Patricia Nan Meinhardt, 85, of
Ferndale, passed away on November
8, 2022
due to living a long, fulfilling life of joy, love and faith.
Patricia
was born on the July 23,
1937 to Blanche and Vincent Casavecchia in the city of Lynn,
Massachusetts. After she graduated from High School she enlisted in
the US Army and was stationed at Washington D.C. Army Hospital. While
serving in the Army she met Don Bowen Sr. and had a son named Don
Bowen Jr at Walter Reed Hospital.
Shortly
after having Don Bowen Jr, Patricia and family moved to Southern
California where she would soon meet lifelong friends Patty Larouche
and Shirley Robertson. The three became inseparable and shared a bond
as single mothers spending time and raising their kids together.
As
a single mother she took on several positions at the Orange County
hospital with a focus on diet and nutrition. While working in the
health profession and raising her son, she met the love of her life,
Joseph Meinhardt, who eventually convinced her to marry him and move
to the great northwest in a beautiful Victorian home in Ferndale.
Enjoying
her retirement, she spent much of her time involved in community
activities such as: The Village Club, The Garden Club, The Ferndale
Museum and bocce
ball.
However, her favorite commitment of all was her devotion to God and
being a
member of the Church of the Assumption where she attended regularly,
read passages at mass, and spent a short time as a Sunday school
teacher.
Patricia
was a beloved member of her community and was often spotted attending
gatherings with her dear friends at local diners and visiting patrons
and merchants while strolling downtown Ferndale.
Patricia
was predeceased by her parents, Blanche and Vincent Casavecchia,
brother Wayne Casavecchia, and husband Joseph Meinhardt. She is
survived by her sister Anna Scalia, son Don Bowen, daughter-in-law
Donna Bowen, grandson Vincent Bowen and his family Danielle, Liam,
and Giddeon, dear friend Shirley Robertson and extended East Coast
family.
The
Bowen family would like to extend thanks to all who had a lasting
memory with Patricia and the warm love, prayer, and thoughts shared.
On
the February 4,
2023 at 11 a.m., a service will be held at the Church of the
Assumption located at 546 Berding Street, Ferndale. A gathering
immediately following where memories, stories and shared laughter can
be had in Patricia’s memory. Welcome to all who would like to
attend.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Patricia Meinhardt’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Francis Sweet passed away on January 26, 2023 in
Fortuna.
Francis was born in Ferndale in 1933 and graduated
from Ferndale High in 1951. During high school he worked at the
Ferndale Enterprise. While in high school Francis was involved in
FFA, and that is where he was introduced to raising sheep. Francis
was a private in
the Army serving two
years in Korea. Upon his return from Korea he went back to work for
the Connick Livestock Company and then CalTrans, where he retired,
enabling him to ranch full-time in Petrolia.
Francis was an active member of the community and
had many varied interests. Francis belonged to the Korean Veterans
group and at the time of his passing was their Vice President. He was
a member of the VFW in Ferndale. Francis belonged to the Danish Lodge
for 62 years and had passed through all the chairs at various points,
he belonged to the Dania Lodge, he was a member of the Adult Danish
Dance Team, performing at the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival each
year.
Francis was a member of the California Wool
Growers association for 64 years, holding various positions during
that time, assisting with the annual Wool Growers lamb barbecue
in Fortuna. Francis belonged to the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
in Ferndale. Francis was very knowledgeable of our local Humboldt
County and Ferndale history and his own ancestors and their journey
to Ferndale. Many reached out to Francis to identify people or places
in old photos. Francis loved to play cards, especially Pedro. Francis
held an annual 4th of July picnic out at the ranch in Petrolia and
provided pit lamb and a dance floor for those who knew how to do a
polka. Francis loved to dance — square dancing and Danish Folk
dancing were two
of his favorites.
Francis is survived by Delores Scales, his
children, Connie HagQuist (Ron), Becky Sweet, Sandy Aguiar, Clara
Sherrill (Gary) and Daniel Barney (Silvana). He is also survived by
his 16 grandchildren, Hannah HagQuist, Rachel HagQuist, Justin
Ammons, Crystal Sweeney, Alexis Aguiar, Mariah Aguiar, Ray Sherill,
Keith Sherrill, Amanda Bunnell, Katina DeNune, Jamie DeNune, Tony
DeNune, Clayton Johnson, Jessie Johnson, Kevin Barney and Tamara
Barney and 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great great-grandchildren.
Francis was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Mildred
Sweet, his second wife Lorana Sweet, daughters, Lynne Johnson and Dona
Callender, son-in-law Mark DeNune, granddaughter Lorana Johnson and
great-grandson Wesley.
