A light agenda for the Arcata City Council last night resulted in the council being sympathetic to a guy with a janky backflow-prevention device. They also received an update on the city’s outdated tourism-focused website and its rental properties code-compliance program, both of which are humming along apace. 

BACKFLOW DEVICE

Bob Figas is the owner of a parcel at 4600 West End Road with a janky backflow prevention assembly. It failed an annual test in February, and despite the city telling him to get it fixed, it apparently still doesn’t work right. It sounds wonkish, but it’s an important piece of equipment: the out-of-compliance assembly presents a “high level of risk” to the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District’s supply, according to an abatement resolution.

[May 22: Doug Culbert, Arcata’s deputy director of the streets and utilities department, asked us to clarify that, despite failing the test, the way the assembly failed wasn’t putting the water supply in any danger.]

Last month, the council granted a 30-day extension to the deadline on repairing the assembly after Figas told them he’d have it fixed shortly. Figas said last month that he was having issues finding a plumber with the correct tools for the job. The city sent him multiple notices declaring that a nuisance existed on his property (three of them since February) to no avail. The question the council had to decide was whether they would abate Figas — use city time and money to fix it, and recoup the losses by putting a lien on the property — or end the process altogether and forget about it. 

Figas told the council that the parts were scheduled to arrive today, May 21; a representative from Arcata’s street and utilities division said Figas had sent him screenshots of his orders proving as much. 

The council decided on a third option, on the Director of Community Development David Loya’s recommendation: it continued the hearing to the next meeting in two weeks. If Figas is still out of compliance, they’ll bring the hammer down. 

RENTAL PROPERTIES PROGRAM 

Joe Bishop, the city’s building official, presented an update on Arcata’s rental property inspection program, which aims to address substandard slumlord housing rife with building code infractions. It’s now in its third year, and though Bishop said it’s working swimmingly — code enforcement complaints are “almost nonexistent,” he said — it’ll need some tweaking. 

As it currently stands, every landlord renting out a property long-term in city limits (with some exceptions) has to snag both a business license and a rental license, pay fees for both, and pay fees to the city to register with the inspection program and to have their property inspected. It’s quite a few hurdles to jump over, and it’s complex. Add in a voluntary self-certification program on top of that with different rules (pay a different fee, have your properties inspected every five years instead of every three), and clearing those barriers gets irksome. The system needs an overhaul, Bishop said, and on top of that, all of those fees aren’t even paying for the cost of the program: it only makes $31,000 annually, and it needs $115,000. 

Bishop pitched a few ideas to raise revenue. Making landlords pay the registration fee ($20) per unit, instead of per parcel, will immediately add $20,000 to the budget; consolidating the inspection and registration fees and bumping them to $100 per unit (or $50 for the self-certification program, which necessitates fewer mandatory inspections) will make the program self-sustaining. The council favored that option over a few other, more confusing options. Bishop noted that the proposed fees, though higher than they used to be (the average landlord would pay $100 annually for their participation in the program, instead of the current $45), it’s still quite a bit cheaper than Santa Rosa’s rental inspection program, which charges a $175 annual registration fee and a $145 inspection charge.  

Bishop also said he was working to develop a layer on Arcata’s GIS system that would allow rental tenants to check their inspection status. 

Bishop said he’d come back to the council in a few weeks with a draft of an updated ordinance.

NIFTY NEW WEBSITE

A few months ago, the council decided that its website for driving tourism, VisitArcata.com, was out-of-date and needed a revamp.

“We’d keep it fresh and up-to-date,” the Arcata Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director Meredith Maier told the Outpost at the time. “…The site, as it is now, is not dynamic, it is not something tourists are obviously going to because we’re the ones that are fielding the calls from people that are coming to town.”

She updated the council on the Chamber’s proposal for an updated site, which is definitely more eye-catching. (Although it’s still a draft, the URL was visible during the presentation, and the site is publicly accessible. Check it out here: https://visitarcatatest.squarespace.com) 

[UPDATE/CLARIFICATION: The site is now password-protected. Also, to be clear, the Arcata City Council hasn’t officially contracted with the Chamber to do this work, yet — the Chamber is sort of working on spec, here. The Outpost has altered the language in the paragraph above to make that more apparent.]

Maier showed off its capabilities, the most noteworthy of which allow visitors to cycle through a few itineraries for their trips to town, plug in their own preferences, and then see how Google Maps wants them to hit everything in one go. 

Interested in having the perfect Arcata day? Spending a few days out-and-about hiking? Partying through Oysterfest? The updated site will tell you how to do all that — and more. 

