Press release from the Humboldt County Drug Task Force:

On Jan. 28th, 2026, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Problem Oriented Policing (HSCO POP) team assisted by the HCSO Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) and the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) served a search warrant in the Redway area after a month-long investigation into the distribution of Fentanyl.

The search warrant was served on 33-year-old William Branscomb, 36-year-old Eva Markowitz and their associated residence located in Redway. Upon service of the search warrant, deputies located one ounce of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia and items consistent with drug sales.  

At the conclusion of the investigation, Branscomb and Markowitz were booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for the following charges: 

• HS 11366.5 – Knowingly owning property for drug manufacture, storage, or distribution

• HS 11351 – Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of sales

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to addressing narcotic related crimes and improving public safety through proactive enforcement and community partnerships.

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other drug related activity or problems areas related to criminal activity are encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

###

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

###

About 4,000 California Department of Public Health employees have been told they must use a federal verification system to prove they’re U.S. citizens.

Leaders of the agency said in a memo obtained by CalMatters that the verification is necessary to receive federal funding, but employees and unions are resisting the directive.

In the memo, a department human resources deputy director asked employees to comply with a series of deadlines that culminate on April 10. A separate document distributed by the department said that failing to complete the verification may result in the state losing a contract with the Centers for Disease Control for the national death index, which collects death certificate data from authorities nationwide.

The department is also making the move to address incomplete employment eligibility records identified in a recent audit, according to the Service Employees Union International Local 1000, which represents roughly 3,000 department employees.

As at other U.S. employers, all new California health department employees complete a federal I-9 form to prove their citizenship. The department is now asking them to enroll in E-Verify, a program administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration. That system compares information provided by an employee on the I-9 to records in federal databases, including at Social Security and the Department of Homeland Security. In some cases it also prompts employers to compare each applicant’s identification document photo with the one they provided during the E-Verify process. The memo said employees will specifically use E-Verify+, which combines filling out an I-9 with verification. Employees hired before November can opt out of using that specific version of E-Verify.

SEIU Local 1000 President Anica Walls told CalMatters in an email that forcing all employees to use E-Verify “raised serious concerns for our members about privacy, data security, and the unnecessary re-verification of workers who are already legally employed.”

The union sent a petition to executives in charge of the state agency last month to express concern about the verification and underline that employees submitted documents to prove their citizenship when they were hired. Walls told CalMatters the health agency is currently the only California state department the union is aware of that has asked their employees to recertify their citizenship status. The union represents about 100,000 state employees at 140 state agencies, boards, commissions and departments.

“When federal systems and funding conditions are used to justify expanded data collection from workers, it raises red flags — especially when those workers have already met employment eligibility requirements,” she wrote. “Our members are concerned about their personal data being sent to federal systems with known accuracy and security issues. And this is coming at a time when both U.S. citizens and immigrant workers are understandably concerned about how employment data could be accessed or used by federal agencies.”

The E-Verify+ requirement is creating fear and uncertainty among employees and may affect employee recruitment and retention in the future, said Jacqueline Tkac, president of the California Association of Professional Scientists-UAW Local 1115, a union that represents roughly 800 health department employees. Amid reports of ICE activity at workplaces and people being taken off the street, the timing could not be worse.

“E-verify+ is not a neutral administrative tool. It’s deeply integrated with DHS databases, including systems used by ICE, and relies on biometrics and cross-agency data sharing,” she said in a statement shared with CalMatters. “Introducing this at a time when immigrant communities and public health scientists are being openly targeted by the current federal administration is extremely chilling.”

The California Department of Public Health did not respond to multiple requests to answer questions. State information officer Nicole Snow told CalMatters that the California Department of Human Resources does not monitor how state agencies verify employment eligibility and that use of E-Verify is determined at a department level.

“It raises red flags — especially when those workers have already met employment eligibility requirements.”
Anica Walls, president, SEIU Local 1000

Since it became available in the 1990s, E-Verify has been, by default, a voluntary program for employers, but it has become mandatory for more and more of them over time. The federal government has required E-Verify for certain contracts since 2009 and more than 20 states now require E-Verify for their own contracts or to issue business licenses. Earlier this month, Florida lawmakers passed a bill that requires employers of all sizes to use the federal program.

