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PREVIOUSLY:

• VEGAS, BABY! Cheap, Twice-Weekly Direct Flight Between Humboldt and Las Vegas Begin Nov. 18
• No Longer LEAVING for LAS VEGAS: Avelo Shuts Down Humboldt → Sin City Direct Flights Effective May 2 
• VEGAS (AGAIN), BABY! Avelo Restores Service to Las Vegas With Twice-Weekly Flights To/From ACV

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Welp, the rumors are true. Avelo Air confirmed this morning that the carrier will be canceling its direct route between the Humboldt County Airport and Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport, effective Jan. 8, 2024.

“We have made the difficult decision to cancel the ACV-Las Vegas route,” Avelo Air spokesperson Courtney Goff wrote in an email to the Outpost. “Customers can still book for Christmas and New Year’s. All customers have been contacted and have been given their options for refunds, rescheduling to before the end date and more.”

The Outpost contacted Cody Roggatz, Humboldt County’s director of aviation, on Tuesday afternoon after we received a few messages about the rumored cancellation from our readers, but he said he had not been informed of the route’s closure.

Avelo canceled direct air service between Humboldt and Sin City in April 2022, just six months after the route was opened. The airline reinstated service five months ago but the route was “not utilized enough,” Goff said, and “future bookings were low.”

What does this mean for the route to Burbank, you ask? Avelo says the direct route is “still going strong,” noting that flights are available for booking through April 2024. 

“We are looking at new opportunities and cities to potentially add to ACV in the future,” Goff added. “We are still working closely with our area partners and will continue to be involved in the community to strengthen awareness for future growth opportunities.”

One door closes, another opens, right? Maybe we’ll finally get that direct route to Portland or Seattle that we were teased with last year. One can dream!

[Note: This post has been updated to correct the effective date.]

In the aftermath of the brutal Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, California officials swooped into action.

Gov. Gavin Newsom booked a last-minute flight to Israel on his way to China because, his team said, California is home to the largest Arab American population and the second-largest Jewish community in the U.S. In Israel, he met with government officials and the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a Californian being held hostage.

But the state’s response hasn’t been entirely even-handed — even as Israel’s escalating retaliation is killing thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Newsom did not venture into Gaza to meet Palestinians on his trip. While last month the governor’s office committed to sending humanitarian aid to both regions, relief has only been delivered to Israel — 52 pallets of surplus medical and emergency supplies on Nov. 7.

The state blames the political situation for why aid has not made it yet into Gaza, where, according to the United Nations relief arm, residents lack access to food, clean drinking water and fuel for electricity. Israel has long controlled the flow of goods and travel into the 140-square-mile region, which has been under Hamas rule since a military takeover in 2007.

Today the Office of Emergency Services told CalMatters it anticipates that aid could be delivered to Gaza as soon as this week, but that depends on whether and how long the relief corridor remains open — which is more likely if an agreement is reached for at least a temporary pause in fighting. There were reports Tuesday of a potential deal for the release of 50 women and children being held by Hamas over a five-day ceasefire.

After symbolically ordering the state Capitol dome to display the blue and white colors of the Israeli flag on Oct. 9, Newsom met with Jewish community leaders over Zoom on Nov. 7 to discuss efforts to fight antisemitism.

Newsom has not held a similar session with Palestinian community leaders, and has made no public statements addressing the growing calls for a Gaza ceasefire from leaders of other countries and international bodies — and from Californians with relatives in Gaza.

After multiple inquiries from CalMatters, the governor’s office on Monday said it expects to “host a formal convening” with Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian leaders “in the coming days.”

While the Legislature is out of session, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle issued statements in support of Israel. Assemblymember Evan Low, a Democrat from Cupertino, noted that the Asian American Pacific Islander caucus stands “in unwavering solidarity with Israel ….Always have. Always will.” On Nov. 7, all 18 members of the Legislative Jewish Caucus sent a sternly worded letter to the leaders of the University of California and California State University urging them to “act to counter the wave of antisemitic incidents sweeping their campuses.”

“We’ve been really deeply warmed by the response from our elected officials across the aisle, across both parties,” said David Bocarsly, executive director of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California.

He noted that his coalition of Jewish community groups had spent years building relationships with legislators and other communities since forming in 1972. “We’ve seen really strong statements condemning terrorism and supporting Jews and Israelis … And it’s really heartwarming to see so many elected officials show up for us,” he told CalMatters.

While the state’s support of the Jewish community after Oct. 7 is called for, the Palestinian community also deserves attention, say advocacy group leaders and others. They say state elected officials who have decided to step into the fray have done little to represent the needs of Palestinian and Arab constituents.

That imbalance has become even more noticeable as casualties increase in Gaza. An estimated 13,000 civilians have been killed, according to the health ministry, including more than 7,500 women and children, at least 100 humanitarian workers and 53 journalists. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is also worsening: On Monday, the World Health Organization said that most hospitals are no longer functioning.

