Born to Pearl and Ada Belle Kesterson on January 14, 1931.

Neal had a typical childhood growing up in Chico and graduated from high school in 1949. In September of that year he enrolled in Chico State College on a two-year program majoring in Drafting and Mapping. In January 1951, not wanting to be drafted, he enlisted in the U S. Coast Guard. He spent four months in boot camp, one year on a sea-going buoy tender operating between San Francisco and the Oregon border. He then volunteered for overseas duty and spent one year on top of a hill northeast of Pusan, Korea on a mobile Loran station. He returned to the United States and spent his last eight months working with the U.S. Customs on port security in Philadelphia and was honorably discharged in January 1951.

Neal returned to Chico and worked part time using the GI bill and re-entered Chico State College. He changed his major to a four-year program majoring in Industrial Arts and Applied Science. In college he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and a member of the college football team. In the summer between his junior and senior year he met the love of his life and future wife, Pat Heney, and they both graduated in June 1958, and were married in June 1959. They were married for 64 wonderful years.

After graduation Neal spent six years in the missile industry in Sacramento, Beale Air Force Base, and Santa Barbara. While in Santa Barbara, their daughter Kris and son Michael were born. In June 1959, the government stopped all funding on the Titan missile and Neal and hundreds of others lost their jobs. He returned to Sacramento and acquired a job with Teichert & Son, a general contractor. There he managed and inspected various construction projects.

In 1967 while on vacation in Fortuna he acquired a job with Winzler & Kelly Consulting Engineers in Eureka, where he worked on multiple engineering jobs in Humboldt County. Having a state of California building inspector license, his main job was building construction inspection. He retired from Winzler & Kelly in 1996 after 28 years.

While still employed and after retirement, Neal spent 16 years on the City of Fortuna Planning Commission and four one-year terms as its chairman. He also spent five years on the Fortuna Design Review Board and a one-year term as its chairman. Neal was also a 22-year member of Elks Lodge 652. While retired, Neal spent multiple hours in his shop making various signs out of horseshoes and light fixtures out of deer horns. He even made a two-person, four-wheel bike from scratch just for the heck of it.

Neal and family had two recreational spots: a lease lot on Ruth Lake for 25 years and a camp on the family ranch at Petrolia where they and their friends spent many fun-filled vacations. After they retired, Neal and Pat took many wonderful trips: cross country to the east coast taking in Mardi Gras on the way, to Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, China, twelve different countries in Europe, and cruises to Alaska and through the Panama Canal. They also took many snow skiing trips to various locales.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his son Michael. Those surviving him are his wife Pat, his daughter Kris (Tom) his granddaughter Brittany Powell (Lyndon), great granddaughter Mila, great grandson Levi, granddaughter Nicole Whitmire (Chase) and great granddaughter River, his sister Lorlene, and his nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his cat “Buddy.”

At Neal’s request there will be no services. His ashes will be placed by his son’s ashes at the Petrolia ranch.

On October 15, 2023 our loving son and friend Dale Patrick Rader born on Dec. 5, 1984, unexpectedly passed away.

He was a gentle and kind-hearted soul. The kind of person that would give the shirt off his back to anyone. He always had a smile on his face no matter the circumstances. He had a connection to nature and animals, especially the redwoods. Dale always called Humboldt his home. He was an artist who was well versed in art history.

Dale spent his elementary years in Rio Dell with his mom, Karen, visiting his dad and family in Cheyenne, Wyoming, playing basketball and hanging out with his friends.

He was a peaceful, easy-going young man. He will be missed by all that knew and loved him. He is survived by his mother, Karen Fay Rader (Griess) of Rio Dell, and father, Robert Ray Rader of Cheyenne, Wyo., and many other family and friends.

We are planning to have a gathering in remembrance of Dale this spring in Rio Dell.

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ARTHUR: Go and tell your master that…he can join us in our quest for the Holy Grail.

