange terms for this additional transportation.
To show you advantages of my route, I will receive the goods f.o.b. Steamer Pomona from your city, marked ‘Diamond B’ Arcata, with added initial to desegregate from my freight. I will deliver to Cedar Flat, 2/4 cents per pound, provided of course packages are suitable for mule transportation.

His letter adds: “I have had 40 years experience in packing. Mined many years ago with a rocker at Cedar Flat.”

In another letter a few days later, Brizard told the San Francisco mining man: “It is six days from here to Cedar Flat — say eight days to be safe. If my pack trains are out, I can, if I know a few days in advance, arrange a train to pick up goods.”

On June 15, 1896, still writing to the Red Cap Mining Company officers, A. Brizard advised:

The mining pipe should be put up in 150-pound rolls not over, by 150 we can add here. Be sure not to forget the rivets, needed tools, as there is some distance to where these can be had, and in this there can be an expensive loss of time. It is the little things that are inexpensive, but are overlooked, nevertheless. Important to have indispensable good man to direct work on ground, and remind you that the most efficient helpers, good ordinary laborers, are not always available in those parts. I offer this as a suggestion.

Although there are many stories in existence of pack train mules owned by other operators, carrying five or six hundred pounds, A. Brizard, would never permit abuse or overloading of his animals. In an excerpt from a letter concerning shipment of mining equipment, Brizard said: “Will not agree to take freight till I see it, as I can’t tell what mill and pipe will be. Some think a mule can pack anything. I know they cannot.”

During this period of packing, tobacco was an important ingredient for both packer and miner. In a letter dated, October 8, 1896, A. Brizard wrote:

Yours of 3rd received. In regard to quantities of tobacco used. Some months use 300 pounds to 500 pounds according to business. I never order less than 150 pounds or 200 pounds at one time. ‘Battle Ax’ has been looking up and I now sell quite a quantity, and seems to be improving. Whenever ordering never send me less than a 100-pound lot of same.

You must understand my business, that at certain times of the year I handle large quantities of tobacco, according to the season. Some months four times as much as others. I have to pack all my goods by mules, so have to depend on the weather …

Buying of mules for the pack trains was a job A. Brizard himself undertook, which he so states in a letter to J.W. Stout of Klamath Falls, Oregon:

I have just returned from a trip to Round Valley where I purchased all of the mules that I required at a very low figure, as mules are plentiful there just now and can be had at any price. I do not know of anybody in this part of the country who you could make a sale to. I have on hand over 150 head, some of which I would be willing to sell very cheap …

There was always the weather to contend with, as A. Brizard indicates in this portion of a letter to W.J. Wiley, San Francisco, on May 10, 1896: “First day of decent weather. Had been raining, delayed pack trains. Two of mine delayed four days this side of Redwood Creek. Could not cross.”

On September 13, 1896, the Arcata & Mad River passenger-train plunged through a suspension bridge over Mad River. The drop of 35-feet, killed seven passengers and injured many more. A. Brizard wrote in a letter to the Red Cap Mining Company he was both shocked and horrified by the tragedy. The victims, he knew, as friends and customers. Too, he pointed out, there would have to be some changes in getting freight to Blue Lake, since the train had been used carrying Brizard freight. This would now be delayed until the bridge was rebuilt. He announced he would immediately start moving freight, by wagon to Blue Lake. Apparently this was satisfactory with the mining people.

The A. Brizard pack trains carried all types of freight, merchandise for the branch stores. There were often interesting requests, such as this one by A.F. Risling, manager of the Orleans store on November 19, 1892: “… Send by train one large demijohn. Please have it filled with Greenwald whiskey and address Samuel Bell, and also one gallon for Charles Bristol. I should like to get up a gallon myself for a few personal friends for Christmas and assure you no harm will be done.” The word “harm” was given additional assurance with an underline.

Old-time packers knew how to overcome thirst, if whiskey was in the manifest. By driving horseshoe nails into the keg, then withdrawing it, they were able to encourage enough leakage to acquire the “needed spiritual” reinforcement, we are told. Ernest C. Marshall of the Bar Vee Ranch at Hoopa, viewed a picture on a calendar issued by A. Brizard, Inc. It showed a typical pack-train readying to leave Blue Lake. Two of the packers in the picture were Bell-Boy Bud Carpenter, and Ben Bille.

In reminiscing I cannot help but turn back the pages of time to my youthful years,” the old-time packer wrote in a letter to “My Children”, “when the scene was common and the only means of getting ware to the most remote areas in the mining regions …

The mule trains of that era consisted of from 25 to 50 mules, though at times on urgent orders two mule trains would merge, making the train capacity 75 to 100 mules. A crew for 25 miles consisted of around 3 men. There was a bell-boy, second packer and the boss packer, or foreman. The duties of the bell-boy included the culinary department. He requisitioned all food and utensils, with the boss packer’s approval, needed to prepare meals and make the lunches. He led or rode the bell-horse ahead of the pack train. It was impossible to leave a mule behind, once the bell-horse started forward on the trail.

