Eureka Police Department press release:

On April 7, 2022, at about 5:30 p.m., officers with the Eureka Police Department responded to a residence on the 2100 block of C Street for the report of a male squatter last seen in the yard of the residence with a revolver in his back pocket.

Upon arrival, officers contacted the male, 63-year-old Kevin Couturier at an open back door. Couturier briefly stepped inside out of officer view before coming out to officers as directed. Couturier was detained while officers called out for any additional occupants to exit the residence. Several subjects exited and were detained without incident.

During a protective sweep of the residence, officers located a loaded revolver and confirmed it had been in Couturier’s possession at the time of the call. Couturier was placed under arrest and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition. All other detained subjects were released without incident.

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PREVIOUSLY (AND NO LONGER):

• VEGAS, BABY! Cheap, Twice-Weekly Direct Flights Between Humboldt and Las Vegas Begin Nov. 18

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Today comes news that Avelo Air will be canceling their direct route from Humboldt County Airport to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport, just six months after the route was opened.

In a statement being emailed out to people who bought tickets good for some date beyond the May 2 shutdown date, Avelo says that high fuel costs prompted the closure of the route.

Fly Humboldt! posted just such an email on its Facebook page a few moments ago:

So that’s that. What happens in Vegas … doesn’t happen there anymore. At least not via this low-priced and convenient travel option!

Aha! — another budget airline — canceled its direct flights between Humboldt and Reno in late February, ostensibly for the same reason.

Decades from now, when we look back at the late stage of the pandemic, we will remember that this was a time that for some reason we had direct and cheap flights to multiple locations in Nevada and we’ll think: What?

UPDATE, 5 p.m. on a Friday: Humboldt County Administrative Office press release:

Avelo will continue to provide 3 weekly flights to and from the greater Los Angeles Area through the Hollywood-Burbank Airport. They will be adding a 4th weekly flight, on Saturdays, between mid-June and mid-August of this year. For booking information, please visit the Avelo Airlines website.

“We appreciate Avelo Airlines’ investment in our market and are sorry that the service to Las Vegas was not sustainable,” added Gregg Foster, Executive Director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission. “We understand that changing conditions in the airline industry mean that every airline must carefully evaluate every market. We’re pleased that they will continue to provide service to Hollywood-Burbank Airport. Don’t forget that best way to keep air service is to use it. Flying local is buying local!”

“We are disappointed to see this route not continue for the residents of Humboldt County,” said Cody Roggatz, Director of Aviation for the County of Humboldt. He added, “We worked for many years to try to establish ACV-LAS service and unfortunately due to factors outside of our control (fuel prices) this route is not sustainable for Avelo to continue operating at this time. We are thankful to Avelo for providing this service and look forward to the continued partnership, and future expansion, of the ACV-Los Angeles Service provided to the Hollywood-Burbank Airport.”

The service started twice weekly, on November 18, 2021, with flights on Thursdays and Sundays. The service got off to a successful start in November and December 2021, however in recent months the route became infeasible due to record high oil prices. 

Avelo Airlines informed Humboldt County officials today, that they will discontinue service between the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV) and the Las Vegas International Airport (LAS). The last flights between ACV-LAS will be on Sunday, May 1.

Press release from PG&E:

Just in time for National Safe Digging Month, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will begin conducting aerial safety patrols of natural gas transmission pipelines throughout Humboldt County starting on Monday, April 11. Residents may notice a helicopter flying as low as 300 to 500 feet, following gas transmission lines from Eureka to Rio Dell.

PG&E conducts monthly safety patrols by air utilizing different types of aircraft to inspect its natural gas transmission system, as part of PG&E’s ongoing commitment to providing safe and reliable natural gas service. These helicopter flights, along with ground patrols, occur twice a year in April and in October.

Each patrol consists of a pilot and an observer. LIDAR-based equipment and state-of-the-art leak detection technology is used to identify any possible areas that may require on-the-ground inspection. If the survey detects a possible issue, PG&E personnel are then sent to the field to follow-up. The observer in the helicopter also uses a GPS-enabled tablet with mapping data help identify safety concerns that would prohibit access to the pipeline.

Flights will be coming from Redding into Eureka’s Murray Field Monday through Sunday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 pm. Flights will include fuel stops at Murray Field.

