If you look at the weather forecast down at the bottom of the LoCO homepage, there, you’ll see that it looks like some weather is going to happen to us this weekend and early next week. And it kind of feels like it, doesn’t it? Those slightly cool winds, a heaviness to the air? Something’s going on. Am I crazy?

Your friends and ours at the National Weather Services’ headquarters are monitoring this situation, naturally. Here’s what they have to say in this morning’s Area Forecast Discussion:

Other than some stratus across portions of the Eel River Valley, skies this morning are mostly clear across the area. Temperatures ranged from a few upper 30s in some normally colder valley locations to the lower to mid 60s across the higher elevations of Lake and S Mendocino counties. A large upper low is presently nearly stationary over SE OR. The proximity of this low will continue to support cooler than normal temperatures into the weekend.

A large upper trough will dig south over the east Pacific by late in the weekend and early next week. In addition, an IVT (integrated water vapor transport) plume is forecast to impact the coast of Northern CA during this time period. While there are differences in both the upper pattern amongst the global models in addition to the associated surface features, the precipitation patterns are similar, with locally heavy rainfall still forecast to impact Northwest CA. The highest rainfall totals are expected to favor the N portion of the area. The latest QPF totals from Sunday morning through Monday evening range from around 4 inches over the windward sides of Del Norte mountains to around a quarter of an inch over South Lake County. These forecast rainfall amounts have ticked up since yesterday. Higher amounts are certainly possible due to the moderate to occasionally strong water vapor transport. A few thunderstorms are possible over the North coast and adjacent coastal waters Monday afternoon and evening. Lingering showers will continue into the middle of next week.

So rain early in the workweek, and hanging around for a bit after that. This is good news up in the north, where it could go a long way toward squashing the wildfires that continue to rampage up there.

In its continued battle to bulletproof the right to abortion, California is suing two major anti-abortion groups over claims made about the viability of “abortion pill reversal,” Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday.

Heartbeat International, a national anti-abortion group, and RealOptions Obria, a chain that operates five crisis pregnancy centers in Northern California, both promote services to “reverse” the medication abortion process. Bonta is suing both groups in Alameda Superior Court under the state’s False Advertising and Unfair Competition laws.

“(Heartbeat International) and RealOptions took advantage of pregnant patients at a deeply vulnerable time in their lives, using false and misleading claims to lure them in and mislead them about a potentially risky procedure,” Bonta said in a statement. “We are launching today’s lawsuit to put a stop to their predatory and unlawful behavior.”

The 30-page complaint alleges the two organizations use fraudulent and misleading claims to promote the safety and efficacy of an experimental hormone therapy to stop medication abortion from proceeding.

Medication abortion typically involves two drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol — taken between 24 to 48 hours apart, according to the FDA. Mifepristone, which is taken first, inhibits the body’s ability to use the pregnancy hormone progesterone, while misoprostol causes the uterus to contract and expel the contents similar to a miscarriage, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

The advertised “abortion pill reversal” service administers extra progesterone to people who have taken mifepristone but have not yet taken the second drug, according to the complaint and materials published by both organizations. RealOptions’ website characterizes it as an “effective process” and states “IT MAY NOT BE TOO LATE TO SAVE YOUR PREGNANCY.” Heartbeat International runs the national hotline known as the Abortion Pill Rescue Network that local crisis pregnancy centers like RealOptions direct pregnant people toward.

The lawsuit accuses the two organizations of preying on “emotionally vulnerable individuals” and argues the organizations illegally advertise the service as a viable option without noting possible side effects such as the risk of severe bleeding.

“Defendants attract these individuals through multiple misrepresentations and pressure them by claiming they must start treatment as quickly as possible, further exploiting these individuals’ heightened emotional state,” the lawsuit states.

