California State University faculty overwhelmingly approved a new labor contract, moving the nation’s largest four-year public university system a step closer to ending arguably the most acrimonious labor standoff between educators and university leaders in the system’s history.

The California Faculty Association said over the weekend that 76% of members who voted approved the tentative agreement, a set of raises and expansions of benefits that exceeds what Cal State negotiators were offering during eight months of contract negotiations but fell short of initial union demands.The union represents 29,000 professors, lecturers, counselors, coaches and librarians.

All that remains to finalize the contract is a vote from Cal State’s board of trustees, who are scheduled to meet March 24-27. It’s unlikely the board will turn down a contract negotiated by a team that reports to the system’s new chancellor, Mildred García, whom the trustees hired last year. The union wants the board to meet in a special session to approve the deal sooner. If trustees approve it, the deal will last through June 30, 2025.

“We look forward to working together to continue our advocacy for an equitable CSU,” Charles Toombs, union president and a professor at San Diego State, said in a statement that also thanked members for organizing and joining the strikes. “We have special gratitude to our students and sibling union members, as well as elected leaders and public education allies who joined our cause and showed up in favor of investing in our CSU.”

García’s office said in a press release that it’s “pleased” with the vote’s outcome.

The week-long vote followed a one-day strike last month, the first time faculty walked off the job at all 23 Cal State campuses in the system’s history, and strikes at four campuses in December. Some union members criticized the union’s leadership for ending the rain-soaked January strike the day it began, arguing a better deal could have emerged had the strike lasted the full five days union leaders envisioned. Critics also faulted the deal for agreeing to a raise that technically isn’t fully guaranteed.

Core to the union’s initial demands were that Cal State negotiators approve a 12% salary hike for all members for the 2023-24 year. Cal State had countered with a 5% offer in 2023-24 and 5% increases the following two years, if state lawmakers increase Cal State’s main state funding by 5% each year — something they’ve done the past two years but hardly a guarantee going forward as the state eyes multibillion-dollar budget deficits. The union’s leaders refused any deal that was conditional.

But Cal State was loath to give any union more than 5% for this budget year; doing so would have triggered new salary negotiations with some labor groups.The contract just approved by faculty members locks in 5% for 2023-24 that’ll be applied retroactively. Another 5% kicks in this July if Cal State receives as much state funding for its core programs as it did last year — a likelier outcome and one Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed in his budget blueprint, but still a contingency.

The approved contract also extends parental leave from six weeks to 10 weeks — short of the full semester the union initially sought. It also raises the salary floor by at least $3,000 for the lowest paid faculty on top of the across-the-board raises.

Again, that deal exceeded what Cal State negotiators were offering, which was no extra boost for these workers, but is less than what the union initially wanted. Those workers would see total raises of about 15% to 22%.

A website that called for a “no” vote on the contract is telling faculty to remain in the union, despite the contract’s passage.

“Everyone who voted ‘yes’ and everyone who voted ‘no’ can now work together to build power for the bargaining and strike actions to come,” the site read.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Tim Cochrane was born the evening of August 24, 1953 in his maternal grandparents’ home in Eureka, to James William Cochrane III and Alice Loree Stockton Cochrane of Loleta, California. He and elder brother James Michael “Sham” were later joined by Robert Todd and sister Leslie Loree, the four of them growing up on Singley Hill in Loleta.

Tim had an ear for music and began playing the piano when he was only three years old. On his fourth birthday, he was presented with a piano from his parents, launching a lifelong love for the instrument and all things musical.

Tim attended Loleta Elementary where his father was superintendent and briefly attended Fortuna Union High School before the family relocated to Chiapas, Mexico resulting in a year escaping formal education and exploring the jungles of the Yucatan. Later, the family moved to Peru when his parents joined the Summer Institute of Linguistics.

The time in the Amazon was formative for Tim and he embraced the different cultures, their traditions, music, and cuisines. Packing his trusty accordion along since the piano did not fit under his arm, he easily established rapport with people through his music and learning their music. When Tim was 16, he hitch-hiked from the jungle to the Andes, south to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, Chile and back, a trip that he never forgot.

After high school graduation in Peru, Tim returned to the States to attend College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State. It was there that he met Marie Mengel through mutual friends, and they married in 1975. In 1976, daughter Jana Marie was born and in 1978, Laura Ann joined the family. Three years later, Dorothy Loree was born, and Rebecca Elizabeth appeared on the scene in 1984, completing the family.

In 1975 Tim was recruited by Bank of America and by 1981 he was the Chief Financial Officer at Bank of Loleta. Seven years later in 1988, Tim left the Bank of Loleta to found Six Rivers National Bank and became President and Chief Executive Officer of the new community bank. The bank was noted for its technological innovation and caught the eye of the New York branch of the Federal Reserve Bank which was assisting the Russian Central Bank in its transition from the communist system to the free market. This led to Six Rivers National Bank hosting Russian bankers for hands-on experience in US banking and reciprocal invitations to Tim to travel to Russia on several occasions, where he made many lasting friendships.