The salary of the bell-boy was $30 per month, including found (‘found’ means board). The duty of the other packers were general; unloading the packs at the end of the day, unsaddling and feeding or pasturing the mules as they depended entirely on forage along the trail. Therefore, camps were always made where there was plenty of feed. They picketed the bell-horse and the mules never strayed very far away.

The day started long before dawn, with the bell-boy busy around the camp fire getting breakfast for the crew, while the other men brought in the mules to saddle and load for the day’s trek.

They left as soon after dawn as possible, traveling not more than 15 to 20 miles per day, to give the mules more rest and foraging time at the end of the day.

The second packer rode in the middle of the pack train to better watch the mules so they did not bunch up or shove another loaded mule off the narrow trails, and to see that the mules were riding straight up, because sometimes over the narrow trails a lop-sided load could throw a mule off the trail, killing the animal. The second packer’s pay was around $35 a month, with found. The boss packer rode behind the train, keeping an eye on all the mules. He was responsible for the care of the mule train and his men, and of the safe delivery of the cargo in his care. His salary ran around $40 to $45 per month, and found, depending on the number of mules in his train. He had to maintain all the equipment, keep the mules well shod, make arrangements for the feed of the animals along the route. He had to know the carrying capacity of each mule, which varied from 300 to 400 pounds. There were only a few mules that could carry a top pack, such as a cook stove or bulk loads weighing 300 pounds or more.

All loads were carefully packed and roped together at the starting point, or warehouse, and placed in strong burlap bags for side packs. These weighed from 150 to 200 pounds each making the loads for the mules from 300 to 400 pounds. The loads were placed in long rows, ready for the next day at dawn.

The life of a packer on a mule train was a rugged one. He had to be able physically to endure the cold weather, the rain, snow, sleet,and frost,and the terrible windstorms of the high mountains. Crossing swollen streams entailed the use of canoes, later swimming the mules across, to again load and resume the journey.

Regardless of the weather, the packers knew that for their protection from the weather they had to pitch their tent for the night. They also had to dry out their blankets as best they could under these weather conditions. Deep trenches had to be dug around the tent to prevent the water from running into it while the men slept. Bedding consisted only of blankets and canvas spread on the ground.

Each packer had a leather canteen for carrying his personal belongings, lunch and a leather blind that had to be used in the loading and unloading of the mules. The blind was placed over the eyes of the mule, and the end straps over the ears, holding it in place. Some of the mules were outlaws, never taming, regardless of heavy loads and work.

“You will note that the loads on the mules have two different hitches,” Mr. Marshall says, referring to the photograph. “The most generally used, the diamond hitch and barrel hitch. I had the occasion of participating in the loading out of the last pack train that was operated by A. Brizard, Inc. when I was employed by the company as a clerk at Hoopa. That was around the year 1920.”

Somewhere in Humboldt County there should be a bronze statue dedicated to the faithful pack mule-servant and slave.

When California’s first commercial oil was taken from the Mattole Valley, it was on the backs of pack mules to Leland Stanford at his San Francisco refinery. Wool was shipped from the Bald Hills to Humboldt Bay; from the mountains of south county to Shelter Cove, and from Blocksburg to the waiting steamer — all aboard pack mules.

There were butterfat trains from Bear River and the Mattole Valley for Port Kenyon and the San Francisco market — long trains working along the trails with many duties to accomplish in those worrisome times of settlement. The same trains brought settlers and their belongings. Without them — the pack trains — what would our history have been like?

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The story above was originally printed in the September-October 1982 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.

JoAnne Anita Scott (January 18, 1933 – August 8, 2023) entered this world 90 years ago in San Francisco, the eldest of four children born to Anita Charles and Frank Murdock Sr. Her parents met in San Francisco when her mother was in the city working and her father had just arrived in S.F. after graduating from Haskell Indian Boarding School in Kansas. JoAnne’s mother Anita was Yurok and her father Frank was a member of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of the Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin. Maternal grandparents were Susie Wauteck and Lagoon Charles, Paternal grandparents were Mary Poler and William Murdock.

JoAnne passed away peacefully in her home and was preceded in death by her parents Anita and Frank Murdock Sr., her late husband Wallace Scott, Sr., children Judith Lorentzen, Pamela Myers, Laurence Whitlatch, sister Jean Stanshaw, grandchildren Christie Love Ferris, Garrick Scott, Rebecca McKinnon, Michelle Lorentzen, great-granddaughter Kepcenich Aubrey.