Study on ‘abortion pill reversal’ stopped

Proponents of “abortion pill reversal,” including those who say they have benefitted, frequently reference the use of progestin therapy to prevent preterm birth and research conducted by San Diego physician George Delgado, to support its safety. Delgado’s studies use very few patients and have been widely condemned by the medical community, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and New England Journal of Medicine, as having no merit or broad applicability. Dr. Mary Davenport, a licensed physician in California, also contributed to Delgado’s studies and is the medical director of two of RealOption’s clinics.

The only study designed to rigorously test the effectiveness of the procedure was stopped early citing “safety concerns” after three women experienced severe hemorrhaging and were transported to the hospital. “We halted enrollment after the third hemorrhage,” the authors said in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The lawsuit accuses RealOptions of misleading pregnant people about the possibility of serious side effects by failing to disclose the potential for severe bleeding.

Numerous studies show the two-pill abortion protocol, which has been approved by the FDA for more than 20 years, will terminate a pregnancy between 95% to 98% of the time. Those who take only the first pill and not the second will continue pregnancy about 50% of the time, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, roughly the same success rate that “abortion pill reversal” advocates claim.

Crisis pregnancy centers, which do not provide abortions but may provide some medical services such as pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, have long been a thorn in the side of abortion advocates in California. The U.S. Supreme Court sided with abortion opponents in 2018, striking down a California law that required crisis pregnancy centers to notify clients about birth control and abortion options. The decision significantly chilled legislative efforts to reign in the centers’ practices.

Cathren Cohen, a staff attorney at the Williams Institute and the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy at UCLA, told CalMatters in June that legislators and advocates were concerned about creating bad precedent.

“The anti-choice movement is very litigious. They know the federal courts are on their side,” Cohen said.

Crisis pregnancy center legislation

Two bills aiming to increase transparency about crisis pregnancy centers’ services and goals were quietly killed in the Legislature earlier this year. One of the authors, Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, a Democrat from Santa Clarita, said in a statement she was grateful for Bonta’s lawsuit because “abortion pill reversal” is “one of the most dangerous procedures (crisis pregnancy centers) offer.”

“It’s disturbing that their anti-abortion ideology outweighs science and the safety of women,” Schiavo’s statement said. “I am hopeful that in the next legislative session, we will take on this entire industry, whose main goal is undermining a woman’s right to choose and blocking access to abortion care.”

Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a Democrat from Orinda, ran a measure earlier this year that ultimately died in committee, attempting to strengthen the state’s false advertising law to specify that businesses could not make misleading statements about abortion. In a statement to CalMatters, Bauer-Kahan characterized the claims made by crisis pregnancy centers as “predatory and deceptive.”

“In some of their most difficult moments, pregnant people are being misled and endangered,” Bauer-Kahan’s statement said. “It’s time to do something, and I’m proud California is fighting to end these lies.”

The centers, which are often religiously affiliated and connected to national organizations like Heartbeat International, have proliferated in California in recent years. While less than 62% of counties have an abortion clinic, nearly 80% have a crisis pregnancy center, according to a database compiled by CalMatters. In rural areas where there are acute primary care shortages, the centers outnumber abortion clinics 11 to two.

“The horrifying reality is that right now there are more crisis pregnancy centers in California than abortion care clinics,” Bonta said during a press conference Thursday. “Crisis pregnancy centers do not provide abortion or abortion referral, though they may want you to believe they do.”

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Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.

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

James Samuel Westfall was born September 20, 1950 and left this world September 1, 2023 after struggling with a stroke in March and many health problems he had prior.

James was a man who loved serving The Lord. He loved others and always helped out when he could. He loved telling jokes and seeing others happy. To know him was to love him.

He loved horses, cowboy hats and boots. He was a collector of country gear, along with many other things. He was a true collector at heart.

He served a short time in the Marines, and though he was offered a promotion to stay he decided that lifestyle wasn’t for him and left with an honorable discharge.

Despite it only being three years he served, being a Marine stayed with him in many ways. He loved and often talked fondly of the year he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

James was a hard-working man.

