Ralph Davis passed away peacefully at home on January 3, 2022. He was born August 7, 1933 to Harold and Edith Davis in Lansing, Michigan.

When Ralph was two years old his parents moved the family to the Matanuska Colony in Palmer, Alaska before it became a state. As part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the colony project settled 203 families as farmers in Matanuska Valley promising each of them 40 acres, a house and a barn. The family was selected for the first group of colonists after a series of interviews. Farming in the area presented daunting challenges: a short growing season, high freight prices, high labor costs, and small, distant markets for produce.

It is not surprising that a few years later, the family moved to the coast, where Ralph’s father could earn a living as a fisherman. Ralph and his older brother, Ron, served as the crew. During this time Ralph decided he wanted to become a ship’s captain. His formal education began in the log cabin, one-room school his father helped build in Homer, Alaska.

He graduated from Auburn Adventist Academy in Washington state, then enrolled at Walla Walla College. During his freshman year, he was drafted into the army where he was assigned to a dental clinic. This experience changed his career goals. After discharge, he returned to Walla Walla College determined to study and go to dental school.

At Walla Walla University he also met the love of his life and future wife, Bobbie Jo Marx. He proposed to her while she was a nurse at Portland Adventist Hospital. They were married in Roseburg, Oregon, on June 14, 1959.

Ralph completed his dental degree at Loma Linda University in 1963. The minister of Arcata Seventh-day Adventist Church, who was looking for professional families to join the community, actively recruited him to the area.

The Davis family, including their two children, Steve and Ruth, arrived in Humboldt County in 1963 and set up the first dental office in the town of McKinleyville. Dr. Davis was a well loved and respected dentist, practicing dentistry for 51 years. Mrs. Ralph Davis would like to thank the faithful employees who worked in his office: JoEvelyn Miller, Connie Yaple, Kim Buhler, Ruth Davis, Steve Davis, Susan Sturges Wallace, Chuck Tibbets, Amy Bertholf Norton and Virginia Oman, who said Dr. Davis was the best boss she ever had.

Ralph joined the Arcata Rotary Club in 1965 and served as its president in 1979-1980. He treasured his Rotary friendships and contributing to the community. He was often asked to lead out in the invocation, one time singing “Jingle Bells” for a holiday. But he will be remembered for vigorously ending many of his invocations with “God bless America.”

In his leisure time Ralph pursued his love of operating ships and fishing. This culminated in 1989 with his purchase of a decommissioned World War II ship. Originally commissioned in 1944, the USS LSI -1091 delivered troops and their equipment to the front. Dr. Davis refurbished the ship, and used it for albacore fishing for nine seasons. In 1995 Ralph was invited to bring the 1091, the last operable LSI, to a Navy reunion in San Diego. He and ten former LSI sailors sailed the ship to San Diego where it hosted more than 6,000 visitors before returning home to Eureka.

The Davis family would like to thank several physicians involved in Ralph’s medical care: Drs. Phil Wagner and Winston Craig who pioneered the opening of a VA clinic in Eureka; Dr. Henry Crevensten, of the San Francisco VA, who told Ralph’s family that seeing him was the high point of his day; and Dr. “T” (Tovian) along with the health care team at St. Joseph’s Providence Hospital.

Ralph was at home with hospice care when he died. At 2 a.m Bobbie Jo gave him what was to be a final kiss. By 4:30 a.m. when Ruth checked on him, he was gone. Ralph would have wanted his family safely asleep while he transitioned to his final anchoring place.

Each family member has specific memories and family routines they miss the most after Ralph’s passing. Steve misses his Dad on Sabbath mornings as he has now taken over getting family and friends to Sabbath School and church. Ruth misses the ritual of saying good morning and good night to her Dad. Bobbie Jo will miss the family vacations, and especially car games and singing.

A ‘Celebration of Life’ for Ralph will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at the McKinleyville Seventh-day Adventist Church on Central Avenue in McKinleyville.