Subsequently, Tim was asked to create Banker Benefits, a start-up human resources and benefits subsidiary for the California Bankers Association. After three years, Tim returned to banking, working as a management consultant in San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, and Southern California before returning to Eureka and establishing Cochrane & Associates Wealth Management Services.

Health issues forced him into retirement and in 2011, he was fortunate enough to have a heart transplant, a gift from a donor family whom he never had the privilege of meeting. Tim and Marie became ardent advocates of organ donation and were provided the opportunity to honor Tim’s heart donor and to continue the legacy of organ donation with the untimely death of their eldest daughter Jana.

Tim was a wonderful, loving husband, father, papa, uncle and friend. He was a prankster at his core and enjoyed making people laugh and smile. He had a great love for all things cooking and baking, a past time that he often enjoyed with his grandchildren.  Even as he lay there in his final days, no less than three times in one day did three kids come asking for cooking tips: What temperature on that chocolate cake? What’s the zing you put in your huckleberry reduction sauce?  Papa, how do we prep this catfish to fry up? Tim raised four strong willed women and nurtured the development of eight grandkids, who all loved him dearly. He will be greatly missed by all, especially his wife of 49 years, Marie.

Tim left this life the morning of February 9, 2024, having squeezed the last possible second out of the time allotted him by our Creator. He was blessed to pass from this realm in the place he was most happy, his home for the past 16 years: On the beautiful Mattole River in Ettersburg.

He was preceded in death by his daughters Jana Marie Cochrane and Dorothy Loree Chambers; parents Jim and Loree Cochrane; brothers Sham, Patrick, and Todd; maternal grandparents Virgil and Ruby Stockton; paternal grandparents Jim and Louise Cochrane; son-in-law Charles Schuttloffel; brother-in-law Sam Mengel; and in-laws Lowell and Dorothy Mengel.

He is survived by his wife, Marie; daughter Laura Cochrane and her children Tig and Hazel Schuttloffel; daughter Rebecca Sheets, her husband Jason and their children Colin, Reed and Mae; son-in-law Douglas DeShiell; son-in-law Kelton Chambers and his children Kaden, Hunter and Makenzie; sister Leslie Loree Cochrane Burchfield, her husband Dennis and daughter Lauren; sister-in-law Cyndee Cochrane and her sons Justin and Christopher; brother-in-law Lowell Mengel; brother-in-law Ward Mengel, his wife Christine and son Carl; brother-in-law Russell Mengel, his wife Donna and children Russell, Robert, Kerri, Michelle and Jennifer; nephew Corey Cochrane; and niece Kristie Cochrane Stogner. He also leaves behind lifelong friends and confidantes Jon Sapper and Alan Mahon.

Reflecting on his life, Tim said “I’ve had a good ride. I was born into a loving family, had a wonderful wife and children, great friends, met many interesting people, had an interesting and successful career and been able to travel the world. What more could I ask for?” Indeed, what more?

Dorothy Nicolson passed away peacefully on February 11, 2024.

Born on December 22, 1919, she lived to be 104 years old, spending her lifetime as a resident of Humboldt County. She grew up living in Trinidad, with her parents, Arabella, and Edwin Erickson, her sisters Mary, Bernice and June.

Dorothy married Edward Nicholson, January 1, 1938, and they made Eureka their home for over 60 years. While Ed served his country during the war, Dorothy went to work for Chicago Bridge and Iron. Years later she graduated from business college and worked for the Humboldt County Probation Department for 23 years.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Arabella Erickson, husband Edward Nicholson, sisters Mary Robertson, Bernice Riley, June Orlandi, and niece Joyce Miranda. She is survived by several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff and management at McKinleyville Timber Ridge for their kindness and support of Dorothy during her residency. She celebrated her 104th birthday with the residents, staff, friends, and family.

The family would like to thank the entire medical and nursing staff at Mad River Hospital for their compassionate care.

Per her wishes, Paul’s Chapel did not perform a service but took care of the arrangements for her interment. She was laid to rest at Ocean View Cemetery next to her departed husband.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Dorothy Nicolson’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.

Norita Rae Alcorn left this world on February 13, 2024 to be reunited with her husband of 67 years, Virgil Alcorn.

Norita was born in Longview, Washington on June 22, 1940, to Inabelle Buri and Ray Smith. In her early teen years she moved to Santa Cruz for a short period of time before moving to Arcata, starting her freshman year at Arcata High School. That was the same year that she met Virgil. Thereafter they had four children - Vicky, Rhonda, Michael and Tami.

