Crisis Alternative Response Eureka — a city team that responds to calls for mental health or substance use intervention — will soon take over response in more areas.

Behavioral health professionals are hopeful a recent agreement will help the county’s team focus on farther flung areas.

CARE signed a service contract with the Behavioral Health Branch of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in March to cover unincorporated areas of Eureka, including Myrtletown, Cutten and Pine Hill.

Jacob Rosen, CARE’s Managing Mental Health Clinician, said serving the areas will hopefully help support Humboldt County’s Mobile Intervention & Services Team (MIST), which offers mobile crisis response throughout the county.

“When you think about the demand that they have from the state, they need to be able to provide rural crisis response out into, say, Hoopa or Whitethorn,” noted Rosen.

Rosen estimates this means CARE will soon serve an area with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 people, including multiple residential mental health facilities. He said the team is prepared for the increased call volume.

The city-run team launched in 2023. CARE began responding to certain 911 mental health calls without police in 2025, and started working seven days a week in February.

The two teams already have a great relationship, Rosen said, where CARE will handle a call routed to MIST, or vice versa.

Between the experience of MIST, CARE, Eureka Police Department, and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Rosen hopes they can “bring that experience into one room and really improve the system,” he said.

There are two MIST mobile crisis response teams covering the county, an operation that runs 24/7, 365 days a year.

“Contracting with CARE has allowed our agency to focus on providing mobile crisis response to the rest of the county,” said Behavioral Health Deputy Director Paul Bugnacki, in an email sent by a spokesperson.

The MIST teams have a wide geographic area to cover.

While Bugnacki said there have been days a MIST team is in Shelter Cove in the morning and Hoopa that afternoon, “The good news is, this doesn’t happen very often and not every crisis requires an in-person response,” he said. When multiple calls come in, Bugnacki said the team prioritizes responses, and is very good at managing crises over the phone.

The contract with DHHS also allows CARE to bill Medi-Cal for the service under the Mobile Crisis Benefit through CalAIM.

There’s been quite a few changes in how these teams have been funded, according to a 2024 Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury report, which found programs like CARE and MIST need stable sources of funding to be successful.

“The only thing different about our crisis services is that they are more available now than they have been in the past. As we continue to expand these teams in the county, our communities will have greater access to support before, during and after a crisis occurs,” said Bugnacki.

All mobile crisis teams are deployed through local crisis lines and local 911 dispatch. Individuals can access MIST or CARE by calling the crisis line at 707-445-7715, toll-free at 1-888-849-5728, or 988.

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PREVIOUSLY

• The Latest Chapter in the Decline of the Bayshore Mall: It Will Be Auctioned Off on the Courthouse Steps
• Humboldt County is Interested in Buying the Old Sears Building at the Bayshore Mall. So is Home Depot

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A crowd of close to 30 people gathered on the courthouse steps this morning in hopes of being among the first to learn the fate of the beleaguered and debt-laden Bayshore Mall, but the scheduled foreclosure auction proved anticlimactic.

“Do I have any bidders here?” called out auctioneer Mike Adams, an unassuming man with slicked back white hair and baggy clothes. He’d been hired by a company called Superior Default Services to handle today’s proceedings, and he’d already asked around to see if there were any certified bidders.

There weren’t. One man had shown up with a check made out to himself, but that’s not allowed. Checks needed to be made out to the beneficiary, which, in this case, is a company called Assured Lender Services. 

Adams proceeded to read off a description of the property for sale: eight parcels and part of a ninth located at 3300 and 3450 Broadway Street. This includes the entirety of the Bayshore Mall except for the current Kohl’s location. The old Sears and current Walmart buildings are part of the deal, as is the nearby McDonald’s, most of the mall’s parking lots and some adjacent greenbelt land.

There is $38,945,221.94 in debt attached to these parcels, but the trustee had instructed Adams to open the bidding at $12 million even. If anyone had bid that amount, he was instructed to keep raising the asking price in $250,000 increments until bidding reached or exceeded $16.8 million, after which the highest bidder would have become the new owner.