April is National Safe Digging Month and PG&E would like to remind its customers to call 811 or visit www.usanorth811.org before starting outdoor projects where digging may be involved. Without having underground lines marked, customers risk hitting a gas line.

811 signals utilities to visit the location and mark all underground lines for free. Contractors with projects of all sizes are required by California Government Code 4216 to call 811, including contractors hired by a homeowner.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Man Connected to Suspicious Death in Kneeland Evades Law Enforcement By Fleeing Into the Arcata Community Forest After Pursuit In Victim’s Car, Sheriff’s Office Says

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Medeiros.

The death of a Kneeland woman has been deemed a homicide following a forensic autopsy Thursday.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office investigators have identified 27-year-old Austin Michael Medeiros of Warwick, Rhode Island as the suspect in this case, and have obtained a warrant for his arrest in connection to this homicide.

Medeiros is described as a white male adult, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, 125 pounds, with long brown/blonde hair and hazel eyes. He is also believed to have an unknown face tattoo underneath an eye. Current investigative information indicates that Medeiros may be enroute to Mendocino County. Community members are cautioned against providing transportation to hitchhikers anywhere in our county. If you see Medeiros, do not approach him, but call 911 immediately.

The decedent has been identified as 28-year-old Emily Rose May Lobba. Lobba’s cause of death is being withheld to protect the integrity of the investigation.

This case remains under investigation. More information will be released when available and appropriate.

Anyone with information regarding Medeiro’s current whereabouts or intended destination 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.

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As consumers, advocates and others prioritize their fight to lower prescription drug costs, insulin is usually first in line.

Now, momentum to curb rising insulin costs seems to be building, with policymakers at the state and federal levels rolling out proposals seeking to provide diabetics some long-awaited financial relief. The questions now: What will materialize and how soon?

This week in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration said it is moving forward with a first-in-the-nation plan to manufacture and distribute more affordable versions of insulin under its generic label, dubbed Cal Rx.

As part of that plan, the administration wants to spend $100 million in this year’s budget. Of that, $50 million to develop low-cost insulin with the help of a drug manufacturer. The other half would be used to set up an in-state insulin manufacturing facility, as outlined in a budget proposal by the state’s Department of Health Care Access and Information.

NEW: CA will explore ways to contract and manufacture our own insulin to reduce costs.

Insulin should not drain your bank account.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 10, 2022

The initiative is unique for a state, and it comes as Congress debates its own insulin cost measures, including limiting what people pay out of pocket to $35 a month.

Meanwhile, the state Legislature is considering its own bill that would cap what Californians pay at the pharmacy counter. And one California county, looking to provide its residents more immediate relief, is piloting a grant program for residents struggling to afford their insulin.

In California, 3.2 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes and many of them rely on insulin to survive. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Prolonged periods of elevated sugar levels can damage organs. An additional 10.3 million Californians are estimated to be prediabetic.

“Dealing with diabetes is already extremely stressful. Providing some financial relief for people, it would make a huge difference.”
— Annemarie Gibson, San Diego mother of two children with diabetes

The stories of people who have to ration their insulin because they can’t afford their prescriptions are commonplace. Between 2012 and 2016, the price of insulin doubled, prompting higher out-of-pocket costs for diabetics, according to the Health Care Cost Institute. Today a 10-milliliter vial of insulin can go for anywhere from $170 to $400, depending on the type and brand. A person usually needs two to three vials a month, and some may need more.

Some people’s prescriptions come in the form of insulin pens. A package of five pens can go for as much as $700. What consumers pay for their insulin will largely depend on their health insurance.

Annemarie Gibson, of San Diego, for example, pays $200 a month for her two sons’ insulin — $100 per kid. But first, she has to meet a $2,900 per-person yearly deductible before coverage kicks in. She said that with the medication, insulin pumps and glucose monitors, they meet their deductible early in the year. Her sons, 12 and 14, have Type 1 diabetes and use the drug Humalog.

For 10 years Gibson has watched the cost of insulin go up. She has also seen legislators enthusiastically roll out proposals to reduce costs, only to have those plans fizzle out.

Still, she is optimistic that her sons will never have to worry about unaffordable insulin prescriptions when they become adults. The projects and proposals currently in play, she said, give her some hope something can actually get done in the next few years.

“Dealing with diabetes is already extremely stressful. Providing some financial relief for people, it would make a huge difference,” Gibson said.

