Chase Evan Kirtley was born on May 18, 1989 at Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna. He was a dreamy, sensitive child who drew elaborate drawings during class and loved to take toys apart. His brief T-ball career featured him joyfully stuffing grass under his hat in the outfield, in hopes it would dye his hair green. He was fascinated by history and enjoyed the time he spent hearing stories from WWII vets.

He graduated from Arcata High School in 2007, an easily recognizable character with his voluminous curls and penchant for thrift store suits. He was thrilled to turn in his skateboard for a 1970 Chevy step side that he then spray-painted skull and crossbones on the hood of. His love for modifying vehicles never ceased, leading to several years as a parts guy for local auto parts stores. Chase loved to socialize and was a regular in the Arcata nightlife. He had a wry sense of humor, a quick wit, and gave Arcata residents a memorable night or two while out in a Storm Trooper uniform.

Chase was funny, he was loyal, and he was loved. He also struggled with depression, anxiety and addiction. That sweet and dreamy boy experienced a world that was not always easy or kind to him, and like so many, he coped with alcohol. Many of those who knew and loved him met him out at Everett’s, a brewery, or at a comedy show. His successes at sobriety ebbed and flowed, while he was always hoping to get better, always making plans for a future self who would succeed. In 2019, he went to Arizona for 11 months to be with his mom, Kathy, and focused on his sobriety. Special thanks to the Paulden AA group and the men there who picked him up most mornings for coffee and conversation. He returned to Humboldt County in 2020 to finish his HART classes and was determined to make his way in the community he had grown up in. Unfortunately, he left this life on January 31, 2022.

Chase will be fondly remembered by so many people. He is survived by his family and many dear friends. He will be incredibly missed by his mother, Kathy Parker of Prescott Valley, Arizona, his older sister Nicole Halvorsen (Thomas) of Loleta, his niece Remington Halvorsen, and his younger sister Danae Kirtley (Cy) of Oregon City, Oregon. Special thank you to Daniel Amaral, his dear friend who was like a brother to him for many years.

He was preceded in death by his stepfather, Dennis Parker, who Chase had admired and respected.

To those who find they too are in a dark place, please reach out. You too are loved, deeply and with your flaws. At times our own minds are our own worst enemies, and the loss of you would leave behind a hole that is incomprehensible for others. Many lives dimmed with the death of Chase, and we will greatly miss his helpfulness, his humor, and his smile. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 800-273-8255. For text assistance, text HOME to 741741. For more local assistance, the Humboldt County Behavioral Health phone number is 707-445-7715.

There will be a celebration of life held Monday, February 21 at the Pub at the Creamery, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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Suzanne passed peacefully on January 22, 2022. She was born in Scotia in 1950, to the parents of Frida and Donald J Walker. She spent her childhood in Ferndale attending The Assumption School and Ferndale High School.

She leaves behind two sisters, Linda Rocha (James), Judy Hansen (Robert-deceased); significant other Michael Burke; two sons, Donald L. Wolfe and Brian S. Wolfe; grandchildren, Brittany Craddock (four great-grandchildren), Nisa Wolfe (one great-grandchild); grandson Nick Wolfe; and numerous nieces and nephews, all of which she was very close to. She will be missed by numerous friends and family, too many to list.

She was very involved with any event that came about for the family – weddings, graduations, birthdays, proms, holidays and family reunions. She was always making something more special by cooking food, special cakes and cookies and flower arrangements. She was there no matter what, even if she was ill or recovering from surgery. She also was a wonderful caretaker, helping care for ailing family members while supporting the other family members at the same time. She is known by many for all the special treats or food that she gave to family, or anyone she thought needed a cheering up. You knew that the minute you saw her drive up that you were getting something special … recollecting back, “she” was the something special. She always left you with a hug and a kiss not just treats, and always made you feel special.

She had numerous jobs. She spent most of her career in the hospital systems — Redwood Memorial, St Luke’s, the Diane Cathey Center and Sequoia Springs, while there she worked in the kitchens or caring for the patients. She also worked as a florist at Fortuna Florist, a job that she enjoyed. She worked as a cook at Bev’s Loleta Café, which her best friend owned at the time. She worked at the Bear River Casino. She also worked at Bayley Suit, a tanning salon and a dress shop.