The Humboldt County government has shown interest in the old Sears building at the north end of the mall, and the Board of Supervisors recently authorized staff to negotiate a deal for that parcel, which the county would convert into a one-stop permitting center. But no one from the county was present this morning. 

Nor were there any representatives from Home Depot. Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery recently revealed to the Outpost that the big box retailer has been searching for a spot in Eureka for more than a year and is specifically interested in that same Sears spot. 

“How much am I offered and by whom?” Adams asked the assembled group. “How much am I offered and by whom? How much am I offered and by whom?” Looking down at his clipboard, he declared, “The property reverted at 10:02.”

With no bids, the parcels reverted back to the current owner, a Delaware corporation called Bay Shore Mall, LP Assured Lender Services, Inc., the beneficiary of the deed of trust. [CORRECTION: Bay Shore Mall, LP, was the trustee held in default.]

We reached out to the county to ask whether staff will pursue a purchase of the Sears building directly with the owner. We’ll update this post if and when we get a reply.

As the crowd milled about and murmured among themselves on the courthouse steps, one woman approached Adams.

“Did the mall get sold?” she asked.

“It reverted,” he said. “It reverted back to the beneficiary.”

Her face was blank.

“Nobody bought it,” Adams clarified.

“So what happens now,” a nearby man asked.

“It’s in their hands,” Adams answered. “I don’t know.”

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CORRECTION, 3 p.m.: This post initially misidentified the party to whom the deed of trust reverted. The Outpost regrets the error.

AIN’T NOTHIN BUT A G THANG! Via the magic of Google Street View, please take a moment to virtually pedal this hidden Eureka gem up to the hustle and bustle of Henderson Street.

Press release from the City of Eureka:

The City of Eureka’s Bike Plan 2024, recommended project design concepts and proposed corridors based on existing conditions analysis, community engagement, and coordination with interagency staff.

The recommended corridors best establish a network of bicycle facilities that would improve the comfort and safety for, and encourage, bicycling in the City of Eureka.

G Street between 7th and Henderson Streets was one of the proposed bicycle boulevard corridors.

Based on the Bike Plan recommendation and awarded funding from Linc Housing, the “G Street Bike Boulevard” has been selected as the next City of Eureka Bicycle Boulevard Project.

Since the recent completion of the C Street Bike Boulevard, the City has received both supportive and critical feedback. Feedback is important and we’d like to hear from the community what design elements are favored and/or opposed when it comes to planning the G Street Bike Boulevard.

The G Street Bike Boulevard Survey is designed to gather input before the design process begins.

Bicycle boulevards can have many different elements that can change the cyclists experience and level of traffic stress. The feedback received in this survey, will help inform the design of the G Street Bike Boulevard.

The survey will be open until April 30, 2026. All results will be made public once the survey is closed.

Follow this link to take the survey.

Questions can be sent to Project Manager, Brittany Powell at bpowell@eurekaca.gov or (707) 441-4127.

Press release from the Department of Cannabis Control:

As we head into the 4/20 weekend, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) wants to help you keep the vibes high and the risks low. Whether you’re a seasoned consumer or just canna-curious, a little responsibility goes a long way, for your safety and for everyone around you.   

Find a licensed retailer near you

The best 4/20 experiences start with products you can trust. Licensed retailers offer cannabis that meets California’s strict health and safety standards. DCC’s Real California Cannabis campaign helps you find responsibly grown, locally sourced, state-regulated products. Use the retail finder on our Real California Cannabis website to discover licensed retailers near you: Find Licensed Dispensaries.

Using cannabis responsibly

Adults 21 and older, or individuals 18 and older with a physician’s recommendation, may legally purchase and consume cannabis in California. You may react differently to cannabis than others, depending on:

• Your body composition and tolerance
• The product’s THC content
• How much you consume and
• How you consume it

Higher-potency THC products like concentrates and vape cartridges can cause stronger effects than you expect. If you’re new to cannabis or trying something new, it’s smart to Start Low and Go Slow. Learn more about responsible cannabis use on our website: Responsible cannabis use.   