Protesters have rallied at the state Capitol and around California for weeks, but the activism flared this past weekend as they forced the state Democratic Party to shut down its Saturday evening convention programs.

“With every breath, with every step, we’ve expressed our disappointment. We’ve expressed our disappointment for the past six weeks,” said Omar Altamimi, policy and advocacy coordinator for the Sacramento and Central Valley chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

“Today we gather … to say we will not forget. We won’t forget where you stand now, and that’ll impact our decisions a year from now,” he said at a Friday rally at the Capitol. “Muslims across the nation have vowed to not vote for a single elected official who has failed to call for a ceasefire in the past month-and-a-half. And we’ll hold them to account.”

The civilians killed include the relatives of Californians, who say they haven’t received the same kind of public outreach from state leaders as victims of the Oct. 7 attack.

Basim Elkarra, executive director of the same chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, said he has lost at least 65 members of his family in the war, though that number may be higher since they’ve lost contact with their relatives a week ago, he said.

And Luqman Elbakri, a senior at UC Berkeley who also has family in Oakland and Saratoga, said he found out on Oct. 23 that 22 members of his extended family had been killed in an air strike, including six children under the age of 5. They all lived in the same high-rise building, common in Gaza due to the inability to build outward.

“My family name, ‘Elbakri’ no longer exists in the civil registry in Gaza,” he said.

A boiling point

State leaders have little direct influence over foreign policy, but they can exert some pressure on the federal government. While California Republicans are almost uniformly supporting Israel, Democrats are more divided and advocates are focusing on them since they’re in power.

That’s why, on Nov. 7, 50 Democratic Party delegates sent a letter to Newsom, asking him to publicly support the ceasefire resolution introduced by members of Congress, and to “demand that the United States reassert its leadership role as a negotiator in pursuit of a lasting peace.”

Newsom’s office confirmed receipt of the letter, but did not respond to the delegates, according to Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, chairperson of the Democratic Party’s Progressive Caucus.

But at the California Democratic Party convention this past weekend, it was harder to ignore the demands from protesters and delegates.

They loudly cheered Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland, who has been the most outspoken in calling for a ceasefire among the leading candidates for U.S. Senate. They interrupted speeches by other candidates. And they broke through security into the convention center Saturday, leading the party to cancel the formal events that evening.

The canceled sessions included meetings of the Latino, Black and Native American caucuses, who said they planned to discuss resolutions calling for a ceasefire. But Norma Alcala, chairperson of the Latino Caucus, said she understood why the protesters needed to make their point.

Party Chairperson Rusty Hicks, however, called the protests “completely unacceptable,” while the Legislative Jewish Caucus issued statements condemning what it called “anti-Israel protesters.”“We fully support the right to protest loudly and vociferously. But storming through security and shutting down a democratic process — particularly with chants calling for the destruction of Israel and appearing to justify the Hamas attack — is completely unacceptable,” the caucus said in a statement.

The protests included chants and signs with slogans — specifically “from the river to the sea” — that many in the Jewish community view as antisemitic and calling for the annihilation of Israel, though a 2020 declaration signed by hundreds of scholars on antisemitism disputes that interpretation.

But Seth Morrison, a Bay Area resident and spokesperson for Jewish Voice for Peace, pushed back on the party’s response.

“People are dying … and it’s all being done with our tax dollars,” he said. “To have business as usual when our tax dollars are paying to kill children — I’m old enough to have been involved in the Vietnam protests, and it’s the same thing.”

Mahmoud Zahriya, former chairperson of the California Democratic Party’s Arab American Caucus, told CalMatters: “A ceasefire’s now become synonymous with, for some reason, supporting a militia or terrorist group when a ceasefire is supposed to be an end to violence for all people in the region.”

But it wasn’t all protests, or conflict at the convention.

The Progressive Caucus held a panel Friday night with both Arab and Jewish speakers, discussing that prior to the British intervention by the end of World War I, Jewish and Arab communities lived together peacefully — and that the fight for Palestinian freedom doesn’t mean harm to Jews.

“I think we have to hold several truths simultaneously. And we can let our hearts break for all of it. The war crimes committed by Hamas were an unconscionable massacre. And the revenge that Israel is inflicting on all of Gaza is genocide,” said one of the panelists, Penny Rosenwasser, an activist, author and founding board member of Jewish Voice for Peace. “And I want to keep working for a future where every Palestinian and every Israeli life is precious, and all people live in freedom and safety.”

A numbers game?

The imbalance in power and representation may be explained in some numbers: While there are more than 1.2 million Jewish Californians, there are about 715,000 Arab Americans, according to recent estimates.

There are also differences in migration patterns and history.

Marc Dollinger, a professor of Jewish history at San Francisco State University, said in the late 1840s, about 100,000 Central European Jews migrated to the United States, fleeing nationalist movements in Europe and seeking economic opportunities. During the Gold Rush, thousands of them moved west. One of the earliest notable Jewish politicians: Adolph Sutro, mayor of San Francisco from 1895 until 1897.