State to make its own insulin

In 2020, Newsom signed into law a bill that directed the state to seek partnerships with drug manufacturers to develop generics and biosimilars for a number of drugs — but plans have been slow to roll out and it’s unclear which other drugs will be prioritized. Insulin will be the first to be tested.

Insulin is a biologic drug, meaning it’s made from living cells. Medications that copy a brand-name biologic are called biosimilars. Like generics, they tend to be more affordable.

The state has yet to identify a drug manufacturer to partner with, but a Newsom administration official said this could happen in the next few months. The state’s insulin would be available to all Californians, publicly and privately insured, as well as to the uninsured. It’s unclear how soon this insulin could hit the market, but it would likely be at least a couple of years, an administration official said.

The goal is to provide “Californians with access to insulin products that are a fraction of the $300 per vial prices charged by insulin manufacturers in the U.S.,” the administration’s budget request reads.

Whether Newsom’s biosimilar initiative will result in significant savings for consumers is a maybe, some researchers say.

Drug manufacturing isn’t the only source of the problem, said Karen Van Nuys, executive director of the Value of Life Sciences Innovation Project at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center. She said policy makers seeking solutions should be looking at all the players involved in the supply chain: from drug manufacturers to wholesalers, pharmacies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, which are companies that negotiate prices with drugmakers and pharmacies on behalf of an insurer. All entities profit and contribute to the final price, she said.

In a study published last fall, Van Nuys and her team found that while insulin prices have increased, what drug companies pocket has been decreasing over time and what middlemen take has been increasing.

“There’s a bunch of stuff that’s happening in the middle, between what the patient pays and what the manufacturer gets,” Van Nuys said. “More than half of what we spend on insulin goes to intermediaries.”

The state’s plans to manufacture biosimilar insulin could help consumers to some extent, she said, but work also needs to be done to address the costs in other parts of the distribution process.

Insurance companies calling for drug price reforms are also looking for their own ways to get involved in the manufacturing of insulin.

Blue Shield of California, for one, last month announced it is taking part in an initiative led by Civica Rx, a Utah-based nonprofit drug manufacturer, to produce insulin that would cost patients $30 or less per vial. Mark Seeling, a Blue Shield spokesperson, said that among hundreds of prescription drug classes, insulins are in the top 10 in terms of what the company spends in pharmacy coverage.

According to Civica Rx, its insulin could be available starting in 2024, following approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“More than half of what we spend on insulin goes to intermediaries.”
— Karen van Nuys, executive director of the Value of Life Sciences Innovation Project at USC’s Schaeffer Center

Because it could be years before any of these plans come to fruition, local governments are also looking for their own ways to provide some immediate relief to residents. Santa Clara County recently began a $1 million needs-based grant program for people who use insulin, as well as asthma inhalers and epinephrine injections (EPI pens).

Narinder Singh, pharmacy director for Santa Clara County, said that the MedAssist program could result in fewer people skipping or rationing their medications, and greater adherence means fewer sick days and visits to the emergency room. The county expects 1,000 people to sign up in the coming months.

“It’s a very small local effort — a million dollars in a community like this is a very small piece of it, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Singh said. “If we can all start building momentum on this…we can make a huge difference.”

Cost-sharing caps at play

Insulin affordability has been the focus of recent discussions at the federal level. The U.S. House recently passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap what people with insurance pay out of pocket to $35 a month. The Senate has yet to vote on the measure, and is working on its own proposals.

The $35 cap was also part of President Joe Biden’s stalled Build Back Better Plan — the president referenced it in this year’s State of the Union speech, sharing the story of Joshua Davis, a 13-year-old with Type 1 diabetes who was present at the event.

A cost-sharing cap gets to the problem on the insurance side; it provides consumers consistency and relief at the pharmacy counter. But experts say it doesn’t lower the actual price of insulin and would not benefit people without insurance. The California Department of Health Access and Information also makes this point in its budget request.

Capping costs would provide financial relief to at least 1 in 5 insulin users, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Limits on out-of-pocket costs have become popular in recent years. At least 15 states have passed their own laws limiting insulin copays — from $100 for a 30-day supply in Colorado to $25 in New Mexico. New York, Illinois and Washington also have their own copay caps.