Services for Francis will be held on February 11,
2023, at 11 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 425 Shaw Avenue,
Ferndale CA 95536, with a Celebration of Life to immediately follow
at the Danish Hall, 430 Ocean Avenue, Ferndale.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Francis Sweet’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Paul Leo Steiner passed away on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at the age of 88. Paul was born on April 1, 1934 in Los Angeles, California. Paul was drafted into the Army in 1952 and served until 1955. He saw active duty during the Korean War. When he returned to the States he relocated to Humboldt County where he lived until his death.
Paul spent over 20 years working for Eureka City Schools. Paul enjoyed traveling, his adventures included multiple trips to Hawaii, Mexico and Europe as well as a trip to Australia. Paul enjoyed coin collecting as well as spending time at the swap meet.
Paul is survived by his brother John, sister Denise, sister-in-law Emma, niece Mary and nephews, Jeff and Brien.
A graveside memorial service will be held for Paul on February, 3, 2023, at Oceanview/Sunset Memorial Park, 3975 Broadway, Eureka California, at 11 a.m.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Paul Steiner’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Screenshot of Tuesday’s Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting.
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Should California get rid of its gas tax in favor of something more equitable?
As electric vehicles become more and more prevalent, the state is looking for a new way to fund roadway maintenance and repairs that aren’t based on gas taxes. The “California Road Charge Program” would serve as an alternative funding mechanism based on miles driven rather than the amount of fuel used by an individual driver.
During a presentation to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Lauren Prehoda, Road Charge Program Manager for Caltrans, described the road charge program as a way to “bring that fairness back into the tax system.”
“We’re seeing this greater unfairness in what people are paying in terms of their taxes,” she said. “Basically, we’re taking one collection mechanism and switching it out for another. We’re not necessarily looking at changing how the money is spent. The money is already being spent [on] our state and local roads, transit, active transportation, all those things. We’re looking at one per mile rate for all passenger vehicles … so everyone is paying the same to use the road.”
Screenshot
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Screenshot
Caltrans and the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) are working with tribes and rural communities in Humboldt County on the Public/Private Roads Pilot Project. Currently, when a driver is on a private road, they are still paying for the gas tax even though there are no public funds going into the maintenance of that road. The pilot program will utilize GPS technology to differentiate between when a vehicle is driving on a public road versus a private road.
“For example … say you have a farmer who’s driving on his private frontage road that’s exactly parallel to the public highway,” Prehoda explained. “In one case, he should be paying a tax, and in the other he should not. Right now, under the gas tax system, there’s no way that you can differentiate between [the two]. … We also want to understand if there are any tax benefits specifically for rural drivers in embracing those higher-tech solutions.”
Those interested in participating in the pilot project will receive up to $250 in incentives. “Basically, you’ll need to sign up and you’ll have a little device sent to you to plug into the OBD-II Port of your vehicle and you just drive around for six months as you usually would,” Prehoda said. “Then you’ll take some surveys and that’s it.” You can sign up here.
Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said the road charge proposal “sounds fair” but pointed out inequities between vehicle weight/size and infrastructure impacts.
“How much maintenance, wear and tear on a road [does] a larger, heavier vehicle have?” he asked. “I know that there is a tendency for larger vehicles [to be used] in more rural areas due to work and other things … but I just want to make sure that, at the very least, you guys are considering that because it is not necessarily fair and equitable [for] someone who is using less resources [to] subsidize those who are using more resources.”
Prehoda acknowledged the disparity, noting that “one person’s idea of fairness is not necessarily [that] of another,” but maintained that vehicle weight only becomes an issue at a commercial scale.
“The relationship between weight and the impacts to our transportation system is not linear, it’s actually exponential,” she said. “In the lower ends of the weight categories, there’s really not that much of a difference in terms of the impact to the roadway and bridges. And really, that’s everything around 10,000 lbs and below. … When you get above that in the commercial vehicle space … that’s where you see significant damage.”
After some additional discussion, Wilson made a motion to accept and file the report, which was seconded by Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell.
The motion passed 5-0.
Life Plan Humboldt Senior Living Community
The board also received a presentation from Life Plan Humboldt, an organization looking to build a resident-run senior living community in McKinleyville. The community – which would offer 144 independent cottages and apartments for residents 60 years and older – would be the first of its kind on the North Coast.
“We’ll provide assisted living level services to people in their homes and memory care all on one campus,” Ann Lindsay, president of the Life Care Humboldt board of directors, said during this week’s meeting. “We’ll have dining and fitness, a wellness center, meeting space, picnic areas and trails. … We really want to provide a lifelong opportunity for learning, growth and wellness, and to integrate into the broader community.”