Their early years were prosperous, according to Dollinger. But nationally, the Jewish community faced persecution in the anti-immigrant movement in the early 1900s and after World War II, pushing them to fight to secure representation.

Historians trace sizable Arab Americans’ immigration into California to the 1900s. But the number of Arab Americans has historically been difficult to track, since there is no “Arab” ethnicity option in the U.S. Census. Starting with the last Census, people could write it in under “white.”

An accurate number on the number of Palestinians is also hard to track since many Palestinians were expelled from their homeland during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and migrated to Lebanon, Jordan or Syria before coming to the United States. Many people identify simply as Arab, according to Rashad Al-Dabbagh, executive director of the Arab American Civic Council, which seeks to encourage community engagement.

Al-Dabbagh also noted that Arab communities were subject to “unreasonable surveillance” after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which has deterred civic engagement, including not wanting to fill out the Census.

Why that matters: In the 2022 election — despite the state’s large Arab American population, the state of California was not required, based on federal data, to publish voting materials in Arabic. The state did require translations in San Diego County based on its additional calculation, which has a lower population threshold.

But, while it has been difficult for supporters of Palestine to gain traction in the past, the current activism for a ceasefire has grown beyond Middle Eastern and Muslim communities.

Individual cities throughout California have issued resolutions, and support has come from members of the Vietnamese community in Orange County, and Black Lives Matter chapters in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

There’s also some support in the Jewish community. In the last month, the Sacramento and the Bay Area chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace say they’ve seen a large uptick in members. The Sacramento chapter has tripled, according to David Mandel, spokesperson for the group.

But largely, Dollinger said, California’s Jewish community allies with Israel. In part, that’s generational, he said.

“This was a generation that saw Hitler. And this is a generation that witnessed the Holocaust. So when the state of Israel was created in 1948, from that generation’s perspective … this was an absolute necessity,” he said. The next generation, he added, witnessed conflicts that threatened the country, including the Arab-Israeli wars in 1967 and 1973.

Tony Quinn, a longtime political consultant, said while the war is dividing the Democratic Party nationally, Democrats have a larger majority in California and the support of most Jewish voters.

“It could have an effect on some of the congressional races,” he said. “I think the Democrats have high hopes … But if I were a Democrat in Michigan, I’d be really concerned about how this is going to affect the Democrats there.”

The shrinking middle ground

As the Gaza war continues, there have been more calls from the international community for a ceasefire, including from leaders of the United Nations, Amnesty International, OxFam America, and Doctors Without Borders, and the governments of China, Brazil, Ireland, Belgium and Spain. They say that Israel must do more to avoid civilian casualties and not exact “collective punishment” on Palestinians in trying to kill Hamas fighters.

In Washington, D.C., the number of House members signing a ceasefire resolution has grown from 13 to 43, including eight California lawmakers.

On Monday, Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento issued a call for a “temporary negotiated ceasefire.” “Lasting peace can only be achieved if Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure is dismantled,” she said in a statement. “At the same time, we must exhaust every option to prevent the death of innocent civilians.”

Rep. Eric Swallwell, who represents the East Bay, hasn’t called for a full ceasefire, but he did co-author a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to address violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank of Palestine, which is not under Hamas control.

Others are still seeking more of a middle ground, supporting Israel’s war against Hamas while still showing compassion for Palestinian civilians. They’re also calling for the release of about 240 hostages — mostly Israelis, but at least 10 Americans — held by Hamas and other militant groups.

In supporting more humanitarian aid to Gaza, Democratic Rep. Ami Bera of Elk Grove said when he talked to a Palestinian constituent, he heard the “pain, anguish, despair and anger” for a personal loss, and also deep grief from Jewish constituents. Bera said in a video that while he believes in Israel’s right to self-defense, “so do innocent Palestinans have a right to life and peace and dignity.”

Leaders of the Legislature’s Jewish, Black, Latino, Women’s, Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander and LGBTQ caucuses signed on to an Oct. 26 letter to President Biden urging him to protect all civilians. And the governor announced $30 million to protect synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship in California.

Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat and co-chairperson of the Jewish Caucus, noted that he has been calling for a “more surgical approach to Hamas as opposed to the more broad-based bombing.” The other co-chairperson, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, said that while he feels a responsibility to the Jewish community, he also feels “a deep responsibility to serve my Muslim, Palestinian and Arab constituents.”

Still, lawmakers’ efforts to walk the tightrope aren’t cutting it with activists and other members of the Palestinian community.

Outside the state Capitol on Friday, Hatem Bazian, a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley’s ethnic studies department and a well-known advocate for Palestinians, delivered a talk before a prayer service — and his message was not only for nearly 200 seated on the lawn in front of him, but for politicians.

“Today we are in a different era in terms of political engagement and mobilization,” he said. “If you don’t vote and support the issues we care about, we don’t care about whether you speak Arabic and you say ‘Salam-u-alaikium’ in a decrepit way, or you say you like our food … What I want to see is how you voted. This is not a community that will be taken for granted from now on.”