Critics of E-Verify say the program needs reforms to address instances in which it makes mistakes, including cases where people commit identity fraud to get jobs they shouldn’t have and false positives leading people to lose jobs that they were lawfully allowed to have. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the E-Verify error rate, if Congress passed an E-Verify mandate today, the citizenship status of more than 120,000 people would get inaccurately labeled, allowing ineligible immigrants to work and labeling some U.S. citizens ineligible to work, which could lead to loss of wages or jobs, said Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, during a hearing last month where members of Congress debated a bill that would require E-Verify use for all federal contracts.

The health department’s push to prove citizenship comes at a time when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is ramping up I-9 audits that may precede raids. It also comes on the heels of ICE agents shooting and killing two people in Minnesota, the deaths of multiple people in ICE detention facilities, and multiple news reports that the Department of Homeland Security wants to bring similar tactics to California and New York.

It’s possible the department wants to prepare for or forestall an audit from ICE. I-9 audits increased in Minnesota in recent weeks, Minneapolis-based immigration attorney Matthew Webster told CalMatters. Webster said some appear indiscriminate, with audit notices “basically just being dropped off door to door,” and some seeming to be retaliatory, like a hospital where staff protested ICE’s treatment of a patient shortly before the hospital was audited, and a St. Paul toy store that gave away whistles that protesters use to alert their neighbors to ICE activity, also shortly before it was audited. Webster expects such audits to become more commonplace as tens of billions of dollars continue to pour into the law enforcement agency from the federal budget.

A set of “Frequently Asked Questions” drafted by the California Department of Public Health and distributed to employees describes E-Verify+ as intended to “reduce errors, streamline onboarding, and improve the overall employee experience.”

But one employee, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid retaliation, told CalMatters that in light of recent events, they’re concerned about the department providing employee photos to the Department of Homeland Security under E-Verify. They also said the health department should have made it clearer that employees could opt out of the “plus” version of E-Verify and should extend this option to people hired since November, who must always use E-Verify+, according to the questions document.

“Nowhere in the memo does it tell us we can opt out,” they said. “That information only came after employees raised concerns to the director.”

In Loving Memory of Lawana Lee Martin

Lawana Lee Martin passed into the loving arms of her Savior on January 12, 2026, after a life marked by faith, service and devotion to others. A woman of strength and compassion, Lawana leaves behind a legacy of love that spans generations and touched countless lives.

Born on December 18, 1933, in Bellingham, Washington, Lawana was the daughter of Earl and Vera McCarty. Lawana had two brothers, Pat and Dean and a little sister Linda.

In 1937 at the age of four, Lawana survived polio, leaving one leg shorter than the other. Though others noticed her limp, her family never did—because to them, she walked with unwavering strength and determination. Lawana grew up on an Island in Bellingham and at a young age began to sneak into the back of the school house because she loved to learn, which allowed her to skip ahead two grades when she was finally old enough to start school. Lawana’s father was a career fisherman and the family followed Earl up and down the coast, going as far as Alaska and landing in Humboldt County when Lawana was 12. Lawana loved to roller skate and never missed the weekly skate nights and the chance to show o her skills at the municipal auditorium. Lawana attended Eureka High School, where she was a member of the school marching band, playing the flute, while maintaining a straight A average.

Lawana met James L. Martin at the Grace Baptist Church youth group in 1948 and on January 10, 1952, they married, beginning a partnership grounded in faith and family. Together they raised seven children: Cathy, Kim, Candy, Kelly, Chris, Keith and Casey. Family was the great joy of Lawana’s life. She was blessed with 83 grandchildren each of whom carries a piece of her wisdom and strength.

Lawana answered a calling, she carried from a young age, when she became a nurse. She graduated from the College of the Redwoods nursing program in 1970 while raising seven children, including one who was severely handicapped. She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Humboldt State University.