“We’re currently negotiating for property in Mckinleyville that will be part of the McKinleyville Town Center,” Lindsay said. “It’s a fantastic location for us. We’ve surveyed prospective members and they all want to be within walking distance of amenities, and there certainly are a lot of amenities in Mckinleyville. … We have some alternatives, but this is where we’re working currently.”
The organization is hoping to raise $2 million from local individuals, businesses and foundations to pay for pre-financing development costs, Lindsay said. They’re hoping to secure another $2.5 million in one-time state funding to secure the $75 million needed in bond financing to complete the project.
The board expressed support for the senior living community and unanimously agreed to sign a letter of support for the project.
Privatization of Medicare
The board also received a presentation surrounding the privatization of Medicare through the Direct Contracting Entities (DCE) and Accountable Care Organization - Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO-REACH) programs, also known as the “Medicare Advantage” plan.
Two local members of Health Care for All and Physicians for a National Health Program Humboldt, Patty Harvey and Corinne Frugoni, warned us about this issue a few months back. The pair asserted that Medicare “Advantage” is not traditional Medicare.
“They are draining the Medicare trust fund and, unfortunately, that is affecting the solvency of this public trust that we have all paid into,” Frugoni explained during a lengthy presentation to the board. “‘Medicare Advantage’ has convinced individual seniors to sign up for [its] programs with a lot of slick advertising and because premiums are less under ‘Medicare Advantage’. However, what seniors don’t recognize is that it can affect their ability to get the care they need if they become really sick because it affects the solvency of the Medicare trust fund.”
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Frugoni and Harvey asked the board to send a letter of opposition to the ACOO-REACH program to California Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
First District Supervisor Rex Bohn acknowledged their concerns but questioned whether “shutting down this program is how we get there.”
“I mean, it was a great presentation – it scared the hell out of me – but I also have to go by what I’ve found out, what I’ve looked at,” he said. “This model has been in place for 31 days and we’re expected to write a letter saying this is the worst thing that’s ever happened? I think we need to be a little more open-minded. … I need to know more information.”
Frugoni pushed back, noting that the program has been in the works for two to three years under its former name, DCE.
Shortly after public comment, Wilson made a motion to approve staff’s recommendation to send a letter to state representatives opposing the privatization of Medicare. Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo seconded the motion.
Bohn reiterated his reluctance to support the letter of opposition “just for lack of information.” The motion passed in a 3-1-1 vote, with Bohn dissenting and Bushnell abstaining.
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You can find a recording of Tuesday’s meeting at this link.
HUMBOLDT TODAY: A judge dismisses molestation charges against a local teacher, a family decries the release of their loved one’s killer after three years behind bars, plus California’s teeth are struggling, and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.
This is what it’s going to sound like. Shop With a Cop file footage.
Are you anywhere near Old Town or Target right now? If so, find some earplugs quick.
One of the least-noticed big bummers of the Dec. 20 earthquake was that “Shop With a Cop” was scheduled for that day, and was of course postponed. “Shop With a Cop” is an annual Humboldt County Christmas tradition wherein local first responders escort local kids who might need a nice Christmas present to Target for a shopping trip.
But the event was postponed, not canceled. And we’re doing the do-over now! The kids are gonna get rides in police cars and fire trucks and ambulances from their gathering spot at the Wharfinger all the way down Waterfront Drive and it’s going be a blast.
Now, what’s one thing you gotta do when you give a little kid a ride in a vehicle that is equipped with a siren? That’s right — you gotta blare that siren absolutely as loud as you can.
So imagine several dozen of these vehicles parading down Waterfront at low speed with all the sirens cranked to 11, and what you’ve got is a recipe for a panicked public. Tsunami? Air raid? End of the world?
None of these things. It happy kids and happy cops having a blast! It will end soon.
On January 26, 2023, the Eureka Police Department (EPD) notified the Arcata Police Department (APD) they had initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual assault, involving a former Eureka High School (EHS) assistant wrestling coach, and a female student who has since graduated and is now an adult. Because the criminal allegations took place in the City of Arcata, APD took the lead on the investigation and continued to work collaboratively with EPD.
On January 30, 2023, APD arrested 34-year-old Thomas Harlan Gowing without incident. Gowing was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for multiple violations of Penal Code Section 261.5(C)-Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor.
Gowing has had no association with EHS since June 2022.
The Arcata Police Department encourages anyone with information on this case, or any associated allegations against Gowing, to contact the Arcata Police Department’s Investigations Unit, at 707-822-2424.
APD would like to remind community members that have experienced, or are currently experiencing sexual abuse, there are advocacy services and resources available to assist (24/7) through our local and national partners, such as the North Coast Rape Crisis Team (707-445-2881), and the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673).
APD thanks the Eureka Police Department, Eureka High School, and the North Coast Rape Crisis Team for their assistance in this matter.