Similar efforts have failed in California in the past, but Senate Bill 473 by Sen. Pat Bates, a Laguna Niguel Republican, that would also cap copays at $35 per prescription per month is currently pending in the Assembly.

At least 15 states have passed their own laws limiting insulin copays — from $100 for a 30-day supply in Colorado to $25 in New Mexico.

Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, a Democrat from North Hollywood, was the author of two bills in recent years looking to cap copays and eliminate deductibles for insulin prescriptions. Last year, his bill on deductibles was held up in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“It wasn’t held because there isn’t support for it in the Senate. It was held because there are games being played” that ultimately hurt patients, he said.

“If the federal government does something, fantastic, but I feel embarrassed that a state like California didn’t jump in front of it,” Nazarian said.

Such bills usually also face strong industry opposition. In their pushback to price caps, such as the ones presented by Nazarian and Bates, health insurers have argued that California-regulated health insurance plans already limit a person’s share of prescription drugs to $250 to $500 for a 30-day supply. They say further reducing out-of-pocket costs for insulin does nothing to bring down the unit price of the drug.

“Tell that to a single mother or father trying to make ends meet,” Nazarian said.

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CalMatters COVID and health care coverage is supported by grants from the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the California Health Care Foundation and the California Wellness Foundation. CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Rolla Lee Stuck
August 3, 1936 - April 5, 2022

Lee Stuck passed away peacefully. He was surrounded by his family and loved ones. Lee was born in Liberty, Arizona, to Rolla Crammer and Pearl Jane Piguet/Stuck. They moved the family to Fortuna in 1948. Lee graduated from Fortuna High School in 1955, and soon after got a job as a mechanic working for Tanferani Ford Motors. He continued his education taking courses in the local police academy until graduating and taking a position with the Fortuna Police department in 1962. While serving on the department’s Drug Task Force, he and his partner accomplished the agency’s first official drug bust. Lee also served as detective during his service and retired in 1978. After his retirement, he decided to take on another adventure serving the City of Fortuna as a mechanic. He also added to his service to his community by heading out everytime he heard the siren for the Fortuna Volunteer Fire department. He also helped with Bingo and other fundraising events.

Lee’s passion in life was serving his community. Serving others meant the world to him. Every branch of service held a special place in his heart. All who have met and gotten to know Lee have become family to him. He was a man full of wisdom, great stories, and a great teacher. He would go out of his way to help anyone in need.

After his retirement, Lee and Judy enjoyed taking off across the country in their motorhome to see the country, including two trips to Alaska and several to Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Arizona. They enjoyed yearly family reunion outings to the Lakeplace near Clearlake. They also enjoyed several cruises in their traveling adventures.

Lee is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judith; his children, Eugene Stuck, (Debbie), Rhonda Brown, (Dave), David Miller, Dana Burt, (Daryl), Diedra , (John), Jerry Stuck, (Erica), Leanne Garlinghouse, (Bill), Tom Grant, (Jean), Denise Williams, (John), and Kimberly Santsche. He is also survived by his brother Roy Dale Stuck, (Maria). He has numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings; Alfred, Richard, Hazel, Grace, Irene, Jane, and John, and wives; Willa Mae and Dorvia; and a granddaughter Heather.

Lee loved spending time with his grandkids, teaching them and instilling in them the importance of being honest, hardworking, kind and respectful. He spent a lot of time at the Marion Center for Rehabilitation, getting therapy after his stroke. He became especially close to Mark and Sharon and was very grateful to them for all of their care and help. He really loved them always mentioning how they were like family to him.

Lee had great caregivers for the last few years of his life. He really appreciated and thought the world of each of them.

In his last few years of life, Lee was still serving his community. Lee had been working collaboratively with the Fortuna Police Chief to honor one of his former law enforcement partners. Lee had previously worked with former Fortuna Police Officer Ray Mills, who was killed in the line of duty in 1967. In lieu of flowers, Lee’s family is asking those who are willing to donate to the Fortuna Police Employee’s Foundation to help with the costs associated with the Ray Mills memorial project. Donations can be made in person at the Fortuna Police Department or mailed to 621 11th Street, Fortuna, CA, 95540.

The services will be held on Monday, April 11, 2022, at Goble’s Mortuary, in Fortuna. There will be viewing starting at 4:00 pm, with a service at 5:30 pm. There will be a graveside service, on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, starting at 10:00 am with a police escort up to Sunrise Cemetery. Please join us in honoring this beloved man.