Lawana devoted 48 years to being a nurse. These years started at General Hospital, primarily in the Emergency Room, where a few months after starting she began to serve as night supervisor, and was trusted to oversee the entire hospital. She also became a supervisor at Mad River hospital, worked as a traveling nurse, taught nursing courses at CR and later worked at St. Joseph Hospital, as well as a Dermatology office. Nursing was never just a job to her — it was her ministry. Former patients often stopped her in public to express their gratitude, her coworkers at the hospitals began to call her Mother Martin or just Mom, and her former repeat patients liked to call her Sarge. She has three granddaughters who followed in her footsteps and continue her nursing legacy.

Despite her many responsibilities through the years, Lawana never slowed. She cared for her home and children, preparing lunches for her children each day, baking twelve loaves of bread every week, as well as teaching Sunday school and Bible study for 65 plus years. Sundays were devoted to church, where her faith was not only spoken but lived.

Lawana was deeply involved in First Covenant Church of Eureka. She served as chairman on numerous boards and committees. The Eureka Rescue Mission and Triumphant Life Camp hold a special place in her heart. She spent many summers through 2023 serving as a TLC camp nurse.

In her seventies, her heart led her to welcome a foster child, Alexis, supporting her through the end of junior high and preparing her for high school. Lawana also treasured traveling with her grandchildren around the world and watching them play sports creating memories that will be cherished forever.

Lawana shared a remarkable friendship of nearly 73 years with her dear friend Sherrill Johanson and Sherrill’s husband, Jay. Their enduring bond was a testament to loyalty, love, and shared faith.

Lawana never complained about her health. Her faith never wavered, and she faced each day with strength, grace, and love. Lawana lled her retirement time with board meetings, Sunday school, bible studies, and planning church events. Her favorite thing to do in retirement was get her green waste bins full to the brim every week.

Lawana was known for her skill, leadership and love of the Lord. She was often called upon to help when others struggled, and she consistently encouraged colleagues, family and friends to further their education. During these demanding years as a nurse, she also lovingly cared for her son Chris, whose life, doctors believed was extended through her devoted and expert care. She finally retired from the St Joseph ER in 2016 at age 83, after a health diagnosis.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jim Martin, son Chris Martin, stepdaughter Joyce Ann Kutchara, brothers Edward “Pat” and Dean McCarty. She is survived by her children Cathy Stewart and husband Jim; Kim Martin and wife Verona; Candy Martin and partner Jimmy; Kelly Martin and wife Kala; Keith Martin; and Casey Martin and fiancé Margo; 80 of her grandchildren; and her beloved sister, Linda Muzinich of Santa Barbara, and other extended family who will all miss her dearly.

There will be a celebration of life for Lawana at First Covenant Church of Eureka (2526 J St.) Saturday, February 14 at 2:30 pm with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Lawana’s name to Triumphant Life Camp, Eureka Rescue Mission and First Covenant Church.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Lawana Martin’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Elaine Roxie Chilton
March 24, 1954 – Nov. 24, 2025

Elaine was born on March 24, 1954, in Scotia, to Walter Joy and Alene Sorrels. She was the fifth child, following three brothers and one sister. Elaine passed into eternity on November 24, 2025, at home, surrounded by loved ones. She attended grade school in Garberville and high school in Miranda. As a young woman, she married the love of her life, Jackie Chilton, and they spent 37 years together as best friends and soul mates. They went on to have two beautiful daughters, Tami and Heather Chilton. 

Elaine loved her family and friends deeply. She was a devout Christian, and her love for Jesus Christ was central to her life. She had beautiful green eyes, a ready smile, and a bit of a stubborn side. She enjoyed walks along the bay, meeting new people, and, with her gentle way, spoke to them about Jesus. She worked as an occupational therapy aid at Humboldt Senior Resource Center and PACE for 16 years, where she provided loving and compassionate care to those in need. Her hobbies included photography, reading, crafting, nature walks, sunbathing, swimming, and singing. She loved listening to gospel and country music, and frequently watched True Crime and Forensic Files.

Elaine was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband Jack, and her siblings Clifford, Walter, and Shirley. She is survived by her daughters, Tami and Heather Chilton; her grandchildren, Jesse, Jackie, Hannah, and Rylee; her great-grandchildren, Koa, Cielo, Cosmo, and Jack; her brother, Roy “Pee-Wee” Joy, and his wife Linda; her lifelong best friend, Lorna Welty; and many nieces and nephews.