GUARD: Well, I’ll ask him, but I don’t think he’ll be very keen…He’s already got one…

— Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (1828-1882) The Damsel of the Sanct Grael (Public domain)

Sometime around the year 1400, English historian John Hardyng noticed a curious ambiguity in the French phrase san-gréal, which until then had meant “Holy Grail,” a grail being a cup (from Ancient Greek krater, a wine mixing bowl). The legend of the grail had been around since 1180, when the great French storyteller, Chrétien de Troyes, introduced a (not the) grail into his romances about King Arthur. Originally a dish carrying a single communion wafer, another French romancer, Robert de Boron, soon morphed de Troyes’ grail into The Holy Grail, the vessel in which Joseph of Arimathea collected the blood of Christ when he was taken down from the cross. The ambiguity, spotted two centuries later, is that san-gréal can be parsed as sang-réal, that is, “royal blood.” A trivial coincidence which, six hundred years later, would help create a bestseller (80 million copies!) and blockbuster movie thanks to novelist Dan Brown: The DaVinci Code.

To be clear, there’s zero evidence for a grail, holy or not, between the purported death of Christ on the cross and the writing of Chrétien de Troyes. The “Grail Tale” originated entirely from the rich imagination of this French romance writer who lived over a thousand years after the time of the Biblical story.

Today, though, it’s part of our heritage, along with stories, embellished and embroidered over the years, that include the siege of Troy, the founding of Britain by Brutus, King Charlemagne’s knights, and the “Once and Future King” (Arthur), which will keep storytellers and moviemakers busy for the foreseeable future.

Saying it’s all a myth, of course, won’t stop True Believers from searching for the Holy Grail, either in the form of a cup (there’s one in Genoa Cathedral, another in Valencia, Spain) or in its “royal blood” identification. The latter was, of course, the basis of Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code, in which Jesus married Mary Magdalene and sired a royal blood line, the sang-réal, a legend that has carried down to the present day. The tale of Jesus’ wife, perhaps originating with the Gnostic Gospel of Philip (Jesus “kissed her often”), was given fresh impetus in the 13th century by the Cathars (“pure ones”), a breakaway Christian sect that thrived briefly in southern France and northern Italy. More recently, Dan Brown’s novel (based on a previous mashup of old and new stories, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail) invokes the centuries-old machinations of the “Priory of Sion” to keep the bloodline secret. Only problem is that the Priory of Sion wasn’t founded until 1956!

It’s all great fun, of course, but beyond being the world’s greatest MacGuffin, the Holy Grail doesn’t stand up to much inspection. And no, the “woman” next to Jesus in Leonardo’s Last Supper painting (much restored) isn’t Mary Magdalene, it’s the Apostle John. He may need a haircut, as does James (second from left), but I’m hardly one to complain.

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Press release from the Humboldt Creative Alliance:

The Humboldt Creative Alliance (HCA), a collective of local arts organizations, has drafted a funding allocation plan with the county of Humboldt to make funds available through grants for artists, culture bearers, arts and culture organizations, and underserved communities, through the recently passed increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax, also known as measure J. HCA organizational member, the Ink People Center for the Arts, along with other HCA partner organizations, Centro Del Pueblo, Playhouse Arts, and North Coast Repertory Theater, will manage the distribution of funds to various arts and culture endeavors and grant programs. These grants include the Underserved Communities Fund, the Outdoor Events Fund, the Organizational Capacity Grants, and the Funds for Artists Resilience Grant Program.

Centro del Pueblo is proud to announce the Underserved Communities Fund (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, and other underserved peoples) for artists, culture bearers, and community-based organizations. This fund will support a diverse range of projects originating from the heart of these vibrant communities. Applications open January 31st, with an informative workshop on February 2nd. Visit Cdpueblo.com for updates and contact grants@cdpueblo.com for more information.

The Outdoor Events Fund will be used to support art, live music, performances and other celebrations in outdoor or other public settings, and will be managed by Playhouse Arts and NCRT, who will be collaborating with cities, communities, and other organizations throughout the county. Community informational meetings on the Outdoor Events Fund will be held in person on Saturday, February 10, at noon at the Arcata Playhouse, 1251 9th St, Arcata, and via Zoom on February 17 from 2-4pm. To learn more, write to info@arcataplayhouse.org or northcoastrepertory@gmail.com

Organizational Capacity Grants will support arts and culture organizations throughout Humboldt County to develop and staff programs, while supporting innovation. These grants are for existing nonprofit and fiscally sponsored arts and culture organizations and are intended to create opportunities for programs to strengthen their work in the community. The grant program will open on March 1st and will be facilitated by the Ink People Center for Arts and Culture.