The council members seemed stoked on the idea. 

“I’m a teacher, and in the summer, I get to have these perfect days,” Councilmember Sarah Schaefer said. “And I always think, like, ‘Guys, I just had the perfect day in Arcata. I want to tell somebody! I want somebody to plan it on a website!’ And so — this is it. That’s that tool for it.”

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Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On May 8, 2026, the Eureka Police Department (EPD) conducted a Driver’s License and DUI checkpoint in the area of Broadway and Fifth Street. The checkpoint was in operation from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Due to the time required to obtain and verify final statistical information from the operation, there was a delay in releasing the results of this checkpoint operation.

During the operation, 606 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and officers conducted 44 enforcement stops. Officers administered four field sobriety tests, resulting in one arrest for driving under the influence. Officers also cited three drivers for operating a vehicle with a suspended license and arrested one driver for driving on a suspended license. One vehicle was towed.

At the beginning of the checkpoint, one subject was walking in the roadway and obstructing the checkpoint. That subject was taken into custody for public intoxication.

In addition to the DUI-related enforcement, one subject was arrested for obstruction and failure to obey a peace officer. EPD would like to remind the public that pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 2814.2, it is unlawful to intentionally avoid or fail to comply with lawful inspection procedures at a sobriety checkpoint once directed by officers. Drivers may legally turn away prior to entering a checkpoint if done lawfully and without violating traffic laws; however, once a vehicle enters the checkpoint, the driver must comply with lawful instructions from officers.

The checkpoint was funded through a grant provided by the California Highway Patrol’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program. Grant funding supports ongoing efforts to improve roadway safety, reduce impaired driving, and prevent traffic-related injuries throughout the community.

EPD encourages motorists to make responsible choices before getting behind the wheel. If you plan to drink or use impairing substances, arrange for a sober driver, rideshare, taxi, or other safe transportation option. Safe driving decisions help protect everyone on the road.

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

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When Celestina Castillo filled out the ethnicity forms at her children’s school, she’d always check Latino and Native American. After all, the family is proud of both its heritages.

But because of a loophole in the state’s data collection system, checking Latino or Hispanic meant that her children’s Native American identity was not counted at all, and they would not receive the extra services they’re entitled to. When Castillo learned of this, she stopped checking the Latino box altogether

According to the arcane way California counts its 5.8 million students, students who say they are Hispanic and Native American get counted as solely Hispanic. Native American students who also identify as another race, such as Black, white or Asian, are counted as “two or more races,” not Native American.

The problem affects all multiracial students, but it’s especially pronounced among Native Americans because the majority are multiracial. It’s resulted in an undercount of Native American students by as much as 90%, advocates said.

“If someone is Black, or Asian, or white, they’re counted that way,” said Castillo, a director of a college learning center who lives in Los Angeles. “Why does it not count if someone is Native American? That’s not OK. It feels like erasure.”

More services, fewer stereotypes

Last year California schools said they had 24,822 Native American students, but the actual number may be as high as 156,000, according to an Assembly report on a new measure, Assembly Bill 1581, that seeks to fix the problem. If those students were identified, they’d be entitled to cultural services and other programs that could help them succeed in school.

A more accurate count could also change the public perception of Native Americans generally, according to Assemblymember James Ramos, the San Bernardino Democrat who authored the bill. Instead of being thought of as rare or even extinct, the public could see that Native Americans are everywhere, Ramos said.

“We’ll start to see the true picture of Native Americans in California,” said Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe. “Native American students should be able to stand up in the classroom and say who they are and be proud of it.”

Changes in the U.S. Census

There’s a long history of the government marginalizing Native Americans in California, particularly in schools. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, not long after 90% of California’s Native American population was murdered or killed by disease, the federal government forced thousands of Native American children in California into boarding schools, where they were forced to speak English and abandon their cultures.

Indigenous studies materials at a booth for California State University during the California Native American Day celebration at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Sept. 22, 2023. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Things started to change in 1970 when the U.S. Census Bureau started improving the way it counted Native Americans. Now, Native Americans can write in their tribal affiliation or list themselves as multiracial, and still be counted as Native American. Although Native Americans are still undercounted more than any other ethnic group, the census changes resulted in a tenfold increase in the official number of Native Americans in the U.S. In 1960, Native Americans only made up .3% of the population. In 2020 they were almost 3%.

The improved census data also revealed that California has more Native Americans than any other state. More than 760,000 people in California identify as Native American, with most living in urban areas like Los Angeles.