She lived her entire life in Humboldt County, living in Ferndale, Eureka, Loleta and Fortuna.

Her wishes were to be cremated and to have a private family gathering to be held later.

A big thanks to the staff a Hospice of Humboldt, the family wishes donations to be made in her name.

Her smile and laughter will be missed …

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Eureka residents can expect another summer of disheveled streets and detours throughout residential neighborhoods as the city embarks on a handful of new projects through its five-year 2022 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The Eureka City Council received a presentation on ongoing and upcoming infrastructure improvements during its Tuesday night meeting.

“Eureka is a historic city incorporated in 1856 –- well over 100 years of age –- [and] that means we have a lot of aging infrastructure that is in various levels of condition, from good to very poor,” said City Engineer Jesse Willor. “Our infrastructure is in constant need of maintenance and upkeep, and sometimes there’s insufficient funds or there’s other obstacles to overcome that allow pieces of infrastructure, buildings, roadways and utilities to be in a poor condition — what we call ‘deferred maintenance.’”

Projects under the Capital Improvement Project may include land and buildings, information technology, harbor and waterfront facilities, park and recreation facilities, street and storm drain facilities, wastewater collection, treatment and disposal facilities, and water treatment and distribution facilities, he added.

At least 15 city streets will be subject to repairs over the summer, including sections of V, W, X, and Y streets near Target that have been littered with potholes for years.

“Thank you for getting that in, those streets have been neglected for so long,” said Councilmember Kim Bergel. “I’m really grateful for Measure H and that people did decide to pass it, as opposed to when they didn’t pass Measure I, because we got a lot of wonderful things happening.”

Measure H, which was passed by Eureka residents in 2020, enacted a 1.25% city sales tax to generate an estimated $9.6 million per year, a portion of which would go towards road maintenance and other CIP projects.

Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman asked Willor if there would be an opportunity for residents looking to make sidewalk repairs to bundle with the city for a lower rate during construction.

“Folks can jump in and try to take advantage of the large volume of work that we’re doing in order to get better prices for their residences,” Willor said. “There still might be opportunities there for us to create a list of people who are interested and bring them in to take advantage of some of those bids.”

In addition to upcoming street improvements, the following new projects were added to 2022 CIP:

• Solar Renewable Energy – Water Treatment Plant
• Mad River Pipeline – Valve Replacement
• Jacobs Avenue Water Improvements Wastewater
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Lift Stations
• Jacobs Avenue Sewer Improvements

The council ultimately approved the item in a unanimous 5-0 vote. The five new projects in the 2022 CIP will return to the city planning commission for review before being incorporated into the program.

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In other business, the council approved a professional services agreement with OIR Group to perform independent police auditor on-call consulting services for the city.

The city initiated a Request for Proposals for independent police auditor services in November 2021, and assembled a review committee consisting of the city manager, assistant city manager, human resources director, a police captain, a police officer and a member of the Citizens’ Advisory Board.

“OIR Group was ranked the highest and [the committee] felt that they met the qualifications and had the experience that we’re looking for,” said City Manager Miles Slattery.

Interim Police Chief Todd Jarvis said the professional services agreement with OIR Group will enhance transparency within the city, but his comments looked forward to another aspect of the police reform package passed by the council last year: The creation of a local board charges with overseeing Eureka Police policies and activities.

“The biggest factor in all of this, by my experience, is going to be the people that you select to be on the board,” Jarvis added. “If someone’s very pro-police, we don’t need them on the board. If someone’s very anti-police and has an agenda, we don’t need them on the board. We need someone who can clearly look at something in an unbiased and impartial manner and make decisions based on what’s best for the city and provide information to the city manager and to me about how we improve our police environment.”

The council unanimously voted to execute the professional services agreement with OIR Group, which will not exceed $90,000 annually, in a 5-0 vote.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Vaccine Mandate for City Employees, Beefed-Up Police Oversight on Next Tuesday’s Eureka City Council Agenda
• Eureka City Council Approves ‘Charlie Moon Way’ As Name for Historic Chinatown Alley, Discusses Hiring Independent Police Auditor

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This spring, renowned local philanthropist Betty Kwan Chinn, who has spent the past 40 years tirelessly serving Humboldt County’s homeless population, will receive an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly Humboldt. 