JoAnne is survived by her children Anita Scott, Mary Jo Peets (Larry), Kathy Ferris, Wallace Scott Jr., Wesley Scott Sr., siblings Susie Painter (Matthew), Frank Murdock Jr. (Marjorie), grandchildren Lillian Hostler, Laurence Myers, Kimberly Peets, Travis White, Jessica Fawn Canez, Stanley Ferris Jr., Joseph Ferris, Daniel McDonald Scott, Chvski Jones-Scott, Nantsvn Jones-Scott, Teexeeshe Scott, Haley Scott, Wesley Scott Jr., Nekichwey Scott, Tohtehl Scott, 24 great-grandchildren, 8 great-great-grandchildren.

JoAnne graduated from Eureka High School in 1951 and was given the recognition from her graduating class as being the most athletic female. She was a life-long lover of sports, especially softball which she continued to play into her 60’s with a senior citizen slow-pitch league.

JoAnne was involved in her various interests over the years – art classes, working every voting season for many years as a voting day polling volunteer, volunteered at the Legion Hall in Arcata and McKinleyville, was an active member for many years in the McKinleyville Moose Lodge - her portrait is hanging on the club wall to this day. She loved animals and some of her favorites was Molly the goat, Princess Ratina, Red Baron, Bruce Lee, generations of baby skunks that visited her back porch every year and even the neighbors’ two peacocks who would come visit her front porch regularly because they knew she would feed them grapes.

As a life-long learner who went back to school after most of her children were grown, JoAnne became a Registered Nurse and was able to attend the Nursing Program alongside her daughter Judy. In her retired years JoAnne went back to school again and graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American Studies.

The family appreciates the kindness and care received from Dr. Antoinette Martinez and Sandra Trabue, Community Health Representative at United Indian Health Services, and her niece Darla Marshall for always taking the time to celebrate special days, shopping trips and other outings with her Auntie JoAnne.

Pallbearers: Frank Murdock III, Travis White, Stanley Ferris Jr., Joseph Ferris, Nantsvn Jones-Scott, Wesley Scott Jr., Teshy Scott, Cha’Keni White, Ch’Mook McCovey, Whi’Kil McCovey, Matthew “Pride” Painter Jr, Mathew Swanson, Lonnie Dean, Al Kenny Dean, Robert Woods, Bering-C Sienicki, Delmar Allen Jr., Laurance Myers.

Honorary Pallbearers: Frank Murdock Jr., Joseph Murdock, Matthew Painter Sr., Robert McGahuey, Emil Marshall, Lance Lorentzen.

Services will be held on August 15, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Paul’s Chapel in Arcata. JoAnne Scott will be laid to rest at the Trinidad Cemetery and reception will follow at the Trinidad Town Hall.

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

Aiko Harada Uyeki passed away at home in the early morning of July 6 at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 71 years, Edwin, who died in October 2022. Despite her diminutive size, she was tough and resilient, surviving childhood hardships, two bouts of breast cancer and numerous challenges throughout her life. She was a joy to the end, with a pure heart and forgiving nature. She truly embodied her name, Aiko, “child of love.”

Aiko was born in Seattle to Jingo and Shizue Harada in 1927, at the Northern Pacific Hotel where her father worked as a clerk. Her parents had immigrated from Kanazawa, Japan, on one of the last ships before the Asian Exclusion Act of 1924. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 5 years old. They lived in Boyle Heights until they were incarcerated in 1942 in the Arizona desert, a story paralleling 120,000 other Japanese and Japanese Americans living on the West Coast. After a year and a half, Aiko and her parents were able to leave the Gila River camp for Evanston, Illinois, where her father received sponsorship to work. Her brother, Roy, had already found employment in St. Louis. The boarding house where Aiko’s parents stayed did not allow children, and through a chance encounter on a bus, Aiko moved in with a family in Evanston, working as a “house girl” caring for 3 small children. She graduated from Evanston High and worked as a secretary at the University of Chicago, where she later graduated with a liberal arts degree. It was there that she met her lifelong love, Ed. They were inseparable for 72 years.

Aiko and Ed raised three children, Terry, Bill and Amy, moving from Chicago to Cleveland, eastern Washington and Kansas City following Ed’s career as a scientist and professor. Through the years, Aiko worked as a secretary, job-sharing several jobs with her close friend, Ann Nelson. Later, she became an ESL teacher, which combined her love of English with her empathy for second-language learners. After Ed’s retirement and 30 years in Kansas, Ed and Aiko chose to return to the West Coast, settling in McKinleyville, California, near daughter Amy and her family. Aiko was active as a volunteer at the Mad River Community Hospital gift shop for 20 years; was a member of the McKinleyville Women’s Civic Club; and wrote short stories and remembrances with the Silver Quills writing group. The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was a focal point for spiritual, social, and civic engagement for Aiko and Ed, longtime Unitarians.

Aiko and Ed were devoted and nurturing parents and grandparents to six grandchildren and to all their loved ones through the years, with recognition of – and tender attention paid to – each child’s interests and pursuits.

