Sylvia Berg
July 18, 1915 - January 22, 2022 (age 106)

(Sylvia) Cecelia Rose (Ambrosini) Berg passed away on January 22, 2022.

Sylvia was born on July 18, 1915 to Ciprian and Mary Ambrosini in Ferndale. Sylvia’s parents immigrated from Lodrino, Switzerland. Sylvia was raised on a dairy operated by her parents. Sylvia had her chores to do and was quite a horse rider. She loved to ride the horses they had on the ranch.

Sylvia graduated from Ferndale High School. Sylvia worked at the Scotia Hospital as a nurse’s aide for several years. She also worked for Donel Studio, where she became involved in photography, which she enjoyed.

Sylvia met Herbert Berg and they married in 1941. They were married for 23 years. Herbert was a Safeco Insurance Agent for many years, and Sylvia became his secretary and also notary public. She loved what she was doing and was very efficient. Their insurance business was operated from their home. Sylvia was a very immaculate housekeeper and a great cook.

The Bergs retired from the insurance business and Sylvia became a caregiver for her mother Mary Ambrosini and also her sister Palmira Bravo. Palmira passed at the age of 50 from cancer. Mary lived to the age of 99 years and passed from natural causes.

Sylvia had a rental built on her property which helped supplement her income. Sylvia was a very hard worker until she could not do her daily chores any longer. This was also a setback for her. She dearly loved all her extended family of nieces and nephews.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, Ciprian and Mary Ambrosini, her sisters Palmira Bravo and Julia Burgh, brothers Joseph, Norman M. and Charles F. Ambrosini and her uncle Pietro Ponz.

Sylvia is survived by nephews Larry (Lee) Bravo, Richard (Kathy) Burgh and Christopher (Deedra) Ambrosini. Nieces, Irene (Jerry) Vernig, Patricia Allen and Susan (Ralph) Shoemaker. Great-nieces are Cynthia Sutherland, Kelly Brochard, Julia Burgh and Rachele Allen. Great-nephews Tim Vernig, Guy Bravo, Nathan Ambrosini, and Patrick Allen. Sylvia is also survived by her sister-in-law Gloria Ambrosini.

There are also numerous cousins in Switzerland.

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Charles G. Warnow Jr., 55, passed away January 30, 2022 at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

He was born March 8, 1966 in Eureka at the General Hospital to Charles G. Warnow Sr and Phyllis Warnow (Mandell). Chuck grew up in Elk River with his parents and siblings; he was a wild kid with a huge heart and wasn’t afraid of much. Chuck graduated from Eureka High School class of 1984. After high school he became a heavy equipment operator, something his father taught him from a very young age, and was a part of the Operating Engineers Union Local 3 for almost 30 years — later to become a licensed contractor and start his own business with his son.

He enjoyed his career as an operator very much and was so knowledgeable about everything he did. He always knew what his next move was without even having to think about It. In 1993 he became a father to a little boy and again in 1995 to a little girl. His children changed his life forever. He became a single father and raised them on his own, giving them the best life full of love and laughter and everything they ever wanted — “spoiled” was not in his vocabulary. They did everything together, and he taught them his love for motocross and put them in racing from very young ages. He was the best daddy and as adults became their best friend.

Saturday mornings were special — he and his kids would either meet at a breakfast spot (7 a.m., don’t be late) — or he would have them over for breakfast. He was an amazing cook and could make just about anything or create his own versions of meals, and they always turned out wonderful. Cooking was a way for him to express his love for the people around him. Saturday morning will never be the same without him.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles G Warnow, Sr., as well as his grandparents and other family members. He is survived by his two children — his son Andrew Warnow and his daughter Aren Warnow (Cameron) along with his mother Phyllis Warnow, brother Steven Warnow (Sherrie), Linda Warnow and Brenda Nelson (Ed) as well as his nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds — 3750 Harris St., Eureka, CA.