And if voters don’t find a candidate who meets their demands, they should run for office themselves, Bazian said.

Ola Subeh, a 36-year-old Chino resident who has an aunt in Gaza, echoed the sentiment. She said she’s researching alternatives to Democrats for 2024 — perhaps independent parties, though she knows they don’t stand a real chance.

“We’re going to have to find people who are going to start running for office, and vocalize for them and go out there and do our best to get better people in office who are going to represent our people, who care for humanity, are not one-sided and biased because we’ve always been treated as … like nothing, it’s like we don’t even belong, we don’t exist.”

Keane Chukwuneta, a Democratic delegate, said he sees the issue, fundamentally, as a question of whether representative government works or not.

“I hope that the machinery of the party starts to listen to these voices, because they clearly exist, and they’re not going anywhere,” he said, adding that he’d much rather see organizers work within the Democratic Party to reflect the concerns he and others share.

“That’s not happening,” he said, “and I think that’s why we’re here.”

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

Press release from Chris Rogers for Assembly Campaign:

[Ukiah, CA] - Councilmember and Former Mayor of Santa Rosa Chris Rogers has officially announced his candidacy to succeed Jim Wood as the North Coast’s California State Assemblymember. Speaking from Ukiah, where Rogers spent the day discussing water, housing, and economic development with local policymakers, Rogers emphasized his public service and his roots in the communities of the North Coast.  

“For as long as I can remember, it has been my mission to serve the community where I was born and raised”, said Rogers. “The North Coast is incredibly unique and our next Assemblymember must know how to roll up their sleeves and deliver for the people they serve. They need to understand what it takes to rebuild communities devastated by wildfire, and they need to have proven experience on housing, homelessness, and drought. In my time as Mayor and my career working for Senator Mike McGuire in the State Legislature, I’ve done just that. From the Smith River, CA to Sonoma County, I’ll work hard to be the voice for the people of the North Coast”

Born and raised in Sonoma County, Rogers’s career in civil service began as a district representative for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey working on coastline protection. Rogers went on to serve as the Senior District Representative for Senator Mike McGuire and Executive Director of Sonoma County Conservation Action. First elected in 2016, Rogers’s two terms as Mayor and Councilmember have been marked by commitment, accomplishment, and leading response to disaster. In the aftermath of the 2017 Tubbs Fire, Rogers worked diligently to rebuild the Coffey Park and Fountain Grove Neighborhoods that were all but destroyed by the wildfire.

“As Mayor and Councilmember, Chris Rogers had a direct impact on helping the thousands of community members traumatized and displaced by the Tubbs Fire to return home,” said Sonoma County Supervisor Chris Coursey. “Chris Rogers’ leadership made sure our neighborhoods were rebuilt and that our community really recovered.”

Rogers brings a proven track record of navigating challenges and delivering for the people he serves. During Rogers’ time as Mayor, he accomplished what hadn’t been achieved in nearly a decade: balancing the budget - and prioritizing the needs of working families, Rogers expanded access to affordable childcare and launched a first-time home-buyers program for low-income workers. 

“Chris Rogers is a committed and caring leader - and he knows how to get things done,” said former Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. “When things have gotten tough, he’s proven over and over that he’ll step up and fight for the people he serves.”

In his time as Mayor, Rogers also championed initiatives that met the needs of veterans, seniors, and youth, by providing no-cost access to public transportation and a groundbreaking first-time home-owners program for low-income workers.

“Our communities deserve an Assemblymember who shares our roots and knows how to get things done,” emphasized Rogers. “As your Assemblymember, I will fight to make sure Sacramento hears the voice of the hardworking people up and down Highway 1 and 101”

For more information on Chris Rogers’s campaign or to learn about Chris Rogers’ upcoming events in Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties, visit ChrisRogersForAssembly.com.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

Humboldt Housing & Homelessness Coalition (HHHC) members, made up of staff and volunteers from nearly a dozen local service providers, faith-based organizations and government agencies, are planning for emergency weather warming centers for people experiencing homelessness, and volunteers are needed. 

The group, which is calling itself the Emergency Weather Community Response Network, meets weekly, is working together to coordinate locations for the upcoming wet and cold days and nights. Currently, the county is being split into regions including McKinleyville/Arcata, Eureka, Eel River/Fortuna, Southern and Eastern Humboldt. 

Living outside during prolonged cold and rain can make people more susceptible to chronic illness and in some cases hypothermia, and having a warm, dry place to be is important.

Arcata House Partnership (AHP) Anjali Browning, who serves as the Director of Programs and Services, said extreme weather sheltering is “very staff intensive.” 

“We were able to provide 24-hour emergency shelter on 48 nights of life-threatening weather last year,” she said. “Despite the enormous strain of operating on almost twice the number of nights as a normal year, AHP continued providing emergency shelter services to confront the longest stretch of freezing temperatures Humboldt had experienced in decades.”