Norita was a family woman who enjoyed camping, family vacations and family reunions. She also enjoyed going out dancing with Virgil and their friends.

The majority of Norita’s career was spent in retail, with the longest standing being the manager at Beno’s in Arcata. After the closure of Beno’s, she went on to work at Britt Credit Service where she ultimately retired from.

Norita is survived by her children Vicky Couch (Tommy), Rhonda Dellabalma, Michael Alcorn (Peggy), Tami Alcorn Gruetzmacher, grandchildren Eldon Cari (Courtney), Randy Cari (Leanna), Melinda Cari, Melissa Styir (Colt), Nicole Uhl (Ian), Christine Peets (Garret), Monica Rose (Andy), Christopher Gruetzmacher, Ryan Gruetzmacher, Terry Gruetzmacher, Christopher Hopkins, Brandalyn Schumacher, Tamerra Schumacher, along with many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. Norita is also survived by her siblings Linda Johnson, Johnny Buri, Marla Rountree, life-long friend Virginia Dunson, and several nieces and nephews.

Norita is preceded in death by her husband Virgil Alcorn, parents Inabelle Buri and Ray Smith, and sister Bonnie Lytle.

Services will be held on February 22, 2024 at 1 p.m. at Greenwood Cemetery in Arcata.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Christopher Gruetzmacher, Ryan Gruetzmacher, Terry Gruetzmacher, Andy Rose, Ian Uhl, and Garret Peets.

Sharon Elizabeth Fifer was born on October 3, 1940, in San Mateo, to E.W. “Willy” Fifer and Marjorie Mason Fifer and was raised in the Scott Valley area outside Yreka. She passed away in Arcata on February 16, 2024. When Sharon was three years old, she was diagnosed with polio and spent her life working through those challenges. Sharon first married Johnny Moore and had two children, William “Bill” Moore and Tina Moore. She was next married to Ronald Swihart and had son Ron Swihart Jr. and in 1967 she married her husband of 57 years, George “Buzzy” Peterson. Sharon worked at Granada Care Home in the 1980’s and then accepted a position at Glen Paul School in Eureka as a teacher’s aide until her retirement. She always spoke fondly of her time there, the students she had and the friendships she made.

As a child, Sharon lived on the farm and raised many animals, participating in 4-H and FFA. She also enjoyed camping, going on hunts for deer and elk out of state with her parents as a child and young adult. Sharon loved to travel and she and Buzzy would take annual trips to Reno where they became regulars at Fitzgerald’s. Frequently they would hook up the trailer and head for the mountains and enjoy life and the quiet of the Trinity Mountain wilderness or to Brookings for the kite festival. When they purchased land in Trinity Pines, it became a family gathering place and Sharon enjoyed having her family close, swimming, playing, and enjoying food and fun around the campfire. She enjoyed growing and arranging flowers and took on the greenhouse at Glen Paul as a special project, teaching the children how to care for the flowers. She also loved frogs and any garden she had or worked in was always full of ceramic frogs of every size. She was an avid NASCAR fan and going to Las Vegas with Bill and Tina was one of her greatest thrills and until the end, she asked them when they could take her again.

In the past decade, her mobility worsened and Sharon took to riding a motorized scooter around McKinleyville, walking the dogs alongside as they traversed the Hammond Trail. You would always see her with a black Scottish Terrier, her favorite breed. This led to meeting several other people on scooters from her neighborhood (her posse) and they formed a group, going for daily rides to enjoy the outdoors.

Sharon is predeceased by parents Willy and Marge and her brother William (Bill) Willis Fifer as well as her brother-in-law John Coonrod and sister-in-law Joyce Peterson Coonrod in Oregon.

Sharon is survived by her husband Buzzy, her children Bill (Lynn) Moore, Tina (Larry) Wood and Ron (Paula) Swihart, grandchildren Nicole Moore, Kaitlyn Swihart, Alison Wood, Jory Wood, Ethan (Heidi) Swihart and Mason Wood and by great-grandson Cole Taylor, her sister-in-law Bonnie Fifer and her sister-in-law Karen (Al) Clark.

Sharon also leaved behind many friends and coworkers too numerous to name but a few who have become very special to her include Tim, Kammy, Darlene and the Mickey Jones family. She also leaves behind many cousins back in Scott Valley.

A celebration of Sharon’s life is being planned with a private family interment at the Fort Jones cemetery at a later date where she will be laid to rest with her parents and brother in the family plot.