Like her mother before her, Aiko was a published writer, whose written words simply and succinctly touched and engaged her readers. In the 1980s, she wrote articles published in major newspapers about the Japanese American incarceration during WW2. Her writing made its way into The Sun, a literary magazine, where stories from her life focused on larger themes, such as poverty, being uprooted, and prejudice. Over the years she spoke out against injustices inflicted upon scapegoated communities within, at, and beyond American borders. With her daughter Amy, she edited a poetry book of her mother’s Japanese senryu poems and participated in an exhibit of 4 generations of artwork of her family. A senryu she wrote to her daughter Terry expressed an apt portrayal of how many saw Aiko:

Bamboo woman, bowed
But unbroken by life’s storms,
Now she stands erect.

Aiko’s lasting legacy is the loving kindness she shared with those around her. Her ability to live life simply, but with meaning and concern for others, acts as our moral compass. A celebration of her life and that of her beloved husband, Ed, will take place on November 11, 1 – 3 PM, Azalea Hall, McKinleyville.

The family is grateful for the loving care provided by caregivers in their latter years. In lieu of flowers or gifts, contributions in our parents’ memory may be made to a fund for scholarships for Asian American first generation college students, the Uyeki Scholarship Fund [make check out to Humboldt Area Foundation, 363 Indianola Road, Bayside CA 95524, Uyeki Memorial in subject line, or online at this link.

Those who will miss Ed and Aiko may envision their final departure, the way they often left an event: Ed, in front in the vehicle, impatiently saying: “C’mon, Aik, let’s go!” And imagining the look of delight on his face as she joins him, finally!

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

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Local Employers Push Back Against Proposed Labor Agreement for Humboldt Offshore Wind Terminal Project Ahead of Tonight’s Harbor Commission Meeting

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Local contractors and labor union members packed Eureka’s Wharfinger Building Thursday night to give the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Board of Commissioners their two cents on a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the Humboldt Offshore Wind Terminal Project that could guarantee local jobs for years to come.

The PLA outlines the general terms and conditions for labor employment affiliated with the first stages of port development on Humboldt Bay. The agreement has sparked opposition from some local construction companies that run non-union shops as it will require non-union workers to pay toward the union trust fund.

The Harbor District has spent the last year working with members of the Humboldt-Del Norte County Building and Construction Trades Council, the State Building and Construction Trade Council of the State of California, and other local labor representatives to develop the agreement, which is required by federal law. The contractors and subcontractors who are awarded contracts to work on the heavy lift marine terminal will be subject to the provisions of the agreement, including no-strike, no-lock-out clauses to eliminate delays associated with labor unrest. 

“This is an agreement between the district and the labor unions that we’re going to have a smooth labor transition and that there’s going to be no disruption to the workforce,” said Larry Oetker, executive director of the Harbor District. “But in return, there are some hiring stipulations that are included in [the document].”

The agreement details hiring priorities for “disadvantaged workers,” or local residents who, prior to the project, experienced barriers to employment, as noted in section 2.9.

Oetker said district and union representatives agreed to make a couple of small changes to sections 2.9 and 8.8 to address some of the concerns brought forth by the Humboldt Builders Exchange. The proposed amendment changes section 2.9 to note that the “disadvantaged workers” would be “prioritized in the following order for dispatch”:

• Enrolled tribal members or the spouse of an enrolled tribal member of a federally recognized tribe within Humboldt or Del Norte counties,
• Residents of the Samoa Peninsula from Mad River Slough to the North Jetty,
• Veterans,
• Commercial fishermen,
• Individuals who have completed the Building Trades Multi-Craft Core Curriculum Pre-Apprenticeship Program

The Humboldt Builders Exchange, a non-profit construction trade association representing over 300 licensed general contractors and sub-contractors, asked the Harbor District to pull the PLA from the commission’s agenda ahead of Thursday’s meeting to provide more time for public review. The district declined the request due, in part, to an upcoming deadline for a grant application due on Aug. 21.

(Commissioners unanimously approved the grant application – which could bring in as much as $250 million for port development– early on in the meeting. If approved, the grant funds will go toward the initial phases of the port development project.)

Oetker acknowledged that the district wasn’t able to include everything the Humboldt Builders Exchanged had asked for in the PLA but said, “We honestly listened to their concerns and tried to do as much as we [could].”

“We will be coming forward with a number of other agreements over time, and in particular when we bring in the bid documents,” Oetker continued. “It is our intention to also have local contracting preferences in the bid document. And so, you shouldn’t look at this as this is the only opportunity to get items in here. … And as I mentioned in the beginning … we’re talking about transformational change for Humboldt County and we cannot do this alone. We need the county, we need all the other governmental organizations, we need the labor unions, we need the non-union companies, we need the environmental community, we need everybody to help us to do this project and make this change.”