For every one hour of safety provided, at least four hours of support is needed to operate. Help is needed for:

• Staffing facilities
• Providing showers
• Preparing and serving meals
• Transporting guests 
• Cleaning cots
• Mopping floors
• Laundering towels and bedding. 

Browning said, having sufficient volunteers will be the most crucial factor in determining if AHP can run when the criteria for extreme weather sheltering are met. She said they were only able to operate so many nights last year because of generous donations from the community, dedicated staff and thousands of hours of volunteer support.

Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Program Manager Aaron Zell, who facilitates the HHHC, said, “This collaborative effort ensures clear communication throughout the county as well as the ability for smaller organizations to get assistance with training and resources so they can help in providing these needed services. The cooperation between the various organizations allows for improved response to these weather events.”

To sign up to volunteer, fill out the Emergency Weather Community Response Network Survey (surveymonkey.com).

For emergency weather updates, visit humboldtgov.org/WeatherResources.

To learn more about the HHHC, visit humboldtgov.org/HHHC.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 10/21/2023, at about 9:01 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were patrolling the area of Walnut Drive in Eureka when they observed a vehicle driving without a license plate.

Coons

As the deputy turned around to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle, he observed the driver and passenger switch seats. The deputy stopped the vehicle and contacted the two occupants who were identified as 29-year-old Ryan Coons, and 23-year-old Felicia Garza. The deputy noticed drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle and both Coons and Garza were detained in handcuffs. Upon further investigation, it was discovered Coons had an outstanding felony warrant and Garza’s driver’s license was suspended. Deputies performed a search of the vehicle and located additional drug paraphernalia, cash, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Both Coons and Garza were arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.

During the booking process at the correctional facility, Humboldt County correctional deputies discovered additional fentanyl and methamphetamine concealed on Coons’ person. The amount discovered was over 26 grams of fentanyl and over 3 grams of methamphetamine.

Garza

Due to the controlled substance charges and drug concealment, Humboldt County correctional deputies utilized the facility’s body scanner to check for further illicit substances. Coons was found to be in possession of contraband inside his person. Coons was asked to surrender the controlled substance which he refused. Coons was subsequently placed in a holding cell for further observation. While in observation, Coons suffered a medical emergency, and he was transported to an off-site medical facility for treatment. While at the medical facility a search warrant was obtained, and correctional deputies recovered an additional 318 grams of suspected fentanyl from Coons.

Coons and Garza were charged with possession of a controlled substance (H&S 11350(A)), possession for sales (H&S 11351), transportation of a controlled substance (H&S 11379(A)), conspiracy (PC 182(A)(1)), and possession of drug paraphernalia (H&S 11364(A)). Coons was also charged with possession of a controlled substance inside a correctional facility, (PC 4573.6) and concealing evidence (PC 135).

The involved correctional deputies are commended for their diligence and ultimate removal of a dangerous drug from the HCCF. The deputies’ actions potentially saved several lives, including Mr. Coons.

Not only is smuggling substances into the correctional facility a crime, but it is also incredibly dangerous. it can and has led to death. The Humboldt County Correctional Facility regularly utilizes a body scanner, in addition to other methods, to detect and mitigate illegal substances from entering the correctional facility.    

This case is still under investigation.

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.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office release: 

On 11/17/2023, at about 7:45 p.m, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 3500 block of Edgewood Rd. in the Eureka area for the report of domestic dispute and attempted arson.

Deputies arrived at the property and contacted a 19-year-old female victim. During their investigation, deputies learned that the female victim’s ex-boyfriend, 39-year-old Ryan Smith of Fortuna, had arrived uninvited to her residence. While there, Smith reportedly poured a suspected liquid accelerant on the victim and attempted to ignite the substance before fleeing the area.

On 11/18/2023, at about 11:40 a.m., Smith was located by officers with the Fortuna Police Department and arrested on charges stemming from this incident. Smith was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of attempted homicide (PC 664/187(A)), and criminal threats (PC422(A)).

This case is still under investigation.

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.

On Monday, just a day after the California Democratic Party Convention wrapped up in Sacramento, party Chair Rusty Hicks launched his campaign to succeed Jim Wood as the next representative of Assembly District 2, which comprises Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma and Trinity counties.

On Tuesday morning, we reached Hicks by phone, and over the course of a roughly 25-minute conversation he told us a bit about his upbringing, his personal and political history and his ideas for how best to represent the North Coast at the State Capitol.

The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

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California Democratic Party Leader and candidate for Assembly District 2 seat Rusty Hicks. | Submitted.

Lost Coast Outpost: I think a lot of folks here in Humboldt County were not aware until recently that you and your wife live here. Can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you wound up in Arcata?

Rusty Hicks: I initially came to know and in many ways love the North Coast when I ran for chair of the California Democratic Party. I had a campaign program that was [called] “58 counties in 58 days.” California’s a big state. Our delegates are spread all across all 58 counties, and so I wanted to ensure that I had the opportunity to connect with all of them. 