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

Arlen Luther Charles Sr., age 85, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at his home with his family by his side in Klamath.

Arlen was born on July 14, 1936 at Waukell Flat on the Yurok Reservation in Klamath, California to Ada Waukell Charles and Robert Charles. Arlen was a full-blood Yurok, and very proud of it. He attended school at Stanford University. He worked throughout the departments in the Yurok Tribe, helped re-build the site at Welh-kwel Village Brush Dance pit, and was a supervisor during cultural digs. He had a hard work ethic and loved to stay busy. He worked many years for the Yurok Indian Housing Authority when he retired in January 2017.

Arlen lived throughout California from Oakland, to Ukiah, and Klamath, where he raised his children. Arlen was a very devoted father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He loved the Klamath River and our Waukell Village. He loved fishing, cooking fish on the sticks, making redwood sticks, and making eel hooks. He always had a smile on his face and stayed positive. He had the biggest heart, always wanted to help where he could. He had a passion for reading novels and doing his crossword puzzles. He loved learning new things. Arlen loved cruising, enjoying the scenery, and going on his daily walks. Arlen would always be the first one at the cookout, to start his fire for the fish. He always had an open door for his family and friends. Arlen dedicated his time to his family and shared his knowledge with others. His family was everything to him, he loved everyone.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ada Waukell Charles and Robert Charles, his siblings: Pauline Charles, Larry Charles, and JoAnne Moore, and other family members that include Delray Bates, Jack Scott, Taos Proctor, Angel De Los Santos, Byron Scott, Manuel “Scooner” Frease, Darren Bates, Jessie Donahue, Dimitri Steele, Margaret Martinez, Arthur Bates, Nemechay Bates-Lopez, Brenda Snyder.

Those who left to cherish his memory include his children: Arlen Charles Jr. (Glenna), Terry Evans (Joe), Ronald “RT” Jones, Cassandra Charles (Chay-gee); his grandchildren: Jessica Cedillo (Raphael), Micah Evans, Stacie Evenson (Jacob), Nikita Gorman, Shanah, Re’lee, Kylie and, Henry James Jr., Noah, Melissa Charles, Dominic Story, Sienna, Darrius, Rayvonna Sylvia; His great grandchildren: Darren deLeon-Evans, Kyran, Requa, Sregon, Adalynn, Silvino, and Arlen Cedillo, Kyah, Palyn, Vandelee, and Micah Evans Jr., Louis, Aliyanna, Cameron Evenson and Oliver Daily, Aiden Gorman-Martinez and Hunter Gorman-Thompson, and Shaylene James, Samuel Jones, and Ronald Jones Jr.

His siblings: Jeannette Eberhardt, Lloyd Charles, and Fern Bates (Bruce). His nieces and nephews: David Charles, Crystal Charles, James “Jimbo” Proctor Sr., John “JP” Proctor, Judy Watson, Jolleanne Brittain, Richard Bates Sr., Ronald Bates Sr., Michelle Rainer, Allen, Vicky, and Lisa Bates, Dawn, Aiyana and Awenita Charles, Mary Ellen Jolly, Merle and Rose’el Stevenson, John Donahue. His great nieces and nephews: Richard Nelson Sr., Ross Nelson, Rollie Nelson, James Proctor Jr., Juanita and Jamie Proctor, Andrea Bates, Jay, Lance, Rishondra, and Richard Bates Jr., Ronald Jr., Alicia, and Mark Bates, Jessica Escalera, Annette Frease, Angela Frease, Teresa Hernandez, Joe Bates, Sasha Mitchell. Keith Ray Jr., Robert Ray Sr., Ben Ray Sr., Ryan Ray Sr., and Coty Bates. There are very many more family members that are not in the list but will always cherish his memory.

Arlen will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him.

Family and friends are invited to visitation that will be held at his home at 109 Maple Road, Klamath, CA 95548 on Friday, April 8, 2022 on 4 pm. Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at the Aawok Ada Waukell Charles Building in Klamath, California 95548. His final boat ride will be at 2 pm. Final resting place will be at Waukell Cemetery in Klamath, California 95548 at 4 p.m.. Dinner to follow at 5 p.m. at the Aawok Ada Waukell Charles Building.