###

Richard Louis Thompson
November 8, 1938 - January 21, 2022

Richard was born Louis Richard Theos in Salt Lake City to Martha Smart (Vernal, Utah) and Louis P. Theos -Theophilaktopoulos-Theophilou (Kalavryta, Greece). From the time he was a baby he was raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents Paula Margarette Schreiber and William Haines Smart. He was later adopted by his stepfather Benjamin Thompson-Tomelovich-Tomalonis and his name changed to Richard Louis Thompson.

Richard graduated in 1957 from South High in Salt Lake City. He served a mission in Germany and became fluent in the language and love of German culture. He then graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. He worked briefly for Hercules Chemical Co. as a chemical engineer on Minuteman missiles and rocket propulsion. He related that he found this boring. During this time he met the love of his life Betty James and sold his motorcycle to pay for her wedding ring. They married in August of 1964 after knowing each other for only three months. They then moved to Seattle where she taught elementary school while he completed his doctorate in Particle Physics in four years (typically seven) at the University of Washington. He also did research at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island, New York and then at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Together Richard and Betty enjoyed many fun times hiking, fishing, hunting and rockhounding. In 1968 they moved to Arcata when Richard was hired by Humboldt State University where he enjoyed his passion for teaching physics and inspiring students to learn until his retirement in 2001. His focus at HSU was always on providing excellent education, not on making a name for himself as a researcher. He felt very strongly about it. He was dearly loved and respected by his colleagues, faculty and students. His career at HSU provided opportunity for three year-long sabbaticals. One in Hamburg, Germany at DESY (a nuclear particle accelerator) and later at Oxford University, England where he continued studies in particle physics. During one experiment he was involved with discovering and measuring, for the first time, the mass of one of the quarks.

Richard and Betty raised two children at their home in the Freshwater area. They also kept a variety of pets and animals including a hound dog, cats, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese and a horse. Music also played a role in Richard’s life. In his youth he played the tuba and also played the piano and sang in the church choir. His love of music, especially classical, was further rewarded by their son Paul’s talent and career in opera.

Dick and Betty loved to travel and spent time exploring Europe, Asia, Africa, India and Australia as well as North, Central and South America. He was a super planner and mapped and planned these trips in great detail. Richard taught himself Greek and traveled with his family to Kalavryta to research his Greek heritage which was always a major part of his identity. A favorite place Richard and Betty loved to hike was in the slot canyons of Escalante. He was also very artistic and did a beautiful job carving and polishing rocks and laying decorative brick. After his retirement he took geology classes at HSU as a hobby. Richard’s love of physics applied to many aspects of his life. In 1998 he even calculated the rate of fall on his rapid descent from the roof! This accident resulted in serious trauma with lifelong consequences. He was very physically active, determined and worked hard to recover. Their daughter’s education in nursing proved useful during his various hospital stays. Richard was known to be a strong athlete. He skied, played football and loved to play basketball in school as well as with his friends in the Arcata Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the HSU Intramural team. He was star center for the University of Utah basketball team when they went to the Championships. Richard was an avid runner and member of the Six Rivers Running Club.

Richard loved his wife’s gourmet cooking. He especially loved meat and desserts. Dark chocolate was always a favorite and he kept a “stash” of it by his chair. His family always knew it was a special occasion when Richard had buttoned every button on his flannel shirt. He felt that by doing every other button he was saving time and energy, another physics principle, the conservation of motion.

Richard took great satisfaction in gardening and landscaping. He had a vast knowledge of trees, shrubs and plants including their Latin names. His knowledge of levers moved mountains from the quarry to his “rock garden” where he and Betty spent many days together perfecting their piece of paradise.

Richard was preceded in death by his elders including Theos half siblings Mary (Kingdon), Alexander, Nickolas, George, Theodora “Teddy” and Virginia (Cook).

He is survived by his wife of 57 years Betty Jane (James) Thompson, their son Paul Richard Thompson (Emeryville) and daughter Heidi Jane Van Buskirk and her husband Charles (Eureka) as well as his grandchildren Elle Jane McCall (Thomas V. Evans), Chelsea L. Van Buskirk, James C. Van Buskirk (Cynthia), Sophiana M. Van Buskirk and Rebekah J. Van Buskirk as well as great grandchild Remi Maria Van Buskirk (James).