As part of that campaign I came through this part of the state and fell in love with the beauty that is the North Coast, and I brought my wife back shortly thereafter. And we came back again and stayed a little while longer and knew early on that this is [somewhere] that we wanted to make a permanent home. 

I think that, in combination with the change that we all experienced during the pandemic, really caused us to sort of reset and reevaluate what was important to us. And certainly quality of life became even more important, and being in this part of the state has certainly raised our quality of life, not the least of which is just simply being able to do a statewide job, which can be incredibly challenging, but having the opportunity to come home to Arcata to Humboldt County, and just to breathe that clean, crisp air when I step off the plane or come into the city has been a bit of a blessing. 

Obviously this seat opened up a lot earlier than anyone expected. And I certainly considered it and felt that I had had something to offer to voters for consideration.

When did you find out that Jim Wood would not be running for re-election?

I certainly heard a rumor … but I got confirmation when he sent out a release saying, “I’m not running again.” So I really try not to — there’s that old saying that says, “Don’t believe anything you read and only half of what you see in politics.” And so I don’t buy into the rumor mill but certainly got confirmation with the rest of the world.

Some people are going to be skeptical [and apply] the “carpetbagger” label, wondering if you moved here deliberately with this seat in mind. Can you address that directly?

I can certainly understand those that are skeptical, and the only thing that I can do is share my truth and my story and what I believe I offer to voters and residents here on the North Coast.

I believe that I bring a unique skill set and a statewide profile that can uplift and in many ways empower the North Coast in a different way. We’ve had great leadership, but it has been from the southern part of this district. The role that I’ve played has been for rural communities, suburban communities and urban communities. And I think I bring something different that can help bring to the North Coast what it needs for some of the challenges that it faces.

I know the basic outlines of your professional life, from being an attorney and a labor organizer and then your move into state politics, but were you born and raised in Los Angeles?

I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. So, home of stockyards and daily cattle drives and the longest weekly rodeo in the country. And so, I mean, a guy with a name like Rusty Hicks could only probably be from Texas. So I hope your readers don’t ultimately hold that against me. I certainly got to California as fast as I could. In 2003 I came for the Coro Fellows Program, a public affairs leadership program … and then I was on the legislative side. I was in Sacramento for a short period of time and then I was a district director in a field office in Los Angeles.

So that is sort of where I kind of got my start here in California. But I think there are three pieces to my story that I think tell more who I am and that is as an educator, as an organizer and as a veteran. As an educator, I teach two American government classes through College of the Redwoods at Pelican Bay [State Prison].

I saw that in the release you issued this morning. [Note: Hicks’ campaign press release is published in full at the bottom of this post.] Tell me more about that.

When I moved here to Humboldt, I ended up having a conversation with President [Keith] Flamer at College of the Redwoods, and [Flamer], a former marine officer, said to me, “I want to use you.” And as a Navy officer I understood that and said, “Well, what have you got?” And he shared this program with me, the opportunity to teach incarcerated students at Pelican Bay. And for me, I felt like that was in many ways a full circle opportunity for me. My father was incarcerated most of my upbringing. I met him for the first time when I was 11 and he was in a Texas prison.

At 14 I actually got to attend my father’s high school graduation, his GED graduation. He was incarcerated but looking to improve his life and improve himself and hoping for a second chance at some point, when he was released. And, some 30 years later, I got the opportunity to walk into Pelican Bay and share my 20 years of experience with students who were trying to get their second chance. And that may come in two years or 20 years. But they’re all dedicated to try and improve themselves and I’m really proud to be a part of — just a small little piece, you know — their journey.

Was your father eventually released?

He was. And as one might imagine we do not have the closest of relationships, but we interact now and then.

Can I ask what he was convicted of?

I believe the charges were related to drugs and alcohol — you know, demons that he never could quite wrap his arms around. So, you know, between an incarcerated father and a single mother who raised me, it’s certainly a formative part of my upbringing. So I think that educator role — I think some will see me as the chair of the party, you know, a political figure. But that educator role was really an important part of my story. 

Can you tell me a bit about why you want to go from being the chair of the party to an elected representative? It seems like those might be very different jobs [requiring] different skill sets.

Well, certainly it’s another opportunity to serve, whether it’s in the classroom, in Pelican Bay, or trying to raise the wages of hard-working women and men — or, you know, answering the call when I was deployed to Afghanistan. This is another way in which I believe that I can serve. … 

I have a long history of navigating big pieces of policy through complicated environments in partnership with challenging partners and allies. … We need strong leadership, especially from rural communities, on the green carpet of the State Assembly, but also a leader who is battle tested [and] has a strong network of statewide relationships to ensure that the voices of rural communities, especially in the Democratic Caucus, are heard loud and clear. And so I believe I bring that record of service that can be put to good use for this part of the state.