Gloria Maxine Cannafax
April 23, 1943 - Feb. 1, 2022

Gloria Maxine Cannafax, a resident of Eureka, peacefully passed away in Redding on February 1, 2022, with family by her side. She was born April 23, 1943, in Hanford, California.

Our mom grew up in Fresno, where she met our dad, Melvin. They were married November 26, 1959, in Sanger. They were fortunate enough to be married 62 amazing years! She raised three children while Dad was working. Mom attended church all her life and had a deep, abiding faith in God. She enjoyed life to the fullest and loved having family and friends over for food and games, such as dice, Skip-Bo and Uno. Mom loved to cook and bake cakes and pies when we were growing up. Mom especially enjoyed making Christmas candy with her granddaughter Latacia and great-grandchildren, Bryce, Hunter and Natalie. Alma even remembers Mom playing a harpsichord!

Gloria is survived by her husband, Melvin Cannafax, son David and his wife Amanda, daughter Alma Baker and her partner Troy Johnson, son Greg and his wife Leslie; grandchildren Kenny Cannafax, Latacia Hanover and her partner Josh Parent, and Johnny Cannafax; and great-grandchildren Bryce, Hunter and Natalie. She is also survived by her sister Deloris Long and her husband Jim, as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family and friends.

Gloria was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Opal Craig; sister Vivian Cox and brother-in-law James Cox; brother Dwayne Cox; grandson Alex Hanover; and son-in-law Jim Baker.

Mom always had a way of making us feel loved. We were fortunate to have Mom for 78 ½ years before God took her home. She is now free of pain and basking in God’s glory.

We love you, Mom.

Private interment was held at Oceanview Cemetery on Feb. 9, 2022. Pall bearers were David Cannafax, Greg Cannafax, Benny Long, Troy Johnson, Josh Parent, Jay Hanover, Larry Moore and Lee Windsor.

A celebration of life will be held later in the year closer to Mom’s birthday.

Double-murderer Ulisses Rodriguez was convicted today of all charges, including a special circumstance allegation that could put him in prison for life without parole.

The jury, after deliberating for nearly two full days, found the 27-year-old Chico man guilty of two counts of first degree murder, making criminal threats and arson. Jurors also found true the allegations that Rodriguez personally discharged a firearm when he killed Tiffany Ellebrecht and Jeremy Kuemmel and personally used a firearm when he threatened witness John Doe.

Also, the jury found true the special-circumstance charge of having multiple victims, meaning he could be sentenced to life without parole.

As usual, the jury fled the courthouse immediately after the verdicts were read. The jury foreman refused to comment.

Rodriguez, as he has throughout the trial, sat stiffly and looked straight ahead as the guilty verdicts came down, one after another.

His parents, who live in Chico but have been here throughout the trial, cried and held hands. But members of the victims’ families were relieved and elated.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Luke Bernthal and Trent Timm. Andrea Sullivan represented Rodriguez.

“I appreciate the jury’s service,” Bernthal said, adding that this had been a hard trial for jurors.

Not only did the jury hear gruesome testimony, but they were shown photos of the incinerated corpses of Ellebrecht, 31, and Kuemmel, 32, whose bodies were set on fire after Rodriguez shot them.

The key witnesses, John Doe and Chano Sanchez, testified through Spanish interpreters. Although their accounts differed in some respects, both said Rodriguez said “I killed them” and they needed to help him with the bodies.

Ellebrecht and Kuemmel had been working for Rodriguez at a marijuana grow in the China Creek area of Southern Humboldt. Rodriguez leased or rented the land from David Wilks and his sister, who had decided they were finished with the agreement.

Witness John Doe testified Rodriguez told him Kuemmel had stolen some plants from him, and he had run him off the property and warned him not to come back. Unfortunately he and Ellebrecht did return, and each were shot numerous times.

Afterward, their bodies were placed in the back of Kuemmel’s Ford Expedition, which was parked in a turnout on Briceland Road and set on fire.