The Ink People Center for the Arts announces the Funds for Artists Resilience Grant Program, which will provide grants for projects that benefit the community. This opportunity supports the implementation of creative strategies and adaptive responses to address the challenges of our times. Grant awards will be between $2,000-$7,500, and can be awarded to artists for projects including, but not limited to: community workshops; forums and symposiums that address community needs; projects that address public health, safety, or environmental concerns; public art such as murals, performances, or socially engaged practices; and programs that improves the quality of life for Humboldt County residents and visitors. Grant applications open on Friday, January 19 at 3pm. An informational zoom workshop will take place on Thursday, January 25 at 5pm. Consultation will also be available for community members who would like additional support in applying.

ABOUT THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE The Humboldt Creative Alliance (HCA) is a collective of Humboldt County artists and arts administrators formed with the intent of promoting visibility of the arts and their impact in Humboldt County. The HCA envisions a vibrant, healthy community filled with innovative, creative thinkers and makers, with a purpose to connect artists, arts organizations, and community members, and champion collaboration throughout the county. The HCA is an ad hoc group, and all are welcome to join and participate. More information can be found by visiting https://www.humboldtcreativealliance.org.

ABOUT THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX AND ARTS FUNDING The Humboldt County Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is a bed tax on overnight tourist stays in unincorporated areas of the County. In 2023, voters passed measure J, which increased the tax from 10% to 12%. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate a portion of the 2% increase in revenue to the arts and culture sector, as an initial pilot program.

The Fund for Artists Resilience (F.A.R) grant link is available here: https://inkpeopleinc.submittable.com/submit/b8bbae32-b459-409f-ba18-a9727e67a618/far-202 4-funds-for-artists-resilience

To sign up for the informational meeting on the F.A.R grant, please follow this link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlcOmppjkiHNJT4AnDA5yrYd85kl5zbSUD

Outdoor Events zoom link for February 17 at 2 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87978758797?pwd=cWF0MzIvRjlKRmdHTk5laUg2RmFEUT09

In politically progressive circles, a strange phenomenon can occur. Supply skepticism, the belief that housing prices are divorced from impacts to housing supply, abounds.

On this week’s EcoNews Report, Professor Vicki Been from the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, joins to discuss her metaanalysis of research into the relationship between housing supply and cost. (Hint: More housing moderates housing costs, generally.)

REQUIRED READING:

• Supply Skepticism (2018)
• Supply Skepticism Revisited (2023)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flood Advisory for communities all along the North Coast as a “moderate atmospheric river” makes landfall this morning. 

“The current Flood Watch includes northern Humboldt and Del Norte Counties,” according to a recent post from the NWS office in Eureka. “Moderate to heavy periods of rainfall are expected late tonight through Saturday. The heaviest rain will bring the risk of small stream and urban areas flooding.”

The strongest rain will be focused a little further south in Mendocino and Lake Counties, especially along slopes and ridges with southern exposure, according to NWS. Between two and four inches of rain can be expected today, with rain rates “as high as 0.5 inches per hour along the coast.” 

Minor flooding can be expected in the following areas: Arcata, Bayview, Blue Lake, Carlotta, Cutten, Eureka, Ferndale, Fieldbrook, Fortuna, Freshwater, McKinleyville, Myrtletown, Orick, Pine Hills, Rio Dell, Samoa, Scotia, Trinidad and Westhaven-Moonstone.

The rain is expected to let up in the late afternoon or early evening. Take extra caution if you’re out and about today and be sure to watch out for flooding and debris on roads. We’ll update here if we hear about any road closures.

Stay safe out there, Humboldt!

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… as told to Gayle Karshner.

Introduction by Gayle Karshner:

During a discussion of clam chowder at a party not long ago, I remarked that the best I ever tasted was at Clam Beach Inn in 1941!

A voice from the crowd announced, “My mother made that chowder!” Charles “George” Taylor stepped forth and introduced himself. So I had to have the story of Clam Beach Inn, that wonderful, familiar destination for Sunday drives. The azalea-lined old highway cut through the green fields of what is now McKinleyville and Dows Prairie and then down to Clam Beach Inn.

Here is George Taylor’s story.