Thanks to Hospice of Humboldt for your dedicated care and compassion. Thanks to Pastor Chris for your time, love, songs, and for helping us remember God’s eternal plan.

A celebration of life will be held at Redway Baptist Church on February 7 at 11 a.m., officiated by Pastor Chris Andrews, and will be followed by a potluck. Elaine left us with love and countless memories to cherish. She will be missed dearly, an angel called home!

Stephen Howard Emmes
Born April 7, 1949, died October 17, 2025

Stephen (Steve) Emmes loving husband, loyal son, talented artist, woodworker and active community member died at his home in Olga on Orcas Island. Steve is survived by his wife, Lynn Emmes, brother Ken, and children Emery and Merry and his grandchildren Carter and Madeline Emmes.

Born in Pasadena, Steve was the oldest of two sons born to Ina Mae (Scottie) and Emery Emmes. Steve’s father, Emery, was a High School wood working teacher and his mother a Registered Nurse. Emery was an influential model for Steve and taught him basic wood-working skills. Steve took these skills to new heights in an extraordinary career as a wood artist and sculptor of furniture, cabinetry, toys, lamps and other practical but beautiful wooden items.

Steve moved to Arcata in 1966 to attend Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt). He met fellow student Helen Wetherell and they married in 1978 and had two children, Emery and Merry.

Steve completed a bachelor’s degree from HSU majoring in psychology but was never destined to be a psychologist. After graduation he worked as a truck driver, handy man and contractor before opening a wood shop to begin his wood working career.

Steve’s strong parental/family commitment was demonstrated in 2001 when Merry was diagnosed with leukemia at age 19. Although, divorced, Helen and Steve shared their support cooperatively of Merry by living part time in San Francisco for months while her disease was being treated. Merry survived but was permanently affected by the chemotherapy medications.

In 2003 Steve met his new wife-to-be be as they were discussing a business matter in Eureka California. Steve was a contractor/cabinet maker at that time and Lynn was the manager of the Jo Ann Fabrics store in Eureka. Their romance was sealed a few years later when they were married in Steve’s shop, a converted barn.

In 2006 Steve and Lynn moved to Orcas Island and became full time caregivers for Steve’s parents. Living in a small house with two aged elders in a new community was a challenge. Steve began work right away at the Island Hardware store to earn money and be able to build a large wood shop on his parents property. He completed 95% of the 2500 square foot building by himself. Lynn worked at a rental business in East Sound. Both were compassionate caregivers until the deaths of Scottie in 2008 and Emery in 2013.

In their new home Steve and Lynn soon became active community members and leaders. Steve was not only a wood worker but an experienced, enthusiastic sailor. He learned his sailing skills from his father. Steve learned quickly and became a passionate lifelong sailor. Steve served on the Board of the Wooden Boat Society and was a frequent participant in weekly sailing races in Westsound. Also Steve and Lynn joined the Orcas Island Yacht club, for which Steve’s father had served as Commodore.

After the death of Steve’s parents, Lynn and Steve became more active in Olga. Over time, Steve became President of the Olga Community Center, serving the Center for many years. Steve also became a member of Orcas Island Art Works, selling his functional creations there.

Olga Days, celebrated annually in July, has been the main community/cultural event for this coastal hamlet. This event is also a fund raiser for the Olga Community Center. Steve and Lynn have been the principal organizers of Olga Days for many years. Without their energy and leadership Olga Days would not be such a successful, popular island event Stephen (Steve) Emmes, artist, loving and committed husband and father, brother/friend, cabinet maker, kind, generous, loyal hardworking man, you are and will be sorely missed. May you rest in peace knowing you have lived well and are loved by many.

There will be a celebration of life for Steve at Mad River Grange, 110 Hatchery Road , Blue Lake on January 31, 2026 from 2-6 p.m. Finger food and beverages will be served. His remains will stay in Humboldt County.

For info about the celebration of life contact his son Emery at emeryemmes@gmail.com or 707-502-6168.