The family would like to extend their gratitude and thanks to Mad River Home Health, Hospice Of Humboldt, Agape Home Care and Ayres Family Cremation for excellent care and service.

His wish is for any donations to be made to The Nature Conservancy.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday February 26 at 1 p.m. in the Thompson’s garden. (Alternate site pending weather.)

###

The soul of a beautiful fairy angel has flown away to dwell forever among the flowers of her garden.

Shirley Ann Foley passed away on January 29, 2022. Shirley was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon on August 15, 1948 to Walter and Gloria McLeod. Her dad was a sawyer in lumber mills and in her younger years, the family moved around following the work. Shirley often talked about the years she lived in Alderpoint. She attended the tiny Casterlin School and she, along with her sister and brothers, had many fun adventures playing at the river and roaming around. The family later lived in Hoopa for a few years. After that, Shirley moved to Arcata in the mid-‘60s. It was around that time that she met and fell in love with Robin Foley and they were married on March 14, 1970 — together for nearly 52 years. Shirley was mom to Nonie Oliver and Robb Foley and Nana to Emma, Sydnee, Raven, and Cole.

Shirley worked in the lab at General and St. Joseph hospitals for 30 years and she loved her work. She was very gentle and skilled at drawing blood and was often called on to do the most difficult of blood draws on the elderly and babies.

Shirley had many interests in her life. She was an expert seamstress and sewed everything from Pendleton-style shirts to designer jeans and evening dresses. Shirley loved to work in her Garden, and spent many years making it a beautiful place. However, Shirley’s real passion was making dolls. She was a true artist and her dolls are world class, dressed in gowns and costumes she sewed herself. She had many Facebook doll friends from all over the world.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mom and dad as well as her brother Buddy McLeod. She is survived by her husband Robin Foley, daughter Nonie Oliver (James), son Robb Foley (Kirsten), grandchildren Emma, Sydnee, Raven and Cole, sister Ginger Barber, brothers Jim McLeod and Johnny McLeod, and her two little dogs Sunshine and Willow.

Shirley was truly loved by all who knew her and leaves many wonderful friends.

No formal services will be held, but a small family gathering was had to honor and celebrate our Shirley/Mom/Nana. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of Humboldt, who were truly kind and helpful to the family.

###

Dennis was born February 10, 1938 and passed away on January 17, 2022 at the age of 83 from rectal cancer.

Dennis was born at the old general Hospital at Harris and H Streets in Eureka. He attended the same one-room school house, Jones Prairie, as his father at Falk. Hr grew up in upper Elk River swimming, fishing and hunting and making hay with and for the Biascas, De Havens and Delabamas and at the Zane Ranch for the McCanns. Upon graduation from Eureka High School in 1955 at the age of 17, he went to work for Ernie Pierson in the building trades. He had Pachyderm Construction and built many houses and motels in Eureka. He was a master at concrete work and built skateboard parks across the United States as well as many sidewalks in Eureka.

He loved anything to do with racing and bowling. He raced motorcycles at Redwood Acres when it was a dirt track. He bowled for many years at Eureka Bowl, Broadway Lanes and Harbor Lanes. He loved bowling in the Men’s Nationals and visited many cities across the United States doing so.

He always called his friends by their last names or a nickname. Tim Jacobson was always known as Whale, Bob Hartman was simply Hartman, Rich Parker was Parker, and Mike Thomas was Mikie.

The last 10 years he spent most of his time in Willow Creek doing various jobs. He mad many friends there and laughingly said he took care of all of the widow women. He loved digging in the dirt with his excavator and moving anything and everything with his Bobcat.

He was preceded in death by his father, Wayne Miller; his mother, Jule Kelger, and his two sons Steven and Ron. He is survived by his sisters, Cindy Haney in Eureka, and Marsha Prozialeck of Orego, his nephew George Haney and special caring friend (Michele) Shelley Davis. He is also survived by Tamas Glavich, who went to work for Dennis at the age of 18.

Dennis was cantankerous, gruff, opinionated and stubborn with a hidden heart of gold.

Due to COVID there will be no services. Remember him by having a shot of Makers Mark Whiskey. or Pabts Blue Ribbon beer. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to cancer research in his name.