Chinn received the news on Monday from university President Tom Jackson, and when we reached her by phone this afternoon she said she can still barely believe it.

“It’s just something that you never dream or think about,” she said.

Chinn said the honor is especially meaningful because she never attended a day of school in her own life. As a child, Chinn and her family were violently forced from their home in China’s Guangdong province during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution. 

Over the next four years, Chinn endured “physical and mental abuse, torture, and near starvation until her arduous escape to Hong Kong,” as Jackson noted in a message to the Cal Poly community. 

She immigrated to the United States and later married an HSU physics professor named Leung Chinn, with whom she had two sons. Chinn still longed for an education for herself but felt that her opportunity had past.

“When you marry and have children, you embarrass your own children if [their] mom goes to school,” she said. 

Throughout her many years of service, Chinn has often told people, “I don’t do paperwork.” It’s a blithe statement that obscured the chagrin she felt around her struggles with literacy.

“I say that with sadness and embarrassment, to cover up myself,” she said.

Receiving an honorary college degree feels like pulling a thorn out of her skin, she said, adding that she sees the value of education all around her. Her husband has his PhD; one of her sons is an assistant dean while the other is a surgeon. Her daughter-in-law is an accountant. 

“Even my grandson is better than me,” Chinn said with a laugh. “He was reading a story I couldn’t read. You see how much is lost.”

In 2010, Chinn was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor in the country. It was hung around her neck by former President Barack Obama himself. Chinn said she felt like that award was for her work and for the homeless people she has served over the years, but the honorary doctorate feels different.

“This is for my work and also my personal,” she said. “It really gets into my heart and soul, I tell you.”

After getting a copy of Jackson’s statement on Monday, Chinn forwarded it to people in her hometown back in China. Soon, the messages of congratulations began pouring in. She heard from a teacher and the principal at her hometown high school, plus students and even the region’s governor, who expressed pride in this “daughter of the village,” Chinn said.

“I got over 300 emails in one day,” she said. “So [many] phone calls yesterday I had to shut off my phone. … It’s really emotional. Yesterday I couldn’t work.” 

She has also gotten messages of congratulations from Cal Poly Humboldt professors and students, some of whom said they’re looking forward to seeing her at May’s commencement ceremony. Chinn laughed with delight at the thought of herself in a cap and gown.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “Amazing.”

Here’s Jackson’s message from Monday:

Dear Campus Community:

I am happy to announce that the University will confer an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to local philanthropist and hero Betty Kwan Chin at this May’s Commencement ceremony. Ms. Chinn will be the first recipient of an honorary degree from Cal Poly Humboldt and one of only 13 in the University’s history.

Ms. Chinn is exemplary of service before self and upholds the University’s vision of a more just and equitable society. Turning her personal hardships into a passion, she has spent the past four decades working to restore hope and dignity to those experiencing homelessness.

In 2010, Ms. Chin was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor in the country, by former President Barack Obama, who praised her effort and success in “renewing America’s promise by serving those in need.”

Ms. Chinn’s own experience with homelessness began at age seven, when her family was violently forced from their home in China during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. She endured untold physical and mental abuse, torture, and near starvation until her arduous escape to Hong Kong four years later. After immigrating to the United States, she took refuge with relatives in California, later marrying retired Humboldt Physics Professor Leung Chinn, and raising two sons in Eureka.

Her life changed again one day when she noticed that one of her son’s classmates was living out of the family car. Ms. Chinn started sending extra food to school to share with the family and her service to the community began. 

Today, the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation consists of Chinn’s Day Center offering transitional housing, and employment and family services; Betty’s House, 32-bed family shelter; Betty’s Blue Angel Village, a temporary housing shelter built from shipping containers; Betty’s Annex, a women and children’s center that open during the pandemic; Betty’s Showers, a public shower facility; and Betty’s Blue Angel Outreach, which provides wraparound services to hard-to-reach individuals need of specialty services.