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My parents, Gertrude and Charles Taylor, Sr., bought the Clam Beach Inn in 1941 from Elmer “Akie” Acorn, and they sold it in 1947. Those were especially exciting years for a young boy like me, living right by the ocean, amidst all the activity of our business and the community during World War Two. My aunt and uncle, Mildred and Sidney “Sid” Webster, were business partners with my parents, and we all lived together at the Inn. Dad ran the bar, which was the closest one to Crannell, and a favorite rendezvous place for Crannell’s loggers. Uncle Sid was in charge of the Inn’s grounds and cabins, and he also helped with the store and the gas pumps; in fact, everyone helped in the store if business was brisk. Mother and Mildred were sisters: Mother was the chief cook; Aunt Mildred was in charge of the dining room, decorating, and serving the customers.

Many customers asked for the chowder recipe. The only ingredient I know of besides the clams, potatoes, bacon and onions, is evaporated canned milk.

There were numerous summer cabins across the highway on the hills above Clam Beach Inn that we rented from the county for $1.00 a year. Most of them were summer homes, but some were permanent residences. My grandmother, Ada Small, lived in one. We rented the cabins just across the road and behind the inn on a nightly basis. But three of these cabins were permanent residences and housed families with children my age. The children were great playmates. There were also tents with wooden floors. They were never rented, but we kids played in them. In addition to the Inn itself, there were outbuildings, a laundry house on the south side, and a “dance hall” that belonged to my folks. On weekends the loggers from Crannell shot dice in the laundry room. Dances took place in the dance hall for a while — some pretty wild. Trains loaded with huge redwood logs from the Big Lagoon area, bound for Hammond’s Mill in Samoa, passed regularly over the tracks and trestle across Strawberry Creek between the Inn and the beach. To get to the beach, you had to go under the trestle.

Just to the north of the Inn was Herb Herrin’s Museum, which attracted a great many tourists, and where I had a part-time job. Out front, giant clamshells and whale bones from the South Seas sparked great interest, as did the outside walls covered with abalone shells. Herb was a fascinating man. He had spent several years in the South Seas collecting opals, rocks and shells. I learned much about the world during the considerable time I spent talking and working for Herb. My job was to feed the seal in the tank outside the museum, and to collect starfish from the rocks at Moonstone Beach to be made into “starfish elephants” a tourist novelty. Herb also crafted redwood burl souvenirs for the tourists.

Other curiosities abounded inside Herb’s museum, including the heavy turquoise-blue blown-glass balls, used as net floats by Japanese fishermen. Local people and tourists liked to collect them. Many gardens and homes displayed these balls. They varied in size from that of a baseball to a volleyball, and in those days they were common on the beaches. For a while Herb rented the dance hall from my parents to use as his workshop and storage for his redwood, and it was a mess then, filled with machinery and sawdust. Between the Inn and the highway we had a fishpond, which had been created by damming Strawberry Creek. My friends and cousins and I had a great time fishing, swimming and playing in that pond in the summertime. Then in the fall I attended school at Dows Prairie. All year around, though, there was entertainment at Clam Beach.

There was a pervading atmosphere of excitement, especially during those wartime years, because the beaches were considered vulnerable to attack or even invasion from Japanese submarines. This was the kind of real-life adventure young boys thrived on. We hid in the bushes, we spied, we played many imaginary war games, but sometimes it was all too close to reality. The Coast Guard, in charge of patrolling the beaches at night on horseback, had to recruit special men familiar with horses for the job.

Their headquarters and horses were located on Patrick’s Creek, one quarter mile north of Clam Beach Inn on the west side of old Highway 101. Rumors were rife during the war.

One late night a rumor that “the Japs are landing at Clam Beach” had spread to a bar, inciting some local guys with guns and full of liquor to come roaring out to the beach to take on the enemy. In the ruckus, one of them tripped over a log and his gun went off with a shattering explosion. I was really frightened, as was everyone in our already nervous community. We thought the real thing had finally arrived. Charley Rabb, county sheriff at the time, soon arrived and quickly rounded up the men and took their guns away.

The halcyon days at Clam Beach eventually came to an end. The county decided there was not enough water to supply all the cabins on the hill, and they were all bulldozed. My parents sold the Inn in 1947 to “Slim” Bathhurst, and my entire family moved to Eureka. My grandmother lived with us there. Bathhurst ran the Inn for a few years, but he moved the bar to another location. He did use the dance hall for dances, though, until the late 1950s.

Then during 1963 and 1964 the entire community of Clam Beach was bulldozed to make way for the new highway. The Inn, the chowder, the pond, Herrin’s Museum, the cabins and all the rest of it lives now only in the memories of those who loved it.

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The story above was originally printed in the Winter 2008 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It 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.