His work ethic and dedication was nothing short of admirable. He worked for Eureka City Garbage Company/Recology for 39 years and was disappointed he didn’t make it to the 40-year mark, but his health had already made that decision for him. He loved his job and many co-workers in his time there.

He leaves behind his two daughters — Staci Lynn and her husband Vicente, Lisa Joy and her husband Paul — along with two grandchildren, Bianca Jasmine and Phoenix James, whom he all shared with his ex-wife, Debra, and her husband, Mike. He also leaves behind his siblings Marshall and his wife, Sandra; and Marty and her husband, Bill; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him deeply, knowing if they ever needed him he would be there in any way he could.

A celebration in his honor will be held October 15, 1 p.m. at the Bayside Grange: 2297 Jacoby Creek Road, Bayside. His family appreciates all who loved him and/or want to attend.

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

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College of the Redwoods, one of just a handful of community colleges in the state to offer on-campus student housing, will soon have a good deal more of it.

A conceptual illustration of the soon-to-be-build student housing.

This afternoon at CR’s main Eureka campus, California State Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Jim Wood assembled with students and faculty on the steps of the administrative building to announce that the State of California will soon invest $28 million toward the construction of new, affordable student housing onsite.

“Today is an exciting, exciting day for the College of the Redwoods, for the hard-working students of this life-changing campus and for everyone here on the North Coast that calls this beautiful part of the country home,” McGuire said. 

This “massive” $28 million investment from the state, packaged within a higher education trailer bill that was recently passed by the legislature, will help build 100 new dorm rooms holding 215 beds, McGuire said. That marks nearly a 35 percent increase over the current on-campus student housing capacity of 160 beds.

“And 181 of these new beds will be designated affordable for the most vulnerable students who call the North Coast home,” McGuire added. 

The existing student housing will be demolished due to age and seismic concerns, and construction of the new housing facilities is scheduled to begin in 2026.

While a major windfall for the college, this $28 million represents merely an initial investment toward a total project cost estimated to be between $71 million and $73 million, according to McGuire, who did not say where the rest will come from.

“Look,” he continued, “this investment, it couldn’t come at a more critical time. A recent study found that one in five community college students here in the Golden State have experienced homelessness in the past 12 months. The numbers are even higher here in Humboldt County.”

He noted that over the past 36 months, the State of California has invested nearly half a billion dollars in education-related projects on the North Coast, including $458 million toward the conversion of HSU to Cal Poly Humboldt, $10 million to develop a health care education hub in Arcata and today’s announcement of nearly $30 million more. 

McGuire said this investment is “about lifting up our region. It’s about providing the most vulnerable students an opportunity to thrive. It’s about paving a pathway to a stronger middle class here on the North Coast.”

When Wood took the microphone he emphasized the state’s housing crisis and its disproportionate impact on young people. He noted that a 2018 housing assessment found that the City of Eureka had only met 13.9 percent of its housing needs between 2007 and 2014.

“In a survey that same year,” he said, “over 100 CR students identified as facing housing insecurity and/or homelessness, with students reporting moving from couch to couch, living out of their vehicles or camping in the redwoods behind campus in order to attend classes. I will tell you that that didn’t happen when I was going to school, and it shouldn’t happen today. And because of projects like this, it won’t happen in the future.”

Sally Biggin, the president of CR’s board of trustees, remarked on the massive size of the region served by College of the Redwoods, a rural expanse of more than 10,000 square miles spread across three counties. 

“The isolation of many of our communities limits [student] access to post-secondary experiences … ,” Biggin said. “Unlike the more urban areas of our state, many of our students cannot live at home and easily commute to our campus. They must relocate, and affordable housing becomes a major issue for them.”

CR President Dr. Keith Flamer was ebulient.

“What a great day,” he said, beaming. He thanked McGuire and Wood for their work securing the funds and said it’s unacceptable for students to be homeless. 

