William Edmum Roth completed his journey in Fortuna, California, on January 25, 2023, surrounded by his children. Born December 13, 1925 in Louisville, Kentucky to Alfred, James, Roth and Mary Crystal pawley.
On William’s 17th birthday he enlisted in the USMC, serving his country during World War II, in the islands of the South Pacific. Upon his return to the states, he met his future wife, Nell Marie Baker, in San Diego. After being discharged William and Nell were married in De Queen, Arkansas, they were married 62 years, until Nell’s death
In 1951 William moved his family to California, ultimately ending up in Humboldt County in 1952. William worked 30 years in the timber industry. In 1972 William went to work for Ernie Pierson and he spent his remaining working years as the purchasing manager at Pierson‘s Building Center.
After retirement, William, achieved one of his lifetime long dreams of raising registered quarter horse in Tehama County.
William was preceded in death by his wife Nell, sons William Jack Roth, Ronald Edmund Roth, Richard Ingraham, Christopher Lynes, daughters Shirley Roth, Kathy English, and grandson, William Keith, Roth.
William is survived by his children Judy Ingraham, Jim Roth, Larry Roth, Linda Lynes, Tony Roth, Ramona Cooke, and countless grandchildren, great grand, children, and great great grandchildren.
Willams family would like to thank the nurses and doctors for their extraordinary care for him while he was at Providence hospital in Fortuna.
William was a true patriot, he was honored to have been part in event that shape the world in a positive way. William will be laid to rest at Oceanview Cemetery in Eureka. A service is planned for the summer of 2023.
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of William Roth’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Daniel Alexander Moors April 27, 1964 - February 15, 2023
As a young man, Daniel worked various jobs, starting as a nursery/landscaper. He later moved on to commercial fishing, became a green chain puller for a local mill, and eventually worked in construction.
In 2005, Daniel was hit by a car while crossing the street, causing severe injuries and putting him into a six-week coma. This incident left him disabled both physically and mentally. In 2015, he began attending the Adult Day Center, where he spent three days every week. With their help, he was able to accomplish many things for himself. He loved the Adult Center, the staff who cared for him, and the many friends he made there.
Daniel enjoyed his 59 years with his family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Moors, his mother, Anna Christiansen, his father, Jerry Moors, his sister, Deby Pressnall, his brother, Lenny Moors, his children, Zach Moors, Jered Moors, and Nicole Moors, and his aunt, Sheila Foster.
Daniel passed peacefully from his physical impairments in Douglas County, Oregon. No services will be held in his honor.
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Daniel Moors’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
HUMBOLDT TODAY: They’ve started tearing down Eureka’s Lloyd Building, officials announce they’ve found the body of the missing mushroom hunter near Gasquet, Eel River Valley kids are invited to be Ninja Warriors, plus how low will the snow go? Those stories and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.
(Back) U.S. Marshals Southwest Region Chief, Sex Offender Investigations Branch, James Nolan, USMS Senior Policy Advisor Lori McPherson, (Acting) U.S. Marshal, ND/CA Mark Kolc, Yurok Prosecutor Rosemary Deck, Yurok Deputy Prosecutor Brie Bennet, USMS Assistant Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal ND/CA Francesca Reckley, Deputy U.S. Marshal Chris Poitra, (Front) Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Ivan Peric, Deputy U.S. Marshal Lucas Berger, Yurok Tribal Police Chief Greg O’Rourke and YTPD Lieutenant Jacob Morris. | Photo courtesy U.S. Marshalls Service.
# # #
Press release from the U.S. Marshals Service:
WASHINGTON — Yurok Tribe in northern California has been selected as the first pilot location for the U.S. Marshals Service Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative, as part of the agency’s plans to develop tribally-led collaborative partnerships to proactively examine public safety issues – particularly those involving missing endangered children.
Utilizing virtual and in-person meetings beginning in January 2023, the initiative brings together personnel from Yurok Tribe and USMS to share information, identify goals, and develop strategies for improving public safety for Yurok Tribe, its members, and the broader community.
“It is my sincere hope that by dedicating resources in Indian Country and partnering with the Yurok Tribe, U.S. Marshals will help address the problem of missing children from the Yurok Tribe and assist with other public safety initiatives, such as ensuring that registered sex offenders in the area are compliant with their statutory requirements,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis. “We are fully committed to supporting the Yurok Tribe’s efforts to keep their communities safe.”
“The Yurok Tribe is extremely grateful to partner with the US Marshals Service on this important and timely initiative,” said Joseph L. James, the Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “The knowledge and tools we will gain from this unique partnership will significantly increase our capacity to keep our community safe.”