Turning to comments from the commission, Commissioner Stephen Kullmann expressed broad support for the floating offshore wind development and emphasized the importance of acting quickly to address climate change.

“What we are doing here today is really fueling something a lot greater than everything here,” he said. “Along with all the benefits that are gonna come to the local area, we’re doing something huge and we’re doing that together as a community. … This is going to be increased jobs. This is not going to be a net loss of jobs to anybody, whether you’re union or not.”

Similarly, Commissioner Craig Benson called the PLA a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” and expressed concern that union and non-union people “will fracture over how we divide this pie that benefits all of us.” 

Commission President Greg Dale noted that the PLA “is a necessary evil” required by the federal government to move ahead on federally funded projects and urged attendees to consider the big picture. 

“Construction of the heavy lift marine terminal is going to provide two to three years’ worth of work,” Dale said. “On that terminal, they’re gonna manufacture and assemble large wind turbines for 35 to 50 years and they’re gonna maintain those. This [PLA] is two years of that. I want everybody to understand that what this terminal means to this community is not necessarily all involved in this [PLA]. … We get this work for the next 30 years.”

If the terminal project doesn’t move forward, “they’re gonna go build it in Long Beach,” he said. “And if you don’t think they can do it faster than we can put this one together, you’re absolutely wrong. That’s why this is so urgent to us.”

More than 50 people spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. The vast majority of speakers – many of whom were union members or representatives – spoke in favor of the agreement.

Jeff Hunerlach, district representative for Operating Engineer’s Local #3, said the PLA would allow union employees currently working out of the area to return home to their families and work in the community. 

Hunerlach

“My wife has been out of the area for over four years and I’m grateful to have her back,” he said. “This is an opportunity where they can come back into this community.”

Speaking to the non-union contractors present, Hunerlach said, “We want to partner with you and we want to help grow your businesses – that’s what this PLA does.”

Jared Mumm, a Santa Rosa-based representative of IBEW Local 551, also spoke in favor of the PLA and the importance of hiring local workers.

“In the competitive bidding process, there is no guarantee that a local contractor gets that work. There’s no guarantee that your neighbors are on those projects,” Mumm said. “Right now here in town, there is a very large facility where there are electricians from Los Angeles taking out every single light on campus and replacing them. It’s good, you’re gonna get nice new bright lights, but there’s not a single local electrician on that project and there’s no PLA to chase them away.”

Several other community members spoke in favor of the PLA, including Connie Stewart, Executive Director of Initiatives at Cal Poly Humboldt, who talked about the university’s role in training the workforce that will be needed for offshore wind development. 

“I just want to say that I’m so happy to have the local-hire language [in the PLA] because all of the signatories on the building trades know I want training programs located in Humboldt County,” she said. “I want them all to bring the training programs back and I don’t want our children to have to drive more than one hour to get trained to be able to work at the port.”

Luis Neuner, an environmental advocate with the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), also spoke in favor of the agreement, emphasizing that it will “make way for good paying jobs, a strong local economy, a workforce and a port project of quality.” He said the agreement is a step in the right direction and will “establish labor standard that we can all be proud of” but emphasized that this is not the end of the road.

“This cannot be the end of workforce development on this project,” Neuner said. “We need to ensure that local folks who want to get hired, get hired. We must also exhaust all efforts to ensure that our local community, tribal nations and at-risk population stays safe. That will have to happen through additional agreements. It’s not every day unions and enviros see eye to eye on things … but today we do.”

Robert Hemsted, Vice-Chair of the Trinidad Rancheria, said he appreciated the modifications that were made to the PLA but said he was reluctant to offer his full support.

“There’s been a lot of changes in the last week but it’s only been released a week, so it was kind of difficult to give it a thorough review. No one had a real chance to ask questions,” he said. “A little more review time would have been what I would have appreciated, personally. I appreciate you guys reaching out to numerous tribes – the Trinidad Rancheria was not one of them. … But I understand where you guys were and where it’s going.”

Lynette Mullen, an independent contractor hired to advocate on behalf of the Humboldt Builders Exchange, also thanked the district and union reps for making the last-minute changes to the agreement but still felt the PLA was unfair to non-union workers.

Mullen

“Other contractors just wanted the opportunity to put their guys to work without forcing them to join a union,” she said. “If these guys want to join unions, if people are unhappy with the people they’re working for, they can join a union.  They can leave. But I think people are very frustrated that they’re being forced to join a union and pay into the union just because they’re contractors here in Humboldt County.”

Similarly, Chris Albright of O&M Industries said his team “just wanted a fair shake.” He criticized the earlier point made about arguing over dividing the proverbial pie because non-union contractors will only receive one percent of the total dollar value of project work, as stipulated in section 3.4.9. 