You said the natural beauty and pace of life drew you here. Was there anything else about Humboldt County that you connected with?

I think there is an ethos, there is a deep-rooted belief in resilience and a dedication to hard work, a do-it-yourself mentality that drives the North Coast. And I think in many ways I identify with that from my own upbringing, whether it’s in Trinity County, where they have essentially rebuilt a high school over the course of the last school year, over in Trinity Alps. They have essentially done it, yes, with the help of others, but kind of done it on their own. 

And I think if you combine that [mentality] with more resources and support, I don’t think we can really imagine what can actually happen here. I think there is such opportunity here, especially as it relates to the climate crisis. The North Coast can be a leader in what it means to address the climate crisis. Obviously, the offshore wind project is probably one of the one of the most prominent opportunities for large-scale green energy, recognizing there are a lot of questions to be answered and a lot of bridges to be crossed before that project could be realized — and the North Coast has to get its piece of that.

When we talk about forest management and land management, the North Coast has the opportunity to lead the way as to what exactly that means. How do you maximize the beautiful space that we have and enjoy from a recreational standpoint? How do we maximize that in support of addressing the climate crisis, the work that is being done on the Klamath and the Eel with regards to dams and bringing fish populations, salmon and otherwise, closer to where they originally were? These are all real climate environment leadership opportunities for this part of the state. And so I think it’s the beauty, I think it’s the ethos, and I think it’s the opportunity of the North Coast that is why I’m glad to call it home.

Do you have a sense of what your legislative priorities would be if you are elected?

Well, my body of work has been in the space of creating good jobs and improving the jobs that we have, so I believe that a good job can be can greatly assist in a whole host of other challenges. And in the part of the state where we have some of the lowest weekly wage rates, I believe that’s an incredible challenge, not just in the quantity of jobs that we have but the quality of jobs that we have at the same time. So jobs generation is incredibly important. 

Obviously, we have a housing crisis and challenge across the state, which is separate and apart from our unhoused and homeless challenge as it relates to mental health. Both of those challenges are incredibly important. And I do think the housing piece, ensuring that we have an adequate number of homes that people can actually afford would be a priority and a focus, and ensuring that we are building the right kind of housing, that we are incentivizing private industry, that we are appropriately regulating … and subsidizing in the places where it makes sense. 

I think rural health care obviously has to be a priority in this part of the state. We simply, at this point in time, don’t have the population centers to be able to attract the health care talent and assets that we need, so it’s a little bit of a “chicken and egg” challenge with regards to that. Certainly Assemblymember Wood in his role as the health committee chair has played such an important role there, and I would hope to continue that work. While not being a health care professional myself, I certainly think placing it as a priority and looking to work with partners in the health care space here on the North Coast would be a priority. And then, last, [the issue] that ties it all together is climate action that I spoke about before and the opportunity for us to play a leadership role on that.

Can you talk a little bit about the logistical implications of vacating your position as chair of the party in California?

Over the last week or so, while being focused on the convention, I wanted to ensure that the party continued to be in a strong position headed into an important election. And so I’ve been in consultation with my fellow officers and leaders, our executive director and staff and our legal counsel, and we’re in unanimous agreement that this is the appropriate way forward. I intend to remain in the role as chair until the outcome of the election is decided. 

There are no bylaws [or] legal prohibitions on that. In fact, a political party is a political party committee. An Assembly candidate has a candidate-controlled committee. So a candidate cannot have multiple committees because they would be tied to one. But in statute there are different kinds of committees, and statute specifically says that a political party committee cannot be a candidate-controlled committee. 

We have leaders you know, in our state — the governor, the speaker, the pro tem and others — that are active in the life of the party, and they have multiple candidate-controlled committees at any one time. And so, from a purely legal standpoint, there’s no issue related to that. 

I do recognize that there will be some “While you’re remaining in the role and your running as a candidate” perception-related issues. And I recognize there will be skeptics. It is the Democratic Party, after all, and we can often disagree with one another without getting disagreeable. I do think that is possible. But in the interest of, let’s say, fairness and transparency, I will suspend my pay and benefits as chair of the party and serve in the role in a volunteer capacity, certainly through the March election and then revisit it after that. 

Any decision made as it relates to Assembly District 2 or anything connected to this district, I’ll recuse myself from those decisions and those decisions will be made by my vice chair in consultation with our other officers. 

And then the last thing is, as it relates to the party’s endorsement: At this point in time it’s too late for the party to revisit the endorsement in the Second Assembly District for the March ballot. [Note: Incumbent Jim Wood, who is not running for re-election, secured that nomination.] And therefore, the party will not have an officially endorsed candidate. The party can’t move resources to a candidate that they have not endorsed. 

And on top of that, you know, I won’t be getting a salary or benefits from the party while I’m actively campaigning. So I believe those steps ensure that the work of the party moves forward, that we are addressing any legal-related issues and have gone above and beyond to make sure that we’re addressing any perception issues related to this. 