###

Beverly Judson Gray – beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother — passed away in Eureka on January 4, 2022.

Mom was born October 2, 1932, to Charles and Alice Judson in Riverside, California. She grew up with her three brothers including her twin brother, Bob, in Riverside. She loved to talk about how happy she was spending time with her brothers and childhood friends at her family’s home and at her parents 40-acre pecan farm and horse ranch. Bev graduated from Riverside High School and participated in the Theater Arts Program at Riverside Community College, where she received her Associates of Arts Degree.

In October 1952 she married Robert James (Jim) Gray and soon became an active mother, raising four boys.

In 1986 Bev and Jim moved to Eureka, where Bev soon became active in the community as a volunteer for The American Red Cross Humboldt, College of the Redwoods Foundation League, and as a docent for the Clarke Historical Museum. She also loved to play and watch tennis, and in her later years traveled to Russia and Egypt.

Bev cherished her home in Elk River, spending time working in and enjoying her garden. She especially enjoyed spending time with her wonderful friends and neighbors from Elk River/Berta Road.

Her eldest grandchild, Noel, described her grandmother as “someone who embodied grace, benevolence and tradition. Her natural beauty was all the more vibrant due to her delightful disposition, steadfast, sweet smile and sly sense of humor. She was deeply devoted to those she loved. A true matriarch, she brought the family together, and is woven into the stories we share, the memories we carry with us.”

Beverly was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Robert James Gray. She is survived by her sons, David (Julie) Gray, Daniel Gray, Peter (Lisa) Gray and Matthew Gray. Nine grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren also survive Beverly.

The family would like to thank Beverly’s caregivers, Joan, Rosana, and Elizabeth, for the amazing care of mom over the years.

Interment and celebration of life will take place at Eagle Point National Cemetery, Eagle Point, Oregon, at a future date.

###

The jury trial of double-murder suspect Ulisses Rodriguez is wrapping up, with defense attorney Andrea Sullivan calling her first witnesses today.

One of those testifying was Randall “Randy” Reese, who seemed to have been summoned only to establish that he believed prosecution witness John Doe went by the nickname “Baretta.” Throughout the trial Sullivan has asked witnesses about Doe’s nickname, and they have all said it was Barrera.

Rodriguez.

Doe implicated Rodriguez in the shooting and testified Rodriguez forced him to help him move the bodies into Kuemmel’s SUV, which was later set on fire.

Sullivan asked Reese whether Doe and Sanchez came to him for help.

“They were in fear for their lives,” Reese said. “They were afraid the same guy who shot Jeremy and Tiffany were going to kill them. They were scared. They didn’t know what to do.”

Sullivan pointed out that rather than tell the men to go to the police, he advised them to go a lawyer. Doe consulted with local attorney Kathleen Bryson, who arranged an interview with the Sheriff’s Office.

Under cross-examination Deputy District Attorney Luke Bernthal asked Reese whether Doe’s nickname was actually Barrera.

“I thought it was Baretta.”

“How is your hearing?”

“I don’t hear very well.”

Some incriminating evidence presented earlier by the prosecution was a video showing Rodriguez filling up a gasoline can at a gas station in Redway. It’s assumed gasoline was used to torch Kuemmel’s SUV. He was at the gas station about 6:30 p.m. and the fire was first reported at 8:22 p.m.

Sullivan showed part of that video to the jury today, with Desireae Hadley, a private investigator working for the defense, pointing out there was a generator in the back of Rodriguez’s blue Lexus. Perhaps he needed the gas for the generator? Hadley said Rodriguez pumped gas into the can “for 30 seconds.”

When Rodriguez drove away from the gas station, he headed south toward Garberville rather than north to where the shootings occurred.

Under cross-examination, Bernthal questioned Hadley about why, if the generator was so important, she hadn’t gone to look at the generator itself. Instead, Hadley did some Internet research and determined the generator was probably a small Honda.

Today was a disappointing day for the prosecution, as it was revealed prime witness David Kane, also known as “the man from Hawaii,” will not be testifying.

District Attorney’s Investigator Martim Morris, who tracked Kane to Las Vegas, said Kane is back in Hawaii and “not responding.”