Ms. Chinn is a visionary leader and an inspiration to the entire Humboldt community. She calls every day an opportunity to give back, a gift in itself. She is a role model for our students and for us all, proving that one person can indeed change the world. 
 
Sincerely,

Tom Jackson, Jr.
President

Nineteen-year-old Mauricio Johnson was sentenced this morning to 150 years to life in prison for the February 2021 murders of three people shot to death in their home on the Bear River Rancheria.

Judge Timothy Canning sentenced Johnson to six consecutive terms of 25 years to life: three terms for murdering Margarett Lee Moon, Shelly Moon and Nikki Metcalf and three terms for personal use of a firearm.

Johnson.

Johnson sat alone at the counsel table in the front of the courtroom, with his attorney Andrea Sullivan appearing via Zoom. Despite several challenges to face the large courtroom audience, he stared straight ahead during the nearly two-hour hearing. He declined to make a statement, saying “No, Your Honor.”

The left side of the courtroom was packed with family members and friends of the victims, with many standing up to make statements on how the killings have affected their lives. Some spoke to the judge, some directly to the killer.

“I’d like him to turn around,” said Wayne Moon, father of Margarett and grandfather of 16-year-old Shelly. “Why do you keep looking at the wall?”

Wayne Moon said Johnson was welcome in his daughter’s home, so why did he go there with a gun? Several people said Johnson shot all three in the head after he was caught in the act of sexually assaulting Shelly.

“He doesn’t have the guts to turn around and look me in the eye,” Moon said.

Margarett Moon and Nikki Metcalf, both 40, were planning to be married in the summer. He had asked her to marry him just weeks before they were killed.

Cherri Moon, niece of Margarett, said she was the last person to speak with her. Margarett called her about 3:30 a.m. and asked her to pick up her daughters, who were visiting their cousin Shelly.

“Little Shelly was happy and laughing,” when she arrived to pick up her girls, Cherri said. Sometimes she blames herself for what happened afterward, because if her daughters had been there “he wouldn’t have had a chance to rape Shelly.”

One of Margarett Moon’s younger children, who was in the home when her mother and sister were killed, wrote a letter to the judge that was read today by Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees. In the letter, Chloe Moon said she was awake when Johnson came to her house that morning. And when he came in, Chloe said, she felt something was wrong. She felt hurt.

“Ever since that day,” she wrote, “I haven’t been able to talk to anyone like I talked to my mother.”

Before, “I always thought my life was so great.”

Now, “I still see the images of what I saw that morning.”

One speaker was shushed in a hurry after he told Johnson “I could take you out right now.” He challenged Johnson to “at least turn around and apologize,” but he got no response.

“What’s going to happen to you in prison?” asked Jerimiah Radford, who referred to Metcalf as his brother. “The biggest shank I know of is going through your eardrum and out your belly button.”

Radford calmed down after being admonished by the judge and apologizing. But he continued speaking to Johnson, saying that not only had he killed his brother, Metcalf was buried on Radford’s birthday.

“We’re not the bad guys,” he said. “You’re the bad guy. We didn’t kill nobody. You killed somebody.”

Also speaking to Johnson was Annette Moon, another niece of Margarett’s.

“You didn’t have to go over there (to the house),” Annette said. “Why did you go over there?”

She accused Johnson of having no remorse for taking three lives.

“You knew Margarett. You knew Shelly. We all grew up together.”

Metcalf’s mother, Sandra Dean Keisner, told Johnson “there’s no reason you shouldn’t get the death penalty.”

“I’m enraged at the behavior of Mr. Johnson,” she said. “No amount of psychotherapy will heal our shattered hearts.”

Keisner had been looking forward to a wedding in July, when she would become Margarett’s mother-in-law and Shelly’s grandmother.

“Instead of a holy matrimonial ceremony we had three burials,” she said.

Johnson was 18 when he committed the murders. Under California’s Youthful Offender Program he can apply for parole in 25 years. If parole is denied then, he can apply every five years.

He agreed to the sentence when he pleaded guilty to the murder and weapons charges.