Storing cannabis responsibly

Even with clear labels, some cannabis products may still be mistaken for regular food or candy. Protect kids, pets, and others in your home by following these tips:

• Store cannabis products in locked, childproof containers
• Keep the containers out of sight and reach of children and pets
• Keep cannabis products in the original, childproof packaging
• Reseal the childproof package after use
• Dispose of cannabis products in a secure way so children and pets can’t access them

You can find more safety tips on the California Department of Public Health’s website: Cannabis Safeguards. Not sure if cannabis retailers are legal where you live? Visit our website to learn more about what’s legal in your jurisdiction: Where cannabis businesses are allowed.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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Democrats are searching for a hero to save them in the California governor’s race.

So far, no one in party leadership has come to the rescue.

Despite Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit from the race this week, the Democratic field remains unwieldy, with seven major candidates still splitting the field less than three weeks before ballots are sent. Each of them refuses to bow out, regardless of their polling numbers, in the hope they can capture some of the voter attention that Swalwell’s demise drew to the race.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, the face of the party in California, is not interested in elevating a successor. Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks, who faces criticism for not using his position to cull the field, has relied on party-commissioned polls and vague pleas for candidates to “honestly assess” their campaign’s viability, refusing to openly pressure anyone to drop out.

Even former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — known for urging then-Rep. Adam Schiff to run for Senate and former President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid — won’t intervene.

“People have reached out to me saying, ‘Your mom has to do something!’” said Christine Pelosi, daughter of the San Francisco congresswoman and herself a candidate for state Senate.

“I said, ‘You know what? She doesn’t, though,’” the younger Pelosi said. “She already did that with Biden and Harris. She’s not going to — don’t look to her to do that again.”

Gone is the heyday of the San Francisco-based political machine, a network of political talent that dominated state politics for decades and produced titans such as Pelosi and Newsom, both of whom are moving on from California politics.

Now that pipeline has run dry, and this year there is no obvious heir to Newsom for the party to coalesce behind. No current statewide officeholder joined the fray, and both presumptive favorites — former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — opted not to run.

That has made top Democrats loath to weigh in on the state’s first truly open Democratic primary in 16 years. In 2018, Newsom, then the lieutenant governor, was widely viewed as the most likely successor to former Gov. Jerry Brown, another product of the San Francisco political machine.

The 2026 race is also only the second time an open field has competed under the top-two primary system, adopted 16 years ago to the chagrin of both parties. That means two Democrats or two Republicans could advance to the general election and lock the other party out.

Newsom reiterated his lack of interest this week when he issued a statement that said in part, “I have full confidence that voters will choose a candidate who reflects the values and direction Californians believe in.”

Too much democracy for Democrats?

While grassroots activists have for decades decried the king-making of insider machine politics, the alternative — an abundance of candidates with no clear frontrunner — has proved unappealing too.

The resulting decision paralysis has resurrected calls for a strong leader to step in.

“This has been incredibly frustrating, not to mention scary, with the idea that we could end up with two Republicans,” said RL Miller, a longtime delegate and chair of the party’s environmental caucus. “I really do believe that there has been a failure of leadership at the top.”

Miller theorized that party leaders were overcorrecting after years of backlash following the 2016 presidential election, in which establishment Democrats disregarded the grassroots support for Sen. Bernie Sanders and instead anointed Hillary Clinton.

As more Democratic gubernatorial candidates entered the fray in the last year, Miller said she thought leadership had the “admirable intent” of letting delegates winnow the field themselves.

But anxieties were already spiking before the Democrats’ endorsing convention in February, where none of the nine candidates vying for the gubernatorial nod amassed more than 25% — far short of the 60% needed. Hicks faced repeated questions then about whether he would step in, but insisted it wasn’t his role.

“By the party convention, the alarm bells had been ringing for months,” said Miller, who has consistently voted against Hicks in internal party elections.