Ramos’ bill would allow Native American students to write in the name of their tribe on school forms and identify as Native American plus another race, if applicable. The hope is to give a more comprehensive, more nuanced view of California’s Native American student population, allowing them to get extra services regardless of their biracial identity. So far, the bill has no opposition.

‘We’re in the modern world, too’

Shannon Rivers, who works on education issues for the Los Angeles-based California Native Vote Project, said an accurate count of Native Americans is essential to dispel stereotypes and bring public awareness to issues affecting Native American communities.

“In the eyes of many Americans, there’s still this image of Native American people from the past, from the 1800s,” said Rivers, who is a member of the Akimel Oʼodham tribe in Arizona. “That history is important, but we’re in the modern world, too. We’re doctors, lawyers, scientists, artists, educators.”

He’s hopeful that Ramos’ bill will improve conditions generally for Native American students in California schools. With more accurate student counts, schools could get more federal and state funding to provide extra services, such as tutoring, to Native American children. More schools could host events and curriculum centered on Native American history and culture.

When Ramos was growing up in San Bernardino, he remembers staring at the ethnicity form at school and not knowing what bubble to fill. His mother was Native American but she was labeled “white” on her birth certificate. His father, also Native American, was labeled “Hispanic.”

“Were we white or Latino? I didn’t know. We had to accept whatever the school told us we were,” Ramos said. “I’d go home and ask, ‘Are we Caucasian?’ That started a whole other conversation. It was confusing.”

At left, Lily Montana sits next to her mom, Celestina Castillo, on their porch in Los Angeles, on May 7, 2026. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Castillo, a descendent of the Tohono O’odham tribe in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, said that as a child, she thought everyone was Native American. But when she started school she realized that very few people identified as she did, and worse, it was stigmatized.

Years later, she saw her own children singled out as oddities. One day her son, who had long hair, was dressed for a Native American dance and another child pointed and said, “Look, mom, it’s an Indian!”

“My son felt like a dinosaur or a unicorn, like we didn’t exist,” Castillo said.

By leaving the ethnicity question blank on school forms, Castillo knew it meant her children would not receive extra services they’re entitled to, either at the charter school they attend or through Los Angeles Unified.

“That angered me,” Castillo said. “I’m hoping that this bill will help make Native students visible to local and state education policy makers.”

PREVIOUSLY:

• Miranda’s Rescue Search Warrant Reveals Eight Dead Dogs Have Been Recovered; Sheriff’s Investigator Believes Miranda Killed Them for Financial Gain

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) continues to actively investigate the Miranda’s Rescue case and remains committed to pursuing every available lead related to this investigation. Detectives and investigators are working diligently with partner agencies, reviewing evidence, conducting follow-up interviews, and responding to information provided by members of the public.

HCSO recognizes the significant concern this case has generated throughout Humboldt County and beyond. We understand the emotional impact this investigation has had on community members, supporters, and those closely connected to Miranda’s Rescue. The Sheriff’s Office shares these concerns and wants the public to know that this case remains a priority.

Since the investigation began, HCSO has received numerous tips and pieces of information from the community. Every tip received is carefully documented, assessed, and followed up on by investigators.

“At the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, we understand the public’s desire for answers and accountability,” said Lt. Jesse Taylor. “Our investigators are committed to thoroughly examining all evidence and pursuing every credible lead. We appreciate the patience, support, and assistance we have received from the community during this ongoing investigation.”

At this time, certain details cannot be released in order to protect the integrity of the investigation. HCSO asks the public to avoid speculation and to rely on official updates from law enforcement.

Anyone with information related to the Miranda’s Rescue case is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (707) 268-2539. Additionally, you can submit information anonymously at the following email address: hso@co.humboldt.ca.us

Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available.

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Fewer people are sleeping in Eureka’s homeless shelters than there were two years ago, according to a recent survey performed by the Eureka Police Department’s Community Safety Engagement Team (CSET), Uplift Eureka and Crisis Alternative Response Eureka (CARE).

At last night’s Eureka City Council meeting, EPD Commander Leonard La France presented the findings of the 2026 Homeless Survey, a biennial poll conducted between March 8 and April 4 that asks unhoused residents about their housing and employment status, substance abuse history and struggles with mental illness to help improve the city’s homeless outreach services. This year’s survey reached 239 people, up from 221 in 2024.

When asked, “Where did you sleep last night?” 26% of respondents said they had slept at a local shelter — a 20% drop from 2024. “This is a giant drop for shelters,” La France said, referring to the Eureka Rescue Mission and Betty Chinn’s Blue Angel Village. “We dropped from about 46% to 26%, [which is] a pretty big drop, and I’m not sure why.”