The Initiative may involve a wide range of activities, depending on the priorities of the Tribe. These may include training on missing child investigations, investigative support for Yurok Tribal Law Enforcement, data analysis, public outreach, or other efforts with the USMS Sex Offender Investigations Branch, regional missing child coordinator and local deputy U.S. marshals.
Tribal and USMS personnel recently met to discuss the newly formed partnership and potential collaborations on projects pertaining to sex offender registration and enforcement, missing children and fugitives from justice. After the in-person meeting, USMS connected the Tribe with staff from other Department of Justice components, including the Office of Justice Programs, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and the Office on Violence Against Women. As a result of the partnership with USMS, the Tribe has also met with representatives from NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Yurok Tribe is a leader on criminal justice issues in Indian Country and has done specific work on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. USMS personnel attended a Violence Against Women Act roundtable meeting in late September 2022 attended by Yurok Tribal Court Judge Abby Abinanti, who provided valuable feedback about the MMIP Initiative that USMS was already planning. USMS personnel then attended the 1st Annual Northern California Tribal Policy Summit on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, hosted by Yurok Tribe, and had the opportunity to interact with Yurok Tribe personnel about their ongoing efforts. The longstanding work of Yurok Tribe, combined with these newly-forged relationships, led to the selection of Yurok Tribe as the first pilot site.
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On Feb. 17, 2023, at about 11 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted at the Sheriff’s Main Station regarding an assault that had occurred at a residence on the 3500 block of Buttermilk Lane, in the county’s jurisdiction of Arcata.
Deputies met with a 39-year-old male victim who had visible injuries. The victim told deputies that his roommate, 26-year-old Tukatuk Many Trees Nelson, reportedly instigated an argument then physically assaulted him earlier that morning causing significant facial injuries. Nelson reportedly also threatened to kill the victim numerous times.
Deputies responded to the residence and took Nelson into custody without incident. Nelson was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of battery with serious bodily injury (PC 243(d)) and criminal threats (PC 422).
Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
UPDATE, 2:39 p.m. Press release from the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services:
Humboldt County residents are encouraged to prepare now for a winter storm system forecasted to impact the county beginning this afternoon.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for interior Humboldt County and a Winter Storm Watch for communities along the coast beginning Tuesday, February 21 at 1 p.m. through Thursday, Feb. 23. Heavy snow is expected for communities above 1,000 feet, with total snow accumulations of 6 to 18 inches.
Communities along the coast may experience hail, sleet, and even snow during this storm. Additionally, temperatures are expected to drop into the teens and 20s Friday and Saturday mornings.
PREPARE FOR STORM IMPACTS
Strong wind, hail and heavy snow are expected to create hazardous travel conditions particularly Wednesday and Thursday. Community members are urged to use extreme caution while traveling this week, especially on higher elevation routes such as Highways 299 and 36. If you must travel, create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks. Keep the gas tank full.
Power outages may occur as a result of this storm. Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Remember the needs of your pets. Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights. If utilizing a generator for power, always operate the generator outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
WARMING CENTERS AND SHELTERING RESOURCES
Central Humboldt
Eureka Rescue Mission: Overnight sheltering, dinner and showers
Men - 110 Second Street, Eureka. Arrive between 5:30-6 p.m.
Women- 102 Second Street, Eureka. Arrive at 6:30 p.m.
Betty Kwan Chinn Day Center: Overnight sheltering, dinner and showers
Call before 4 p.m., 707-407-3833 or visit the Day Center at 133 Seventh Street, Eureka.
Southern Humboldt
SoHum Housing Opportunities (SHO) Warming Recharge/Warming Center
Tuesday, February 21: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Redway First Baptist Church (1055 Redway Drive, Redway)
February 22-24 (Wed. - Fri.): 1 - 4 p.m. at Mateel Community Center (59 Rusk Lane, Redway)
Redwood Rural Health Centers (RRHC) Extreme Winter Weather Shelter
Call to check capacity: 707-923-2783, ext. 1361)
Northern Humboldt
Lower Trinity River Prescribed Burn Association Warming Center
February 22-23 (Wed.-Thur.) 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. at 111 Mayfair Street, Willow Creek
The Heights Casino Warming Center
February 22-24 (Wed.-Fri.) 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Heights Bingo Hall 27, Scenic Drive, Trinidad
STAY INFORMED
Residents are encouraged to monitor the National Weather Service for updated forecast information and always check conditions prior to traveling: https://www.weather.gov/eka/
Sign up for Humboldt Alert to receive emergency alerts and information from Humboldt County: humboldtgov.org/alerts For updated information from Humboldt County OES, please go to humboldtsheriff.org/emergency and visit @HumCoOES on Facebook and Twitter.\
# # #
Who’s ready for a “prolonged period of stormy weather”?