###

Many local residents have been horrified by the news coming out of Minneapolis, where thousands of federal border enforcement agents have hunted down undocumented immigrants, clashed with protesters and fatally shot residents Renée Good and Alex Pretti. 

Many such residents showed up to Eureka City Hall Tuesday afternoon for the latest quarterly meeting of the city’s Board of Community Oversight of Police Practices (COPP), an advisory body to the city’s police department established in 2022. 

Fifteen residents addressed the board during the 30-minute public comment period at the outset of the meeting, with all but one seeking details about how EPD officers will response if agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) descend upon our own community.

Several speakers characterized ICE’s recent activities as domestic terrorism rather than law enforcement. 

“They are terrifying our people,” said one woman, who identified herself as a member of the anti-authoritarian group Indivisible. She said her children have Hispanic last names and wondered aloud whether they might be taken to a detention center and terrorized.

“In my lifetime, I have lived through many national disasters, but this is the worst that I could ever imagine,” said Kris Well, a speaker who said she spent her career working in health care. “People are dying in U.S. concentration camps unseen, and people are being executed on our streets for all to see.”

Several folks asked for specifics about what training EPD officers have had and whether they’d protect local residents from ICE agents if necessary.

“I’m asking for communication on what EPD expects of community members to keep ourselves safe,” said local nurse Brian Terry, who, at 37, is the same age as both Good and Pretti.

While the speakers had nothing but scorn for ICE, several of them made a point of commending EPD for protecting protesters during recent well-attended anti-ICE demonstrations at the county courthouse. A woman named Krista Boardman, for example, praised the city’s Crisis Alternative Response Eureka (CARE) program while encouraging the department to build trust with migrant communities. 

###

Members of the COPP board said they shared the concerns and opinions of public speakers. Board member Lawrence Giventer, in a prepared personal statement, described the thousands of federal agents in Minneapolis as a “militia” that often dresses in “military-like costumes” with helmets and face masks.

“They are armed with and readily use lethal and less than lethal munitions, including handguns, chemical irritants and various grenades … ,” he said. “They act with impunity, violently profiling, targeting and assaulting men, women and children without reasonable suspicion, probable cause or judicial warrant.”

These agents should not be considered law enforcement, Giventer said, because real police officers are “vetted, educated, well-trained professionals [who are] supervised and accountable to local and state elected officials and courts.”

Fellow board member Raul said it’s important for the community to have more information: “Has there been discussions as to, if there are incidents in Eureka, what could EPD do? What might their response be? Or how they would expect to behave?”

Unfortunately for those seeking specific responses, this ICE discussion was not on the meeting’s prepared agenda, which meant city officials couldn’t do any deliberations on the matter. However, City Manager Miles Slattery made some general comments.

Eureka Police Chief Brian Stephens.

“EPD is trained on all instances, as well as anything related to public safety, and this would be a public safety issue, and they’ve been trained on that,” he said. “We have been in discussions about putting out some information, which will likely happen. We’re going to still discuss it internally and we’ll put out that information.”

Slattery said there will be more information coming to the public in the near future. 

A board member asked whether city leaders could take recommendations based on what they’d heard over the course of the meeting, and Slattery noted that COPP is an oversight board rather than the type of government body that can provide policy direction.

“But we’ll definitely be addressing this issue as best we can,” he said.

You can watch the full meeting below.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Jan. 28, 2026, at approximately 12:17 a.m., the Humboldt County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a physical assault that occurred at a residence located in the Campbell Field Housing Complex in Hoopa.  The reporting party advised that 45-year-old Phillip Donahue of Hoopa struck an individual in the head with a garden tool.

 While deputies were en route they were advised that emergency medical personnel were on scene with the victim.  Upon arrival, responding deputies met with the 40-year-old victim and obtained his statement.

The victim reported he was helping a friend retrieve some belongings from Donahue’s residence when Donahue approached him from behind and struck him on the side of the head with the garden tool.

The victim sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Deputies searched the area for Donahue and were unable to locate him.

During their investigation through witness statements and physical evidence, deputies developed the probable cause to arrest Donahue. A county wide bulletin was issued for the arrest of Donahue on charges of PC 245(a)(1) Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

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.