When, four years ago, wealthy businesswoman Kelly Loeffler advertised herself as “more conservative than Attila the Hun” in a run-off election for a Georgia Senate seat (she held the seat for just three weeks — it’s complicated), she was doing the king of the Huns a disservice (unless she wanted to invade Mexico). Loeffler wasn’t the first to use the “right of Attila” line; it’s been either claimed by, or used against, linguist William Safire and conservative politicians such as Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. But in Attila’s time, “left” and “right” in politics didn’t mean much. Back then your politics essentially boiled down to, Were you an invader or a defender? Attila was an invader, no doubt, as opposed to the Romans, who were mostly occupied with defending their crumbling empire.

So who was Attila? We actually know very little about him, and what we do know is pretty tainted, since nearly all the sources we have for his life were written by his enemies, of whom there were many. History, it’s said, is written by the victors, but in this case, it was written by those who could write, in Latin and Greek.

What we know for sure is that Atilla was born early in the fifth century AD — probably 406 — and died about 47 years later, either from a hemorrhage while celebrating his latest marriage, or perhaps by assassination — in 453. Attila and his elder brother Bleda had succeeded their uncle, Rugila, as joint leaders of the Huns. After the early death of Bleda, Attila ruled alone, for a total of nearly 20 years as co-leader or sole leader. During his reign, he unified several other powerful tribes in Eastern and Central Europe, including the Ostrogoths, Bulgars and Alans, bringing them under his rule. In this, he seems to have been as much a statesman as he was a warlord. (Perhaps he inspired Otto von Bismark to do the same, over a thousand years later, when Bismark unified the Germanic independent states under the leadership of Prussia? )

Attila lived during the last days of the Western Roman Empire, a time when, increasingly, foreign mercenaries were employed by the state to protect the frontiers, and deals were made to pay what was essentially protection money to tribes that threatened the Pax Romana. At the time, Rome and its provinces were constantly under threat from Germanic tribes in the north and from nomadic tribes to the east, whose homeland was Central Asia and the Caucasus. The Huns seem to have been the most powerful of these, to the extent that Attila was able to threaten, first the Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople, and later the Western Empire based in Rome. By all accounts, they were expert bowmen on horseback, giving them an edge over Roman infantry in battle. One Roman historian wrote that they “are almost glued to their horses” while another said they “live and sleep on their horses.”

Led by Attila and after many battles and skirmishes, they were finally defeated — or at least brought to a standstill — at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains in northeastern France on June 20, 451, when the Huns faced a combined force of Romans and Visigoths. Within two years, Attila was dead and soon after the Huns disappeared from history. Almost. In the middle ages, several Hungarian writers portrayed the Huns positively as their “glorious ancestors.”

So, Scourge of God (as Attila was later referred to) or brilliant statesman? Either way, labeling him as an arch-conservative minimizes what we do know about him. Too bad almost all our information comes from those who had most to gain by vilifying him; I’d have been happy to buy him a beer and listen to his side of the story.

Roberto Pacheco Freitas was born January 30, 1930, in Ponta Ruiva, Flores, Azores to Antonio Pacheco Freitas and Maria Emilie Freitas and passed away at the age of 94 years old in Arcata on February 15, 2024.

Roberto grew up in Ponta Ruiva, Flores, Azores, Portugal before moving to Central California in 1975 and later settled in Arcata in 1977.

Throughout his life, Roberto found joy in activities such as fishing, gardening, raising cattle, attending his grandchildren’s sporting events and, above all, spending time with his family.

Roberto will be dearly missed by children: son Jose Roberto Pacheco and daugher in-law Dee Pacheco; daughter Maria Celestina Homen and son in-law Isidro Homem, daughter Maria Fernanda Bell and son in-law Larry Bell, son Jose Hermino Pacheco and his younger brother Jose Freitas.

His memory will be cherished by his grandchildren: Jaime Pacheco, Jeane Pacheco, Joseph Pacheco and granddaughter in-law Darci Pacheco, Raymond Homen and granddaughter in-law Elizabeth Homen, Erik Homen and granddaughter in-law Ashley Homen, Jesse Homen and granddaughter in-law Shastina Homen, Bobby Donahue, Chris Ryans and granddaughter in-law Kaila Ryans, his 14 great-grandchildren, Sabastian Pacheco, Lili Pacheco, Dominic Pacheco, Lanee Pacheco, Laila Homen, Beau Homen, Kaedin Homen, Hayley Homen, Brooklyn Homen, Alora Homen, Alaina Homen, Dylan Donahue, Averi Donahue, Marshall Ryans and the numerous other family and friends.

Roberto is preceded in death by his parents Antonio and Maria Freitas, brothers Antonio, Ermilio, Pedro Freitas, sisters Maria Sousa, Jusifina Furtuna and Georgina Freitas and numerous other relatives.

There will be a Rosary and Mass held at St. Mary’s Church in Arcata on February 20, 2024, at 12 p.m. PST, with a reception to follow at the Portuguese Hall in Arcata.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Roberto Freitas’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.