That’s what Mother Nature has in store for us, according to the trusty crew at the National Weather Service’s Eureka office. Sounds like a slow build to a crescendo of truly nasty weather, with wind and light rain becoming gusts of up to 45 miles per hour this afternoon and evening.
From there, brace for rain, hail and snow. A winter storm warning has been issued for the inland region:
⚠️WINTER STORM WARNING ⚠️ A Winter #Storm Warning has been issued for interior #Humboldt County beginning today, 2/21, at 1 pm through Thursday, 2/23 at 4 p.m. https://t.co/irpw4Q1u1Q
On Monday morning the National Weather Service urged locals to plan on “significant impacts to travel” across the region, from coastal communities across the Coastal Range inland.
“Heavy low elevation snow as well as numerous coastal hail showers will occur Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon,” the NWS warned.
If you plan on traveling over the next few days, follow the advice in the tweet above and make sure to first check current road conditions on the Caltrans QuickMap.
A medical examination room in Fresno on June 8, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local
Brian Iv works in a factory in Orange County, earning around $26 per hour. He suffers chronic pain from a lifetime of manual labor jobs and previous workplace injuries, but often treats the pain with home remedies or traditional Cambodian practices. Going to the doctor is too expensive, he said.
Iv recently got a raise and was able to purchase health insurance through his company, but for a long time he had a Covered California Silver Plan, a mid-tier plan under the state’s version of the federal Affordable Care Act marketplace. A visit to a primary care doctor cost nearly $50, and every time Iv picked up a prescription it was an additional $10 to $15. It was a lot for someone living paycheck-to-paycheck with little wiggle room in the budget.
“Right now, after COVID-19, everything is expensive,” Iv said. “Sometimes when you get sick you avoid that (expense). You have to keep the money to pay the rent, pay the bills, pay the car.”
Mid-tier health coverage like Iv’s Silver Plan is widely considered the best value for people who have insurance through Covered California. But in the past nine years, deductibles for the Silver Plan have grown nearly 88% after adjusting for inflation, increasing out-of-pocket costs for enrollees. In raw numbers, last year deductibles grew from $3,700 for an individual and $7,400 for a family with a Silver Plan to $4,750 and $9,500, respectively.
That’s why health care advocates are miffed that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal would sweep away $333.4 million set aside a couple of years ago for the state to defray health care costs for middle-income residents, transferring the money to the general fund. The proposal to move money out of the Health Care Affordability Reserve Fund is temporary, with plans to restore it in 2025 when current federal subsidies expire. But advocates say inflationary pressures and rising health care costs are reasons to use that money right now to help Californians struggling to pay the bills.
“We recognize there’s not a lot of room for new spending in the current budget situation, but we don’t see this as new spending. We see this as the existing commitment,” said Diana Douglas, policy director for Health Access California, which sponsored legislation to create the reserve fund.
Newsom’s spokespeople ignored multiple requests for comment.
Given the inflationary pressure people like Iv face, the governor’s proposal to transfer the money into the general fund is “mystifying,” said Scott Graves, director of research at the California Budget and Policy Center, a nonprofit policy research group.
“Why is the governor borrowing from a special fund that was set up specifically to help make health coverage through Covered California more affordable, right?” Graves said. “This is money for which every penny in the account could right now be used to bring down the cost of health care for Californians, but instead the governor is choosing to sweep that money out of the account.”
Stories like Iv’s are common, said Jaquelinne Molina, a caseworker at The Cambodian Family, a social services center where Iv receives case management for health care and financial aid issues. Most of the people she serves work in warehouses and factories for low pay and no benefits.
“It’s three years after COVID, but people are still behind on their light bills, their water bills from 2020 because they weren’t able to work due to COVID,” Molina said. “Right now everything is tight and it gets harder and harder every year.”
Broken promise?
Health care advocates say Newsom’s latest budget proposal follows a pattern of missed opportunities to make insurance more affordable under Covered California.
In 2020, the Legislature voted to reinstate a tax penalty on residents without health insurance in an effort to bring costs down. The economic theory goes: The penalty incentivizes people to buy health insurance, and the more people who participate in the health care marketplace, the lower the costs because risk is spread out among a mix of healthy and less-healthy consumers.
“Advocates, including ourselves, clearly stated that we do not support the reinstatement of the penalty without additional assistance,” said Linda Nguy, a lobbyist for the Western Center for Law and Poverty.
Early on, that was the plan. In fact, on his first day in office, Newsom proposed using the money to bring down prices for people with Covered California.