John Doe was the first to come forward and report what happened, saying Rodriguez forced him to chain the bodies and drag them into the back of the Expedition.

Defense attorney Sullivan argued the case was not about marijuana but meth. She said Doe had been selling the drug to Kuemmel and Ellebrecht and killed them when they didn’t pay up. The burning Expedition with the bodies inside was there “to send a message,” Sullivan said.

Autopsies showed the murdered couple had high levels of methamphetamine in their bodies.

“They were another homeless couple with a drug problem,” Bernthal said during his closing argument.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office release: 

On Feb. 13, 2022, at about 11:38 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 100 block of Wiyot Drive near Loleta for the report of an assault.

Deputies arrived at the residence and located a 39-year-old male victim with moderate injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

During their investigation, deputies learned that the victim and an adult male suspect were involved in an altercation earlier that evening at a nearby location. The suspect reportedly followed the victim to his home and assaulted him outside the residence with an unknown object. The victim sustained injuries to his head and face during the assault. The suspect reportedly stole a firearm from the victim prior to fleeing the property.

Deputies were unable to locate the suspect in the area. A person of interest has been identified in this case; however, his identity is being withheld pending further investigation. There is no perceived threat to the community at this time.

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.

Immigrant communities across the United States opted to forgo work, school and other activities Monday to rally for “A Day Without Immigrants,” a national movement aimed at recognizing the essential contributions immigrants make to support daily American life.

Speaking to a group of roughly 50 community members at the Eureka Old Town gazebo, Karen Villa, a community organizer with Centro del Pueblo, called for immediate immigration reform.

“A Day Without Immigrants means a day without us in school, a day without our colleagues, a day without food on the table because a lot of us are working to put food on the table,” Villa said. “We want to be acknowledged. We want to have our rights. We want to be able to spend our time here in this country as citizens. Without us, this country wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things.”

Karen Villa.

The movement was sparked in 2017 in response to hostile immigration policies coming from the Trump administration. This year’s protests focused on immigration provisions within the Biden administration’s Build Back Better Act that would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals who entered the United States before Jan. 1, 2011.

“How many of us have lost our parents? How many of us have not been able to see our families? How many of us have had to leave our children behind just to put food on the table?” asked community member Reyna Bonilla, in Villa’s translation. “We’re not coming here to have a better life, we’re coming here because we need a better life. Here we are, we’re working, we’re trying our best and all we want immigration reform and we plead to our president here in the United States that he can provide this for us.”

Centro del Pueblo member Denise Hernandez echoed Bonilla’s call and asked for understanding noting, “We are just trying to feed our families.”

“We are not illegal persons. We are not immigrants. We are just human,” she said. “The seeds, the animals, the plants, they are immigrants and we are too. There is nothing wrong with moving. This is not an illegal action. We are trying to put food on the table.”

The rally continued in a march to the Humboldt County Courthouse. (Click photos to enlarge.)

A McKinleyville man is taking home a 2022 Kia Seltos after sinking a 94-foot, full-court putt in Lumberjack Arena on Saturday during the Cal Poly Humboldt Men’s Basketball game against Cal State East Bay.

William Paddock told the Outpost that he was hoping to entertain the crowd that night.

“I just wanted to put on a good show,” Paddock said. “They always say in golf: ‘Don’t leave a birdie putt short.’ So I made sure to have a big follow through and hoped to hit the board, at least.”

After hyping up the crowd, Paddock fired the golf ball across the hardwood. The crowd exploded as the ball slammed into the putting backboard, jumped into the air and settled into the narrow hole.

Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics Department employee Haley Miller said that this was the first time the university’s basketball team hosted the putting promotion.

“We used to run the same promotion at football games, but to my knowledge, there was never a winner,” Miller said.

Cal Poly Humboldt promotional partner Harper Motors will be providing the SUV, which Paddock said he intends to keep.