The survey also found that fewer people are sleeping in greenbelt encampments, and are instead sleeping in doorways and alleyways. The number of people sleeping in vehicles is about the same as it was in 2024. 

Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez asked why the number of people sleeping in shelters had fallen so drastically. “Is [it] because people are getting into permanent or maybe some sort of transitional housing?” he asked.

There are a few factors at play, said EPD Sergeant and CSET Supervisor Brian Ross. For one, most surveys were conducted during Free Meal at St. Vincent de Paul’s dining facility rather than at local homeless shelters. “It felt like this year I went in there a few times and I couldn’t get a lot of people interested,” he said.

In some cases, Ross said, people may not be staying at a shelter because they’ve been kicked out for bad behavior. 

“There’s only so many options, so once something bad does happen to them, they’re kind of stuck on the street,” he said. “In my personal opinion, it seems like the drug use is the issue. If you go in [the shelter], you can’t smoke weed, you can’t use drugs, and they can’t live the lifestyle they want to live when they’re outside of the shelter.”

Ross added that fewer people are camping out in the city’s greenbelts and are instead sleeping on the street near Free Meal “because they feel safe there.”

“It’s lighted, there are services there, they feel safe, people can see them, and so that’s definitely a struggle,” he said. “They don’t have anywhere else to go, so they get up in the morning there, and they can get food and services. … [If] you go out into the bushes of the trail, you’re kind of on your own out there. There’s no lights, there’s no people watching you, and some people don’t feel safe.”

CARE Managing Mental Health Clinician Jacob Rosen noted that the city has expanded both transitional and permanent supportive housing facilities since the last survey was conducted in 2024, which could explain why fewer people are sleeping in shelters. 

“I don’t know that that would explain all of the differences that we’re seeing, but I would expect that that explains a significant portion of it in those changes in the data,” Rosen said. “I mean, Bayside Village was able to pull a number of people in who had been homeless for very long periods of time. … That made a huge impact.”

The survey also found that the vast majority of respondents were either born and raised in Humboldt County or had lived here for 20-plus years. “We always hear stories about people being bused in from San Francisco and other areas,” he said. “Not saying it doesn’t happen, but for the most part that’s not true.”

Survey respondents were also asked how they became homeless. The majority of respondents said they were homeless because of a “family situation,” while others said they were evicted or had lost their jobs.

Earlier in the discussion, La France acknowledged that there is a “margin of error” in the survey results, given that it is self-reported. Still, he felt the city’s survey provided a more accurate count of the city’s unhoused population than the Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, a federally mandated biennial survey conducted by county staff and volunteers on a single day in January.

In 2022, for example, the city identified 249 unhoused residents in Eureka. The PIT Count’s estimate for Eureka was 498. 

La France | Screenshot

“[There is] a giant difference in those numbers,” La France said. “What’s important to know is that the PIT Count has a correlation to getting money from the government. Our homeless survey has nothing to do with [that]; there’s no money connected to it. … I’m not a fan of [the PIT Count], but they just get a general guesstimation of how many of us are in our community.”

Even if their numbers differ, the city still works closely with county staff to help get people off the streets and into housing. Rosen highlighted the success of CARE Court, a voluntary court-based treatment program for adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychotic disorders. While CARE Court has failed to live up to expectations in most California counties, the program has worked remarkably well in Humboldt.

“The county has done a really great job with their CARE Court program, and I think our teams have done an excellent job,” Rosen said, adding that Gov. Gavin Newsom recently named the county a CARE Champion. “Our collaboration and networking across the city and the county level … has really made the Humboldt County system stand out to the point where there have been other agencies from large cities, such as San Diego, that have reached out to try and learn more about what is being done here, so that they can try to kind of codify and reimplement it.”

Councilmember Renee Contreras-DeLoach asked what the county is doing to achieve such remarkable results. 

“I think we’re small enough to be able to gather consensus quickly about being creative, but large enough to have the resources to do it,” Rosen said. “Due to the level of interconnectedness with the various agencies involved and the kind of people who are in the key positions to do that networking, combined with the [ability] to be able to think creatively … we’ve been able to fix some of the gaps and maybe tear down some of the silos that other counties might be facing.”

La France added that CSET was built on the same principle of “thinking outside of the box” and cutting through the “red tape” wherever possible to strengthen programs and get people into housing.