“We’re a family-owned business –we’re on our third generation – and we don’t do that by screwing over our employees,” he said. “We have to work really hard. … And our thanks for that is ‘don’t fight over one percent – $250,000 – you’re not at the table.’ … Give us an opportunity next time.”

Following public comment, Commissioner Benson acknowledged the difficult decision at hand, adding that he didn’t know how he would end up voting on the item.

“The PLA checks most – if not all – the boxes,” he said. “I really agree with CORE Hub and the Trinidad Rancheria that we can do better as a commission and that we still need to develop very tangible Community Benefits Agreements. … I also share sadness with Lynette Mullen in that there’s inequity in this agreement for local non-union shops. … The [jobs] are not off the table but they’re limited. So, where does this leave me? … I still don’t know how I’m gonna vote to this moment.”

Commissioner Patrick Higgins said “it’s a good deal,” adding that he planned to vote for it. “I understand these questions and they’re kind of deeply philosophical [as it relates] to the union and non-union, kind of open shop thing, but the law says if we want a $250 million [grant] from the fed, pass a PLA,” he said. “I think this community deserves it.

Commissioner Aaron Newman and President Dale expressed sympathy with local construction workers and acknowledged the difficult decision before the commission but also indicated that they would vote in favor of the PLA.

Commissioner Higgins had made a motion to approve the agreement at the beginning of the discussion, which was seconded by Commissioner Benson. Before voting on the item, Oetker reminded commissioners of the amendment to the motion to allow for the minor modification to the PLA. They agreed to accept the change.

The motion passed 5-0.

###

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? 

If your answer is anything other than “Spongebob Squarepants,” then clearly you have been living under a rock for the last 24 years. Because whether you watched the show or not, nearly everyone knows of the annoyingly optimistic, yellow, square sponge who became a huge sensation after the airing of the Nickelodeon cartoon of the same name, created by marine science educator and one of HSU’s most famous alumni, Stephen Hillenburg. 

Now Humboldt Light Opera Company (HLOC) has brought the local legend’s creation back to Hillenburg’s alma mater, with The Spongebob Musical (book by Kyle Jarrow), which opened at the Van Duzer Theatre on campus last weekend. The show marks not only HLOC’s fiftieth anniversary, but also the company’s first big production in more than five years. 

“It was a lot,” Carol Ryder, artistic managing director for HLOC and director of the Spongebob Musical, told the Outpost in a post-opening weekend interview. “We haven’t done any big shows since 2018…Last year we were going to do a review, but, you know, COVID just started hitting again in the summer. So it wasn’t quite comfortable yet for a bunch of singers to get together. So you know, we just went out there and did it this time.” 

Unlike most local theater companies, HLOC usually only produces one show per year in the summer. Since HLOC operates out of a small studio space in Sunny Brae Center and does not own its own theater, the company rents the Van Duzer for its productions. But in 2018 the university closed the theater for more than a year for seismic retrofitting, making the theater unavailable to HLOC for a 2018 or 2019 summer show. Of course, HLOC also shut down production plans in 2020 due to COVID and this is the company’s first production since. 

Luckily, Ryder said, because HLOC doesn’t operate a full theater, the company has a much lower overhead than some theater companies and was able to save up some money to fund this year’s production. HLOC also makes its revenue through classes and workshops held at its Sunny Brae location, The Space, and was able to continue holding classes (many of them over Zoom) during and since the COVID-19 emergency.

Ryder said that after taking such a long break from its annual summer production, the company wanted to return with a family-friendly musical, but didn’t want to do something too common or traditional. HLOC picked the Spongebob Musical because it is “visually interesting,” Ryder said, and would be a challenge, but not so much of a challenge that it wouldn’t be doable for the small, local company. 

“We really wanted a family musical that was challenging and fun and with characters that would fit some of the performers here,” Ryder said. “We didn’t want to come back with just a traditional musical. We went with something kind of forward-thinking. There’s so much liveliness in the music and it’s music people can relate to in some way. We just thought it would be a good challenge for us.”

Of course, the local connection with the Spongebob creator was also a factor in choosing the play, Ryder said. Prior to his creation of the successful cartoon, Hillenburg attended then Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) where he majored in marine science and minored in art. It’s been said that Hillenburg developed his love for drawing during his time in Humboldt, and many locals have also claimed that Spongebob’s cartoon workplace, the Krusty Krab, was based on our own local Stars Hamburgers; although that rumor has pretty much been debunked. But Hillenburg didn’t forget about Humboldt, and in 2018 he endowed the university with a $135,000 grant to support its marine sciences program, just three months before he passed away from ALS. 

Finding ways to honor the late Hillenburg was something the cast and crew talked about, Ryder said, adding that they tried to find some people in the community who knew him, but weren’t really successful. But the show does include some references to Hillenburg during the pre-show segment, featuring Patchy the Pirate (played by Larry Pitts), who was the live action host for the Spongebob cartoons. 