Noting that CR has seen an enrollment increase this semester, Flamer said his administration has had to get creative with housing solutions — namely, by working out a deal with the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria to temporarily house students at the Bear River Casino.

“No, they’re not gambling,” Flamer quipped. “At least they better not be gambling.”

Next to the mic was Gabriel Brooks, a student and current senator in the Associated Students of College of the Redwoods. Standing in front of many fellow students, including members of the CR women’s softball team and both men’s and women’s basketball teams, Brooks said he suddenly became homeless during his first semester.

“For months I struggled to survive, and school became my last priority,” he said. “Finding housing felt impossible between low availability and rising costs. I believed I would not be able to continue with college. When I found out I could live on campus at CR it changed my life.”

Another schematic illustration of the planned new housing project.

Brooks said he was able to focus on his studies once he moved into the campus dorms, and in the spring he will be graduating with his associate degree and transferring to Cal Poly Humboldt’s social work program.

“Affordable housing is the key factor to academic success, not to mention a tenet of student wellbeing,” Brooks said. “This project recognizes students not only as learners, but as people. It directly empowers students to shift from surviving to thriving — personally, academically and beyond.”

After his speech, McGuire and Wood presented Flamer with an oversized commemorative check made out to College of the Redwoods in the amount of $28 million.

“And then the good president is running to the bank before it bounces,” McGuire joked.

The Outpost will release more details about the funding and the plans for new housing when they become available. 

Caltrans has closed Highway 101 in both directions at Richardson Grove, following a collision that occurred about an hour ago.  California Highway Patrol dispatch logs from that time note that the crash involved a bicyclist, but it was unclear whether any vehicles were involved before those logs went dark. An ambulance had been dispatched.

KMUD News reports on Facebook that someone was killed in the crash.

There is no estimated time of reopening the highway. If there is still a STOP sign in the map above at the time you read this, the highway’s still closed.

We will update when we know more.

Eureka Police Department press release: 

On August 2, 2023, at about 6:37 p.m., Officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to the 100 block of W. Sonoma Street in response to a 911 call of a physical altercation. Responding officers discovered 27-year old Holland Elbik experiencing medical distress inside her home. Officers and medical personnel from Humboldt Bay Fire and City Ambulance attempted lifesaving measures, unfortunately, Elbik died at the hospital. Officers determined she had sustained multiple injuries as a result of a physical altercation between Elbik, a roommate, Destinee Rhamy, and a male friend of Rhamy. The EPD has conducted an in-depth investigation of the incident and has determined Holland Elbik was stabbed to death during the altercation.

The EPD has secured an arrest warrant for Destinee Grace Rhamy of Eureka, in connection with the homicide. Rhamy is described as a 20-year old white female, approximately 5’6” tall, medium build, with dark hair and blue eyes.

If you see Rhamy, or know of her whereabouts, please call the Eureka Police Department immediately at 707-441-4044 or dial 9-1-1. Do not attempt to contact or apprehend Rhamy as she is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Ray Nunez at 707-441-4109.

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Coastal residents woke up to smoky skies this morning, the result of numerous fires burning across Northern California and Southern Oregon. 

Image via AirNow

Northern winds are pushing smoke down along the coast and onshore from the Anvil Fire, near Port Orford, Oregon, bringing modern to unhealthy air quality conditions throughout Humboldt County. “Overall, smoke will continue to impact inland river valleys with smoke from northerly winds, while coastal areas will see similar conditions with periods of smoke with improvement into the weekend,” according to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District. 

Sensitive groups – including people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people – should stay indoors in a place with clean indoor air and keep activity levels light. All others should limit prolonged or heavy activity and time spent outdoors. 