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks addresses the media in Sacramento on Nov. 17, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

After the convention, Hicks released an open letter urging that “every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign,” and “if you do not have a viable path to make it to the general election” not to file to run. Only one listened, former Assemblymember Ian Calderon, who was polling around 1% or less.

Later, Hicks announced the party would conduct ongoing polls on the race and release them every seven to 10 days through early May, when ballots are sent.

Hicks’ defenders said he was right to abstain from picking favorites. Christine Pelosi said it would be “inappropriate” for the chair to weigh in on the candidates after delegates at the party convention chose not to endorse anyone.

Hicks’ calls for candidates to “consider their viability” was a “somewhat extraordinary and surprising” move, said Paul Mitchell, the architect of the gerrymandered congressional maps that voters approved via Proposition 50 to boost congressional Democrats in the upcoming election.

“It maybe wasn’t surprising for people who think that the Democratic Party chair is like a backroom dealer that’s going to knock heads or something like that,” Mitchell said. “But that’s not the chair’s role in California right now.”

Top-two primary adds to tension

Both Mitchell and Christine Pelosi blamed the top-two system for much of the drama. The slim possibility that two Republicans could emerge from the primary has spurred many of the calls for leadership to weigh in.

Mitchell argued that since President Donald Trump put a thumb on the scale by endorsing former Fox News host Steve Hilton, there’s less risk that both he and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco would end up on the November ticket, alleviating some of the pressure on Democrats.

“If it wasn’t a top two, people wouldn’t care,” said Christine Pelosi. “You wouldn’t have the added agita of ‘there’s only two Republicans and there’s a bunch of Democrats.’”

Notably, the state GOP failed to endorse a candidate at its recent convention, indicating that Trump’s nod might not hold as much sway as Democrats assume.

Still, if Hicks is trying to convince rank-and-file Democrats he’s doing enough, it’s not working.

Amar Shergill, the former leader of the party’s progressive caucus, suggested that its weak, decentralized leadership was by design so monied interests could exert more control over who gets elected.

“Rusty Hicks is furniture that folks with real power use at their discretion,” Shergill said.

“There’s no sort of anger or animosity towards him as a person,” he said. “If it wasn’t Rusty, it would be somebody else. This is just the political situation right now.”

In an interview, Hicks told CalMatters that he is “doing what is required” to ensure a Democrat wins the race. But when pressed repeatedly, Hicks would not elaborate on what that work entails, if he believes what he’s done so far is working or if he should have had a stronger hand in culling the field, as his critics have suggested.

“I’m not interested in opening up the playbook as to what we will or will not do in the coming days and weeks,” he said.

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CalMatters’ Yue Stella Yu contributed to this report.

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As wildfire season quickly approaches, state officials are bracing for a “Super El Niño” that could bring extreme and unpredictable weather to Northern California, potentially increasing fire risk. Combined with ongoing drought conditions and poor snowpack in the northern Sierras, fire officials worry that we could be in for another challenging fire season.

At last night’s annual town hall on wildfire preparedness and prevention, State Sen. Mike McGuire said the incoming El Niño is predicted to be “the strongest that we’ve seen in 140 years,” according to new data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and National Weather Service (NWS). 

McGuire | Screenshot

“From what we’ve seen in the past, [El Niño] brings in unsettled tropical moisture that brings lightning into the region, and that could spell trouble,” McGuire said. “You need to be prepared.”

A typical El Niño often results in a wet winter, especially in Southern California, whereas La Niña tends to bring drier conditions. A rare “super” El Niño, which happens every 10 to 15 years, produces more intense and unpredictable weather patterns, ranging from record-breaking tropical storms to extreme drought. 

Speaking at last night’s town hall, CalFire Northern Region Chief George Morris III said El Niño conditions are especially difficult to predict in Northern California, where there is little correlation between El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) patterns. “It can mean that we’re going to see more moisture than normal [or] it can mean heat domes followed by tropical moisture,” he said. “It can also mean extended dry periods over a swath of California.”