And Hillenburg isn’t the only connection with Humboldt, as the show also features a song “Poor Pirates,” written by Eureka native Sara Bareilles. Unlike most musicals, Spongebob’s musical score is composed by multiple different artists, including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco and the Flaming Lips. The eclectic and energetic music was another big part of why HLOC chose this show, Ryder said, although it did present some additional challenges, with the cast having to learn numbers that were in a lot of different musical styles. 

To give a brief description, without too many spoilers, the Spongebob Musical takes the audience to the home of Spongebob (played by James Gadd), Bikini Bottom. After Spongebob’s good pal, a squirrel from Texas named Sandy Cheeks (Fiona Ryder), discovers that an underwater volcano is going to erupt and destroy Bikini Bottom, all hell breaks loose as the residents of Bikini Bottom are overtaken by doomsday hysteria. The show has some surprisingly relevant themes, with characters arguing over whether or not they “believe the science” and different characters using the panic as an opportunity for their own selfish gains. Mrs. Krabs (Cindy Cress), which is based on the character Mr. Krabs from the show, is only concerned with money, whereas the villains — Sheldon J. Plankton (Casey Vaughn) and his computer girlfriend, Karen (Katri Pitts) — are looking for an opportunity to brainwash the community into buying Plankton’s food. 

Other themes include believing in yourself and the importance of friendship, as Spongebob and his best friend Patrick Star (Tristin Roberts) experience a rift in their relationship that they must overcome. Of course, no Spongebob show would be complete without Squidward Q. Tentacles (Bill Ryder), Spongebob and Patrick’s cranky, clarinet-playing neighbor, who has his own sub-plot of trying to put on his own dream performance and gets his own dazzling tap-dance number. Like most of HLOC’s shows, the musical features a large ensemble (too many people to list here) who range in age from nine to 79, Ryder said. 

Because of the show’s focus on aquatic life, Ryder said, HLOC is donating a portion of the show’s profits to the Humboldt Surfrider Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of the ocean and beaches. The set for the musical is also made from many recycled materials, Ryder said, including plastic water bottles. HLOC is also sponsoring a Coastal Cleanup day on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to noon at Baker Beach, which everyone in the community is invited to attend. 

Ryder wanted to say how proud she is of what the cast and crew have accomplished, after just six weeks of rehearsals, and that she is happy that HLOC was able to put on this show for the community, after such a long hiatus. Ryder believes that community theater holds a very important role in Humboldt. 

“It gives an opportunity for people to explore a part of them that is so important,” Ryder said. “So much of society denies that artists are important, and says the artistic side of a person is not valued. It needs to be valued, because that’s who we are, you know, underneath that’s who we are. Being able to express oneself, and seeing people that have the confidence to get up on stage is so important.” 

The Spongebob Musical continues its run at the Van Duzer Theater this weekend and the following weekend. For more information on dates, times and how to purchase tickets, visit HLOC’s website.

Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Public Works:

The County of Humboldt’s Public Works Department began construction of the Humboldt Bay Trail South Project in July. Due to work required for this project, the northern section of eucalyptus trees along U.S. Highway 101 (U.S. 101), located between Eureka and Arcata, will be removed to protect the safety of future trail users.

The trees to be removed are located north of the main entrance to the Brainard Mill site. The trail will bypass the southern section of eucalyptus trees, which will not be affected by this project. Tree removal will commence on Saturday, Aug. 12 requiring the closure of one of the two southbound lanes on U.S. 101.

Background

Completion of the Humboldt Bay Trail between Eureka and Arcata along the Humboldt Bay shoreline has been a regional priority for nearly 25 years. The Humboldt Bay Trail South Project will connect with the Eureka Waterfront Trail near the Target store and the City of Arcata’s existing Humboldt Bay Trail segment which currently ends north of the Bracut Industrial Park. The majority of the Humboldt Bay Trail South segment will be situated between the railroad and U.S. 101, while a 1-mile portion will be placed on top of the levee around the Brainard Mill site. The Green Diamond Resource Company conveyed an easement to the County of Humboldt which allows placement of the trail on the levee.

The project includes widening the railroad prism, major modifications to the Eureka Slough railroad bridge, and construction of three new trail bridges. The project also includes urgent repairs to erosion damage along the railroad and raising the elevation of the railroad between the Brainard Mill site and Bracut Industrial Park to address flood hazards.

Funding for this project has been provided by the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program, the California State Coastal Conservancy, and Caltrans District 1. The construction contract was awarded to McCullough Construction, Inc. based in Arcata, CA. Construction began in July and will continue until work is suspended for the rainy season. Construction will resume in the spring of 2024 and is expected to be completed by October 2024.