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Press release from the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District:

The Six Rivers Forest (SRF) Lightning Complex, Smith River Complex, and the Happy Camp Complex remain active generating smoke in the region. Coastal communities will continue to see diminished air quality again today as north winds push smoke from southern Oregon down along the coast and onshore, bringing periods of Moderate to Unhealthy air quality. Communities within the Klamath River Valley should have generally USG conditions and will continue to see more smoke impacts along the river corridor. Communities along the Trinity River Valley will have overall USG conditions throughout the day with increased smoke later in the day. Overall, smoke will continue to impact inland river valleys with smoke from northerly winds, while coastal areas will see similar conditions with periods of smoke with improvement into the weekend.

USFS Air Resource Advisors (ARAs) are assigned to certain fires impacting our area and daily Smoke Outlook Forecasts on one or more of these fires (https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook). Air quality monitors and the current Air Quality Index (AQI) should be viewed on the EPA Fire & Smoke Map at https://fire.airnow.gov.

Air quality monitors and the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for communities should be viewed at https://fire.airnow.gov. Additional Particulate Matter (PM2.5) monitors have been deployed in Eureka, Crescent City, Hoopa, Willow Creek, Klamath, Weaverville, Orleans, Hayfork, and Mad River. 

Regional Smoke Outlooks – Good , Moderate , to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) (AQI 0-150 range):

Humboldt County:

• Eureka area (including Scotia to Trinidad) – Overall Moderate, with periods of USG
• Weitchpec – Overall USG, with Unhealthy in the afternoon
• Hoopa – Overall USG, with periods of heavier smoke in the afternoon/evening
• Willow Creek – Overall USG, with periods of heavier smoke in the afternoon
• Orick – Overall USG
• Garberville, Redway – Overall Moderate, with periods of USG to Unhealthy

Del Norte County:

• Crescent City – Overall USG, with varying periods of smoke from southern Oregon
• Klamath – Overall USG, with periods of Unhealthy in the evening/overnight
• Gasquet – Overall Moderate, with periods of heavier smoke possible
  

Trinity County:

• Weaverville area – Overall USG, with periods of Unhealthy
• Hayfork – Overall USG, with periods of Unhealthy
• Trinity Center – Overall Moderate, with periods of increased smoke
• Burnt Ranch – Overall USG, with periods of Unhealthy
• Hyampom – Overall USG, with periods of Unhealthy

USFS Air Resource Advisors (ARAs) are assigned to certain fires impacting our area and are providing daily Smoke Outlook Forecasts on one or more of these fires (https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook).

Fire information can be found at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ or https://fire.airnow.gov/ or app.watchduty.org. Current weather information can be found at www.wrh.noaa.gov. As with all wildfires, ash fallout is possible. Ash fallout information can be found in the Wildfire Smoke Resources section of our webpage at www.ncuaqmd.org.

Health Information & Actions to Protect Yourself from Smoke Impacts

Concentrations of smoke may vary depending upon location, weather, and distance from the fire. Smoke from wildfires and structure fires contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health. Smoke can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing. People who are at greatest risk of experiencing symptoms due to smoke include: those with respiratory disease (such as asthma), those with heart disease, young children, and older adults.

These sensitive populations should stay indoors and avoid prolonged activity. All others should limit prolonged or heavy activity and time spent outdoors. Even healthy adults can be affected by smoke. Seek medical help if you have symptoms that worsen or become severe.

Follow these general precautions to protect your health during a smoke event:

• Minimize or stop outdoor activities, especially exercise.
• Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible.
• Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside – examples include swamp coolers, whole-house fans, and fresh air ventilation systems.
• Run your air-conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors. Change the standard air conditioner filter to a medium or high efficiency filter. If available, use the “re-circulate” or “recycle” setting on the unit.
• Do not smoke, fry food, or do other things that will create indoor air pollution. Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you have repeated coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness.

Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you have repeated coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness.

For further information, visit the District’s website at www.ncuaqmd.org or call the District’s Wildfire Response Coordinator at (707) 443-3093 x122.