At the convention over the weekend, there were some news stories that mentioned protesters who were calling for a ceasefire, and It sounded like you had a pretty strong reaction to that. You were quoted as saying that the protest was “unacceptable.” Can you talk about why you considered the protest unacceptable? Was it because it was disrupting the proceedings?

We made it pretty clear that we uphold the constitutionally protected right to free speech and freedom of expression. I mean, that is a sacred principle for California Democrats. But when you use violence or intimidation or harassment or bullying to express that right or exercise that right, that is unacceptable.

Was there any violence?

Well, there were at least two security agents that were injured as a result of their interaction with a large number of non delegates. You know, to be clear, the vast majority of those that fully disrupted the proceedings or sought to cancel or end the activities were non-delegates. Now, my understanding, and there will be a process to look at this, but my understanding is that there were some number of delegates that were a part of those activities and went beyond the simple expression of, their freedom of speech and their right to speak their mind. 

We do have a process, we do have a strong code of conduct, which everyone was aware of. It is a complaint-driven process with an ombudsperson and an investigation process. … So, there is a process by which these issues are adjudicated within the party. But I did not — just to be clear — I did not say the protest was unacceptable. Going beyond the peaceful expression of those rights in a way that inhibits the rights of others is unacceptable.

Okay, I appreciate that clarification. Is there anything else you want to say about your candidacy or yourself personally?

No … I appreciate the time and look forward to the conversation going forward. I’m sure we’ll have the opportunity to chat again more.

###

Here’s a press release issued by Hicks this morning:

Rusty Hicks launches campaign for State Assembly with broad local support

Following Assemblymember Jim Wood’s announcement that he will not run for re-election, Arcata resident and California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks announced today that he is a candidate for the 2nd Assembly District.

Rusty enters the race with endorsements from former North Coast State Senator and Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro, Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo, Arcata Councilmember Alex Stillman, Eureka Councilmember Scott Bauer, Ukiah Councilmember Juan Orozco, Trinidad Mayor Steve Ladwig, Trinity Alps Unified Schools Superintendent Jaime Green, and other local leaders and organizers. 

“Rusty Hicks will offer the seasoned and experienced voice we need in Sacramento to represent our sprawling rural North Coast Assembly District,” Chesbro said. “Rusty knows us, and so I am pleased to offer him my full and enthusiastic support.”

“Rusty has a great background to serve the district, with robust policy experience on statewide issues, a background in law that’s incredibly helpful for an elected leader, and service to our nation as a veteran,” Supervisor Arroyo said. “His lived experience in rural and urban settings can really serve this diverse district!”

“I look forward to Rusty keeping the North Coast in the forefront and working with us to gain the resources to meet our many challenges,” Councilmember Stillman stated. 

“I’m proud to be an educator, a veteran, and an organizer – each down to my core,” Rusty said. “As I look around our beautiful North Coast, I see the struggles that our communities face every day. The rising cost of living, the challenges in accessing healthcare, and the constant threats to our planet. Bottom line, we face more challenges and need more help than ever before – and that’s why I’m running for State Assembly.” (Read Rusty’s full statement).

The 2nd District stretches across five counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Trinity. Rusty and his wife, Sandra Sanchez, live in Arcata, with their dog Charlie.

In 2021, Rusty was reelected as Chair of the California Democratic Party - the nation’s largest State Party comprised of more than 10 million California Democrats. But his experience runs much deeper. He continues to serve as an Associate Professor at College of the Redwoods, teaching at Pelican Bay State Prison, doing his part to reduce recidivism. Rusty previously ran one of the largest labor councils in the U.S. and served as a Vice-President of the California Labor Federation. 

In every role, Rusty has a proven record of accomplishment delivering real results for real people.

• Rusty led a successful campaign to raise the wages of millions of workers to $15 an hour throughout California, pushing and helping spread the national Raise the Wage campaign, helping people to lift themselves out of poverty.
• He helped lead a groundbreaking ballot effort to invest in affordable and permanent supportive housing to tackle homelessness – which also provides good paying union jobs.
• As Democratic Party Chair, Rusty helped guide Proposition 1 to victory, adding the right to a safe and legal abortion to the California State Constitution.
• A believer in the power of a second chance, Rusty built a program to help formerly incarcerated workers rejoin the workforce and secure a good union job.
• Rusty has fought for and built a coalition to win greater worker protections against sexual harassment and assault for vulnerable workers in the hospitality industry.
• Rusty fights for environmental justice and has helped lead campaigns for safe and clean water. He supports a Green New Deal to maximize the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act to prevent climate disaster and create jobs.
• As a member of the Democratic Party’s Veterans Caucus, Rusty has been an advocate for veterans’ housing, education, health care, and mental health care.

In addition to his organizing work to empower working people through political action, Rusty has played a leading role in a number of important political and policy efforts. In 2008, Rusty served as the California Political Director for Obama for America. 

And of course, Rusty is a Veteran of the United States Navy and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012-2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School and a member of the California State Bar.