“We really, really try to remove red tape and bureaucracy through the process, which really fails people who are in need,” he said. “If I can get from point A to point Z in 15 minutes, that’s a giant win. If it takes me three weeks, that’s a fail, and that’s a system fail. Our job is to make the system better and make it work for us.”

The council did not take any action on the presentation.

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What else happened at last night’s meeting?

The council unanimously approved the christening of Duane Flatmo Alley, a one-block stretch running behind Redwood Capital Bank and the Arkley Center, between F and G streets, and parallel to Fourth and Fifth. The proposal was submitted by Councilmember Kati Moulton on behalf of Flatmo’s wife, Micki.

Hey! That’s Duane Flatmo! | Screenshot

“[Flatmo’s] work can be seen in every corner of our community, from the six-story dancer overlooking the center of town, to his memorable kinetic sculptures — floating or sometimes not floating across the Humboldt Bay — to local product and event artwork you can find in most of our closets, refrigerators, and garden sheds,” Moulton said. “Flatmo’s style is as unique and recognizable as the man himself. It has become a part of the landscape, part of the local vibe. It’s a little gritty and pretty weird, but playful and approachable, like Duane.”

After singing Flatmo’s praises, the council approved the new alley name in a 5-0 vote.

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The city council also unanimously approved a resolution opposing offshore oil drilling and deep-sea mining. 

If you recall, the council had previously asked staff to draft an ordinance that would prevent the federal government and oil developers from using onshore support facilities in Eureka. After a bit of research, the city’s legal team realized an ordinance would require substantial changes to the Local Coastal Program and advised the council to pass a resolution opposing offshore drilling instead. 

The resolution passed in a 5-0 vote. Read it here.

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On May 19, 2026, at approximately 5:20 p.m., a Patrol Officer with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) observed an individual riding a bicycle in the 1100 block of E Street. The officer recognized the individual as Troy Brinson, who was known to have multiple felony warrants for his arrest.

When the officer attempted to make contact, Brinson abandoned his bicycle and fled on foot. The officer briefly lost sight of him, and additional officers responded to assist with the search after Brinson was believed to be hiding in nearby residential yards.

During the search, an officer located Brinson near 14th Street and Williams Street. Brinson again fled on foot into residential yards. Officers established a perimeter and ultimately located Brinson in the backyard of a residence in the 200 block of 15th Street, where he was taken into custody without further incident.

Following his arrest, Brinson was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was booked into jail on his outstanding warrants and the following additional charges:

• PC 148(a)(1) – Resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer
• HS 11377(a) – Possession of methamphetamine
• HS 11364(a) – Possession of drug paraphernalia
• PC 1203.2(a) – Probation violation
• PC 602.5(b) – Aggravated trespassing

The Eureka Police Department would like to thank the community members who witnessed the pursuit and called in with information that assisted officers in the apprehension of Brinson. This incident serves as an important reminder: if you see something, say something. Timely information from the public can play a critical role in helping keep our community safe.

Press release from the District Attorney’s Office:

Today, Judge Kaleb Cockrum sentenced Steve Eliott Boudreaux (38) of Arcata, to serve 125 years to life in prison after being convicted of multiple child sexual abuse crimes against multiple victims.

Boudreaux sexually molested two young girls in his home. His crimes began in 2011 with one of his victims, Doe 1, when she was only six years old. During the summer of 2023, now a young adult, Doe 1 bravely reported Boudreaux’s crimes to the Arcata Police Department. During the thorough investigation, a second victim, Doe 2, came forward.

Boudreaux was arrested in January 2024, and a jury trial commenced 6 months later. The jury convicted Boudreaux for child sexual molestation of Doe 2, but they were unable to reach unanimous verdicts for crimes against Doe 1. In January 2025, the case was tried again, however, the jury did not reach a unanimous verdict with 11 of 12 jurors in favor of guilt. In November 2025, Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm took the case to trial a third time and Boudreaux was convicted of his crimes against Doe 1.

During each trial, the jurors heard testimony from the victims, who courageously faced their abuser in open court and recounted deeply traumatic experiences. Evidence from Boudreaux’s cell phone, obtained in 2025 by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, revealed Boudreaux searching for pornographic material demonstrating a sexual interest in incest.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Ryan Hill, and District Attorney Victim Witness Advocate Caitlyn LaHaie. The North Coast Rape Crisis Team provided support to the victims in this case. Local attorney Casey Russo defended Boudreaux.

District Attorney Stacey Eads stated, “Through the extraordinary courage, perseverance, and dedication to the truth of these young women — even after enduring the trauma of abuse and the difficulty testifying — Boudreaux is now held accountable and will spend his remaining years where he belongs.”