For example, the 2015 El Niño — one of the strongest ever recorded — didn’t deliver the expected precipitation to drought-stricken California. Instead, it fueled a record-breaking fire season, with more than 880,000 acres burned across the state. “If you recall, in Lake County, we had pretty severe fires — the Rocky, the Jerusalem and then the Valley — and that really ushered in the era of the mega fire,” Morris said.

One of the main indicators to watch is snowpack.

Morris | Screenshot

“The final snowpack survey occurred on April 1 at Phillips station, and it showed 6% of normal in the northern Sierra and southern Cascades,” Morris explained. “The snowpack is kind of our locked-away reservoir. … That’s an indicator that we’re going to get fires at high elevation sooner than we would normally. … In the Bay Area, we’re seeing an incredible amount of growth in our grasslands. This late rain means that we’ll get secondary and tertiary growth in the grasslands … and I think that can be the fuse for a bomb that could [lead to] a very difficult fire season.”

Increased fire activity out east and in higher elevations will likely impact the federal agencies that oversee those jurisdictions, Morris said, which could, in turn, impact mutual aid response across the region. 

To prepare for a potentially difficult season, CalFire, along with other federal and state agencies, has ramped up prescribed burns to remove hazardous fuels from overgrown areas. CalFire may suspend burning “sooner than the statute requires,” Morris added. “We’ll look at that at a county level or an elevation band level to make sure that tool is available to you as long as possible.”

The state has made major investments in CalFire staffing and equipment in recent years to support wildfire response. McGuire said the state has “doubled the number of CalFire firefighters” in the last decade, and plans to hire another 2,000 over the next 48 months.

“We’ve phased out all the Vietnam-era helicopters, [and] we’ve phased in night-fighting Black Hawk helicopters,” McGuire continued. “We have more fire engines on the road than we’ve had in decades and $8 billion has been and will be invested in wildfire prevention. That’s a game changer for the state.”

Even with these major investments, fire officials are still asking residents to do their part in creating defensible space around their homes. Over the next year or so, state officials will roll out “Zone 0” regulations that would require homeowners to clear hazardous materials within five feet of a structure. 

“In general, the idea is to remove things that can burn,” Morris explained. “If you have junipers or volatile vegetation right next to your structure, that’s something that’s probably going to have to be removed in that process. … For the level of protection that I want on my home, I’m removing anything that isn’t well-watered, anything that can combust. … Just imagine when wind hits your home and leaves collect — that’s where embers are going to show up.”

You can read more about those new regulations at this link. If you’d like to learn more about what CalFire is doing to prepare for the upcoming fire season, click “play” on the video up top.

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PREVIOUSLY

• The Coastal Commission Will Again Consider Trinidad Rancheria’s Proposed Five-Story Hotel on Thursday, Focusing on the Adequacy of Fire Protection

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The California Coastal Commission today voted unanimously to conditionally concur with a federal consistency determination for the Trinidad Rancheria’s long‑planned 100‑room, five‑story hotel, finding that — if new fire protection conditions are met — the project can be deemed consistent with the California Coastal Act.

Today’s hearing, which was narrowly focused on the adequacy of fire protection resources, was the result of an appellate court order resulting from a lawsuit by the Humboldt Alliance for Responsible Planning, or HARP.

Back in 2019, following a convoluted and confused hearing, the commission narrowly agreed to issue a conditional concurrence on the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) consistency determination for a lease and federal loan guarantee to support the hotel next to the existing Heights Casino on Trinidad Rancheria trust land.

The condition, at the time, was that the Rancheria needs to find an adequate and reliable water supply for the proposed hotel. That condition remains unmet and must be remedied before the Coastal Commission gives its full blessing.

But HARP filed a lawsuit challenging that Coastal Commission decision, and while a trial court upheld the agency’s determination, an appellate court narrowly disagreed, affirming the commission on all issues except fire protection. The ruling said there was insufficient evidence on that front and ordered the commission to hold today’s new, narrowly tailored hearing.