One speaker, Jewel Frank, was outraged at the outcome, saying “we begged them (the DA) not to take the offer.”

Frank said this should be a federal case, with federal law overriding state law.

Although Johnson chose to remain silent, his attorney said he took responsibility by pleading guilty “very very early on in the proceedings.”

Judge Canning commented that Johnson’s crimes were “particularly heinous and vicious acts that clearly destroyed a number of families.”

Canning urged people to continue with counseling. He also pointed out that by resolving the case early, the victims’ family and friends avoided a trial, with “the pain and anguish of having to listen to days of testimony.”

Johnson’s mother, Melissa Sanchez-Johnson, sat in the back of the courtroom today. The mother and her boyfriend, Von Keener, have been charged with aiding and abetting Johnson after the murders.

Keener was riding with Johnson as he drove east, making it as far as Utah before he was arrested by that state’s Highway Patrol. Sanchez-Johnson was in a vehicle behind them.

Johnson was given credit for 370 days served.

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Humboldt County Drug Task Force press release: 

Since late December 2021, the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) had been investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eureka area. Agents conducted surveillance and were able to identify the suspected leader of the organization, Jesse Mark Johnson (24-year-old from Eureka). Johnson was suspected of trafficking fentanyl throughout Humboldt County. Agents received a search warrant for Johnson, his residence, his vehicles, and a motel room in the 1300 block of 4th Street in Eureka that he had been occupying.

On February 15th, 2022, HCDTF Agents with the assistance of the Eureka Police Department Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Team, served a search warrant on Johnson, his vehicle, his residence, and his motel room. Inside the motel room Agents located Octobreona Taylor Hof (24-year-old from Fortuna), Jared Ross Johnson (22-year-old from Eureka), and a one-year-old child. Agents located approximately one ounce of fentanyl (green in color), 20 M-30 fentanyl pills and drug paraphernalia. The fentanyl and drug paraphernalia were located within the reach of the one-year-old child and Child Welfare Service responded to the scene.

Octobreona Hof and Jared Johnson were arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where they were booked for the following charges:

• PC 273a(a) Child endangerment
• H&S 11350 Possession of fentanyl
• H&S 11351 Possession of fentanyl for sales
• PC 182(a)(1) Conspiracy to commit a crime

Jared Johnson was also found to be on parole for PC245- assault with a deadly weapon and was placed under a no bail parole hold.

A juvenile and Jesse Mark Johnson arrived at the motel room approximately one hour after the search warrant had been served. The juvenile was driving Johnson’s vehicle. Located next to the juvenile was 20 M-30 fentanyl pills and a loaded 9mm ghost gun. The juvenile was booked at the Humboldt County Juvenile Hall on the following charges:

• H&S 11351 Possession of fentanyl for sales
• H&S 11352(b) Transportation of fentanyl for sales
• PC 182(a)(1) Conspiracy to commit a crime
• HS11370.1 Possession of fentanyl while armed
• PC25850 Carrying a non-serialized firearm

Jesse Johnson was released at the scene and the following charges will be sent to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office:

• H&S 11351 Possession of fentanyl for sales
• PC182(a)(1) Conspiracy to commit a crime

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes are encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Animal Shelter is offering reduced-rate adoptions for dogs this week as part of their Valentine’s Day “Sweetheart Special.”

Due to the shelter’s dog kennels nearing capacity, adoption fees for all adult dogs (6 months and older) have been reduced to $50 and puppies (less than 6 months) have been reduced to $80. Cats remain at their regular adoption price. Adoptable dogs are neutered or spayed, microchipped, up to date on shots and temperament tested. Some dogs also have had obedience training classes.

The animal shelter’s currently available, adoptable pets are listed online and updated daily at 24petconnect.com. Members of the public are asked to first fill out an adoption application, located at humboldtsheriff.org/adopt, and then call the Shelter at 707-840-9132 to make an appointment to visit.

The Humboldt County Animal Shelter is located at 980 Lycoming Ave in McKinleyville, and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To learn more about the Humboldt County Animal Shelter and the adoption process, visit humboldtsheriff.org/adopt or call 707-840-9132.