Upon completion of this project, this portion of the trail will add over 4 miles to the Humboldt Bay Trail and deliver a significant advancement of the Great Redwood Trail and the California Coastal Trail by providing a paved, multi-use trail for the community to enjoy.

Eucalyptus Tree Removal

In 2018 a certified arborist completed a risk assessment report of the northern section of eucalyptus trees along U.S. 101 that found the trees are in an advanced state of decline. The risk assessment concluded that the trees exhibit a number of structural weaknesses that can result in failures. Falling dead tree limbs were identified as failures most likely to occur, posing the greatest risk to public safety. The risk assessment found that there is no reasonable method for mitigating the safety risk to future trail users and that the risk of failures would increase over time if the trees were allowed to remain.

Additionally, the eucalyptus trees are not eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historic Resources. The trees do not have special rarity or ecological value and do not meet the criteria to be considered an environmentally sensitive habitat area. Impacts to aesthetics and visual character were determined to be less than significant when the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved the project’s environmental study.

Bird surveys have confirmed that no active bird nests are currently present within the trees to be removed. As such, McCullough Construction, Inc. will begin removing the northern section of eucalyptus trees on Saturday, Aug. 12. This work will require closing one of the two southbound lanes on U.S. 101 for equipment access. Tree removal will be performed on weekends to reduce traffic impacts. The number of workdays required to remove the trees is uncertain due to the unique access constraints at the work site.

Work for the Humboldt Bay Trail South is happening while work on Caltrans District 1’s Indianola Undercrossing Project takes place. Community members traveling between Eureka and Arcata along U.S. 101 are encouraged to drive in accordance with posted speed limits, comply with all traffic control signs, and be alert for shifting lanes, for the safety of construction workers and members of the public. The County of Humboldt and Caltrans District 1 thank you for your patience while the agencies work to make improvements to the transportation system.

For more information on the Humboldt Bay Trail South project, please visit the county’s Humboldt Bay Trail webpage or call (707) 445-7741.

PREVIOUSLY:

• BYE BYE, EUCALYPTUS? County Staff Recommends Cutting Down Some Trees Along 101 To Complete Humboldt Bay Trail Project; Local Groups Say the Trees Should Stay
• Supervisors Approve Eucalyptus Removal for Bay Trail Project, Though the Trees May Yet be Saved
• Eucalyptus Trees Along 101 Should Come Down Because They’re Decayed and Dying Already, Arborist Tells County
• Now All the Eucalyptus Might Go; Caltrans is Looking at Whether or Not It Might Have to Remove Its Section of Safety Corridor Trees, Too
• Caltrans is Bringing in an Arborist to Assess Health and Safety of Eucalyptus Trees Along 101 Safety Corridor
• HEADS UP: Caltrans Has Started Removing Eucalyptus Along Highway 101 Safety Corridor
• After Coastal Commission Objects, Caltrans Agrees to Short Moratorium on Eucalyptus Removal in the Safety Corridor
• Caltrans Proceeding to Cut Down Some Eucalyptus Trees in the Eureka-Arcata Safety Corridor

Press release from the Trinidad Rancheria:

The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria (Trinidad Rancheria) is issuing this Press Release to announce that the Tribe will be hosting a Community Information Workshop for the US 101 / Trinidad Area Access Improvements Project. Community members can drop in anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. to view exhibits and ask questions and the detailed schedule is below:

Date:Tuesday August 15, 2023
Time: 6:00 P.M. Presentation,6:30 P.M Exhibit Display Review
Location:The Heights Casino-Bingo Hall,27 Scenic Drive, Trinidad

What is the Project?

The US101/Trinidad Area Access Improvements Project proposes improvements to US101 and local roads to provide safe and sustainable access to Tribal lands and the surrounding communities along Scenic Drive; to relieve projected traffic congestion associated with planned future developments in the Trinidad Area; and to reconnect tribal lands on the east and west sides of US101. The project is being led by the Trinidad Rancheria, in partnership with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

What Improvements are Being Considered?

The proposed improvements include reconstruction of Scenic Drive to accommodate standard lane and shoulder widths and a pedestrian/bicycle path, improved connectivity to US 101 through reconstruction of the existing Trinidad-Main Street interchange or construction of a new interchange adjacent to the Rancheria, and construction of a pedestrian and bicycle path between Tribal lands on the east and west side of US 101.

What Has Been Done so Far, and What are the Next Steps?

A Project Study Report-Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) was approved by Caltrans and the Trinidad Rancheria in December 2017. This project initiation document evaluated 12 alternatives that addressed safety, accessibility, mobility, and operational issues, as well as reconnection of tribal lands. Currently, a Project Report is being developed that will evaluate those alternatives that meet the purpose and need of the project. Environmental site surveys are being conducted and environmental studies are expected to continue through the end of 2023. Once these studies are complete, a draft environmental document will be prepared, which will be circulated for public review in 2024.