As we reported in yesterday’s meeting preview, commission staff recommended again concurring with the BIA’s consistency determination, but only if the federal agency can secure a formal fire service agreement with CalFire, or a patchwork of local agencies, and submit a comprehensive fire protection plan for agency approval.

The Rancheria, for its part, has proposed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the county to formalize CalFire protection services and has offered to participate in a fire planning study for northern coastal Humboldt County. It has also agreed to purchase an aerial (hook and ladder) truck and create its own volunteer fire department that would serve both the hotel and the surrounding community.

In a staff report at the start of the hearing, environmental scientist Annie Rosen explained that the Trinidad area relies on a patchwork of career and volunteer fire departments, backed by mutual aid agreements among local agencies, while CalFire provides protection during peak fire season, plus off‑season coverage via a cooperative agreement (called an “Amador” agreement) with Humboldt County. That off-season coverage is not guaranteed, though.

The five-story height of the proposed hotel will require additional training and special apparatus, such as hook-and-ladder trucks. The Trinidad Rancheria recently purchased its own hook-and-ladder truck and is pursuing formation of a volunteer fire department.

Following staff recommendations, the commission today added two new conditions for its concurrence determination. First, before hotel construction can begin, either the BIA or the Rancheria must provide evidence of a finalized cost‑sharing MOU with the county for CalFire Amador services (or some other form of proof that CalFire service to the Rancheria will continue). Under this MOU, which is scheduled for consideration by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors next month, the Rancheria would pay 20% of the county’s Amador costs. 

The second new condition requires the BIA or Rancheria to submit a two-phase fire protection plan to the Coastal Commission’s executive director for review and concurrence. The plan must include descriptions of available fire protection services, maps, security measures, etc. for both before and after construction. 

Trinidad Rancheria Vice Chairman Robert Hemsted, appearing via Zoom, emphasized the tribe’s status as a sovereign nation and said the Rancheria is being asked to go above and beyond what any other municipality or agency is required to do. The delays caused by government and court hearings have caused the cost of the hotel project to increase by 60% since 2018.

“We’re a small tribe; we’re not a rich tribe,” Hemsted said. “We’re in an economically depressed area. We are trying to make it sustainable for our community.”

He urged the commission to support staff recommendations.

HARP’s attorney J. Bryce Kenny, who also serves as Trinidad’s mayor pro-tem, argued that since the BIA never specifically analyzed the adequacy of the Rancheria’s fire protection resources, its 2019 consistency determination should be considered null and void. He referred to an unsigned letter from the BIA refuting that argument as a “post-hoc rationalization.”

“The machinery is running backwards,” he said.

Commission staff dismissed that argument, noting that the court didn’t overturn that prior determination and only remanded the matter on very narrow grounds. 

When the matter came to the commission for discussion, Commissioner Mike Wilson, who represents the Third District on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, took a metaphorical step back to give some context. He noted that the commission doesn’t have any permit authority over the project.

“The tribe is asking for a federal loan guarantee on the construction, and the BIA made a requirement that [the tribe] needed to conform to all these federal laws, including [California Coastal Zone Management Act],” Wilson said. “And that required us to do this assessment. If there was no federal loan guarantee as part of that project, we we wouldn’t be talking about this at all.”

Shortly after those comments, Commission Vice Chair Dr. Caryl Hart made a motion to adopt staff recommendations. There were no objections to unanimous consent on the motion.

Reached for comment via email, Kenny said he and the other members of HARP are not surprised by the decision.

“The interesting thing will be whether CalFire really wants to get in the hook and ladder business for one single five-story structure in all of northern Humboldt north of Arcata,” Kenny said via email.

We also reached out to Trinidad Rancheria Chief Executive Officer Jacque Hostler-Carmesin for comment but had not heard back by the time this post was published. 

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CORRECTION: This story initially misspelled Robert Hemsted’s name. The Outpost apologizes for the error.