“The governor, to his credit, proposed this idea of providing state subsidies in Covered California, augmenting the federal dollars, and proposed the individual mandate as a funding source for it,” Health Access Executive Director Anthony Wright said.
Influential advocacy groups supported reinstating the health insurance penalty, and the 2019-2020 budget included more than $1.4 billion over three years to bring down out-of-pocket costs for Covered California enrollees.
So far, the state has only kept that promise once, spending approximately $355 million in 2020 to enhance Covered California subsidies for middle-income residents. This meant an individual making up to $74,940 and a family of four earning up to $154,500 qualified for additional financial assistance. But when the federal government increased health care subsidies in 2021 as part of its COVID-19 pandemic relief package, the state stopped funneling penalty money toward cost reduction.
Kaiser Health News reported in November that the state has generated roughly $1.3 billion in penalty money from uninsured state residents. By statute, that money has always gone directly into the general fund, and from there could be moved into the reserve fund.
“There’s an argument to be made that those fines really should be plowed back into the system, especially for people who are low-income,” said former state Sen. Richard Pan, a doctor who chaired the health committee at the time the penalty was reinstated.
“What we think has been happening, and there truly is not a lot of transparency on this, is that as money is put into the reserve, it is taken out the following year,” Douglas with Health Access said.
Who relies on Covered California?
Most people who purchase insurance through Covered California are low- to middle-income Californians, meaning individuals who earn roughly between $21,000 and $87,000 a year or families of four earning $45,000 to $180,000 per year.
At that income level, enrollees make too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal, the state’s public insurance for very low-income residents, but for a variety of reasons don’t have employer-based health insurance. They may be self-employed, a gig or part-time worker, or work for a small business. They may even opt to purchase insurance independently because it’s cheaper than what their employer offers.
Although more stable than the national insurance marketplace, Covered California has not been immune to the rising health care costs that plague the industry. Health insurance premiums have grown every year since the state first offered Covered California. That growth is less obvious than deductibles to enrollees because federal subsidies keep out-of-pocket premiums relatively stable for most enrollees. But federal subsidies are based on federal income limits and poverty levels, which don’t take into account California’s high cost of living.
Brian Iv in Santa Ana. Photo courtesy of The Cambodian Family
Iv and his family rent a single room in a house in Garden Grove for $900 a month. In the past year, he said, expenses have tripled with inflation, with gas alone costing around $300 per month.
“At home, sometimes we don’t know what to cook and we don’t have food. Then we eat Cup Noodles,” Iv said.
Molina, the case worker from The Cambodian Family, said her clients who have deductibles and co-pays use their insurance less than clients with Medi-Cal, who typically don’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket.
“I’ve known families with kids who break or sprain their fingers and feet, and they don’t know for months because they can’t go to the doctor,” Molina said.
But when the American Rescue Plan was at risk of expiring in 2022, legislators and regulators saw an opportunity to lessen the staggering health insurance costs enrollees would face — double what they paid the year before. They proposed reinjecting penalty money back into the Covered California marketplace, as promised, for the first time since 2020.
In June, the Covered California board approved a $300-million cost-reduction plan: If the federal subsidies were not renewed, the money would be used to help alleviate the resulting out-of-pocket premium spikes. If subsidies were extended, the money would be used to eliminate deductibles for all Silver Plans.
Either way, the money would make health care more affordable. When the federal government opted to extend premium assistance until 2025, affordability advocates were excited by the chance to remove other cost barriers.
“Let’s get rid of deductibles,” Pan said. “Because what is a deductible? It’s just really a barrier to people being able to get care.”
To enforce the plan, Pan carried and Health Access sponsored a bill that would have required the state to bring down costs for Covered California enrollees. Newsom vetoed the bill, citing a “downturn in revenues” despite the state budget already including more than $300 million to implement the plan.
When the bill died, Covered California lost the ability to implement the plan, said James Scullary, spokesperson for the program. Instead, Silver Plan deductibles that would have been eliminated jumped about 20%.
“Covered California’s position is we are always looking for ways to make health care more affordable,” Scullary said. While deductibles have climbed, pharmacy costs decreased and out-of-pocket maximums remained relatively stable.
Some advocacy groups say they’re dismayed that increased cost-sharing is “not a priority for Gov. Newsom.” The majority of small business owners are middle-income Californians who often have trouble affording health insurance and find it too expensive to offer to their employees, said Bianca Blomquist, California policy and outreach director for the Small Business Majority.
“We are super disappointed,” Blomquist said. “If we’re talking about small businesses’ ability to recover from the pandemic, these are the kinds of programs that might not be obvious, but really help.”
###
CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
Brian Iv in Santa Ana. Photo courtesy of The Cambodian Family