If anyone saw the actual shootings it would have been Kane. He was there with Rodriguez when gunshots were heard. Minutes later Doe and Sanchez saw Kuemmel and Ellebrecht dead, with obvious gunshot wounds.

Another potential issue for the prosecution is the timing of the fire. A law enforcement officer drove by the scene of the blaze at 8:15 p.m. and saw nothing. Seven minutes later, a 911 call came in.

Sheriff’s Detective Scott Hicks testified today it took him eight minutes to drive from the marijuana grow to the turnout where the car was burned.

The trial will be dark Tuesday, as attorneys are way ahead of schedule and the next defense witness isn’t scheduled until Wednesday.

Judge Gregory Elvine-Kreis told jurors to report back at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

###

###

PREVIOUSLY: YESTERDAY in SUPES: After Bushnell Recuses Herself, Board Considers Tax Relief Options for Struggling Cannabis Growers But Postpones Decision

###

Hoping to ease one of the numerous financial burdens buffeting local cannabis cultivators, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Monday agreed to slash growers’ 2022 Measure S tax bills by a whopping 85 percent.

The temporary cut will offer some degree of relief for hundreds of local operators, but it’s also expected to cost the county close to $12 million in revenue, potentially leading to a hiring freeze and staff reductions.

Monday’s special meeting of the board served as a continuation of a lengthy hearing that took place during last week’s regularly scheduled meeting, where more than 60 people called in to plead with the board for tax relief. As with last week’s hearing, Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell recused herself due to a conflict of interest — namely, her own cannabis farm.

Nearly 60 people called in again today, though many were repeats from last week. While the tone and specifics of each caller varied somewhat, their requests were remarkably uniform, with many asking for the same three things: 

• another extension on the tax payment originally due in October — from May 31 to Sept. 15,
• a 100 percent waiver on 2022 cultivation taxes (which are billed in arrears, meaning the tax is for growing done in 2021), and
• down the line, a total restructuring of the county’s cannabis taxation framework to create something more “fair and equitable.”

Quite a few callers described the scenario as an existential threat to their own livelihoods, if not to the entire storied industry of Humboldt County cannabis.

“You have to act and save the small family farms that we’re famous for … ,” said David Guyer. “You need to protect this unique brand.”

Natalynne DeLapp, executive director of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance, a nonprofit industry organization, said that by waiving all Measure S taxes this year, the county would be making a short-term investment toward a lucrative, long-term future for the industry.

A grower named Brian Roberts alluded to larger-scale challenges, saying farms in Southern California are three to five times larger than any up here and thus “are killing us.” Dispensaries, he added, are owned by venture capitalists who won’t buy flower that’s been grown outdoors. “This county is doomed if you don’t suspend this tax,” Roberts said.

Not everyone who called in was a licensed cultivator. The board also heard from owners of ancillary businesses such as consultants, soil purveyors, a tour operator and the director of the Southern Humboldt Business & Visitors Bureau. All of them argued in favor of tax relief.

But if anyone thinks the entire county agrees with that stance, “you should have been in my pocket last week,” First District Supervisor Rex Bohn said after the public comment period. He and other supervisors said they’d heard from quite a few constituents who are not in favor of any tax breaks for the industry.

Bohn initially stuck with the position he’d staked out last week, calling for a full, one-year suspension of the county’s voter-approved Measure S tax, which charges growers an annual fee of one dollar per square foot of licensed cultivation area for outdoor grows (tier one), two dollars per square foot for mixed-light grows (tier two) and three dollars per square foot for indoor grows (tier three).

Before any of his fellow supervisors weighed in, Bohn made a motion to eliminate this year’s tax bills entirely and grant another extension for last fall’s tax bill. He also reiterated the need to meet an established county goal of offering tax incentives to growers who invest in sustainability measures such as water storage and solar energy — “all the touchy-feely stuff that really makes sense,” he said.

Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass asked her fellow supervisors if anyone wanted to second the motion, and when no one else did so, she went ahead and seconded it herself for the sake of discussion.

Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson asked staff to explain the budget consequences of the tax cuts under consideration. County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes said a full suspension of the tax could necessitate a hiring freeze, though many positions across county departments are currently vacant. The “last-case scenario” would be staffing reductions, Hayes explained, though she said other cost-saving measures could be taken before resorting to that.

Wilson said he was reluctant to cut the 2022 tax bills down to zero because he suspects it would be difficult to start charging people again next year. He also expressed doubts about the prospect of creating an all-new tax structure considering the amount of work that went into drafting Measure S and the approval of voters in 2016.

He offered an alternative approach to Bohn’s — cutting taxes by 75 percent for the year, leaving growers responsible to pay the remaining 25 percent of what they’d otherwise owe.

Bass voiced concern about driving legal cultivators out of business and thereby encouraging more illegal grows.

Bohn observed that the county’s annual budget has been growing a lot in recent years, finally exceeding half a billion dollars for the current fiscal year. Maybe it’s time to do some belt-tightening, he suggested, though he also acknowledged that the issue is a big deal. 

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone expressed sympathy for the local cannabis industry, noting that, unlike other businesses, they weren’t eligible for CARES Act funding or even bank loans to see them through the thin times. 

But he also said the county’s government is in the midst of a staffing crisis. After lengthy labor negotiations, the county recently offered improved benefits and higher wages for positions across county department, and Madrone said he doesn’t want to see the county move backwards on that progress.

Madrone added that while he supported Bohn’s call for an extension for last year’s tax bill, he couldn’t support cutting 2022 taxes altogether. He said he liked Wilson’s suggestion for 25 percent, though he apparently misunderstood Wilson’s position. We say that because later in the meeting he offered to compromise further by coming down to 50 percent. Evidently he’d been under the impression that Wilson had proposed reducing tax bills by just 25 percent when, in fact, he’d suggested only charging growers 25 percent.

There was a period of back-and-forth negotiating among the four board members present. “I feel like I’m doing an auction,” Bohn cracked at one point. He agreed to move from a 100 percent tax cut to a 90 percent cut, charging growers just 10 percent of their tax bill this year.

Wilson said he’d like to stagger the cuts by growing tier, offering a 90 percent reduction to growers in tier one (outdoor), a 75 percent reduction to those in tier two (mixed light) and half off for the few in tier 3 (indoor).

The county’s assistant chief administrative officer and chief financial officer, Tabatha Miller, crunched some numbers on the various scenarios, giving the supervisors estimates for the loss of revenue under each suggestion. With an estimated Measure S tax delinquency rate of 31 percent, Miller said Wilson’s tiered approach would likely generate $2.3 million in total revenue this year while Bohn’s 90 percent across-the-board cut would produce about $1.4 million. 

“I’m just not willing to give up so much of the revenue,” Madrone said, “but I want to do something substantial to help the farmers.”

That’s when he voiced a willingness to come down to 50 percent. Wilson said he was definitely willing to go lower than that but said didn’t want to go much past the 25-percent mark.

Bohn, in haggling mode, then agreed to come up to 15 percent. He suggested that if growers can’t afford to pay that much then “we might as well nail up the coffin.”

There was some discussion about softening the blow to the county’s budget by reallocating a small pot of money that had been earmarked for a county-led cannabis marketing campaign. Putting those funds back into the general fund could save the county around $900,000, Hayes said, though the board agreed to postpone that decision to a later date. 

With Madrone holding firm, it became clear that the other three participating board members were in enough agreement to pass the motion. 

And indeed, the vote was 3-1 with Madrone dissenting. 

In a social media post following the meeting, the Humboldt County Growers Alliance thanked Bohn in particular but also Bass and Wilson for their supporting votes. The post added a jab aimed at the Fifth District representative, saying, “Despite all the talk from Supervisor Madrone about supporting the industry, his goal was to maintain 50% of the revenue stream for the county—his was the sole dissenting vote.”

Here’s what the vote likely means for the county budget: Countywide, the total Measure S tax liability for last year’s crop was $19.9 million. Given the estimated 31 percent delinquency rate, staff initially expected to see revenues of $13.7 million this calendar year. After today’s vote, the county’s estimate drops to just $2.1 million.

Time will tell whether this tax relief allows more local growers to survive another year to pay taxes again in 2023.