Listen here.
Eureka’s religious hospital is being sued for allegedly denying life-saving care during a miscarriage. Anna Nusslock noted she was facing life-threatening complications 15 weeks pregnant with twins that could not survive, but because fetal heartbeats were detected, the Catholic institution Providence St. Joseph denied an emergency abortion for religious reasons. “Don’t let me die,” she recalled saying.” To survive, Anna had to drive to the hospital in Arcata and lost a severe amount of blood in the process. California’s Attorney General is suing the Eureka hospital, which he says is violating state law. Providence apologized, saying the incident did not meet their standards and said they’d improve. *** NYT [St. Joseph is now the only hospital in our county with a birthing center. Staff recently told KHSU they’re making adjustments to handle an estimated 25 to 30 additional births per month. -MC]
The repeat-fugitive ex-boyfriend of a missing woman is confirmed to be roaming free. Bailey Blunt disappeared getting her stuff from her ex’s place near Willow Creek. She’d reportedly texted a friend he was drunk and pulled a gun on her. After a 53-day search last year, the ex, Tyler Burrow, was found in a remote forest camp in Oregon with Bailey’s truck and dog. Baily has still not been found. But the Humboldt County Sheriff’s office says they still need more to bring charges and/or closure to the case. Noting Tyler has not been ruled out as a suspect, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told me he’s currently not in custody, not in our community, and living out of state. An article out of Jackson County, Oregon mentions Tyler being arrested twice in that area.
A former member of the Eureka-formed rock band Mr. Bungle is on trial for murder. Theo Lengyel is accused of murdering his girlfriend Alyx Herrmann as prosecutors highlighted a horrific audio recording of her death apparently caught on an iPhone app. Before threats of violence, the recording starts with Lengyel angry when Alyx chooses not to go out with him to play pool with him. “When you drink, this shit happens…,” she says. He then threatens to kill her dog before it seems he’s holding her down and strangling her as she’s gasping for air and saying “stop it” 53 times. As he held her down he said: “Are you at my mercy right now?” One juror was reportedly crying. Prosecutors bolstered this with testimony detailing Lengyel’s alleged abusive history, including words from his ex-wife. The defense argued first-degree murder goes too far. Theo Lengyel played saxophone and keys for Mr. Bungle, an experimental rock band including Faith No More frontman Mike Patton, formed by Eureka teenagers in the 1980s. Lengel was kicked out of Mr. Bungle in the 1990s. *** SF Gate / Lookout / RHBB (Jan. 24)
The Times-Standard noted Measure F’s attempt to preserve parking in Old Town could backfire and make Eureka’s parking situation worse. A state official told the paper that F could cause the city to fail state housing rules, allowing developers to use the “builder’s remedy” to completely ignore parking needs on projects. Meanwhile, a state official essentially told Lost Coast Outpost the measure could be irrelevant if the state delays or blocks it over not meeting requirements. *** [A “yes” on F in Eureka next month aims to prevent affordable housing projects in Old Town in favor of parking availability. It also rezones a property outside of Old Town which may or may not be used for housing. Measure F has seen support from controversial businessman Rob Arkley and over $1M from his company Security National, which employs Eureka City Council candidate Kenny Carswell. -MC]
Eureka’s Sequoia Park Zoo is mourning the loss of one of our bears. Noni passed away after an emergency surgery due to irreversible damage to her colon. Described as playful and joyful, she was a young bear known alongside her companion Tule. *** SPZ
A woman once praised by the Yurok Tribe is accused of embezzling over half a million dollars from them per an FBI investigation. A few years ago the tribe shared a picture and praise of Jessica Engle for boosting their technology, internet, and federal funding. Fast forward to now and she’s accused of stealing a big chunk of those funds. *** RHBB / TS (2021)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations returned to Cal Poly Humboldt on the anniversary of last year’s Hamas attack. Around 100 protesters on the Arcata campus called for the liberation of Palestine. No police presence was noted. Meanwhile, university police are looking for a hooded and masked suspect who was allegedly throwing red paint at pro-Israel people during the protests with a ladle. *** Loco 1/2/3
Video caught several Arcata police forcefully detaining an unpermitted BBQer on the plaza. While the locally viral video only captured the arrest, police say the man refused multiple warnings to stop selling food without a permit, he didn’t ID himself properly, he became increasingly agitated, and then he violently resisted arrest. *** RHBB / YouTube
A local who made controversial remarks about Native Americans is seeking another political position. Former county planner Alan Bongio is looking to join the county’s community services board. Before he was censured and stepped down in 2022, Alan referred to tribes as “the Indians,” he offensively alluded tribes were “Indian giving,” and he accused local tribes of lying and manipulation. When asked about his downfall as a planner he told Loco “It’s called liberalism.” As four people are up for three of these board positions, will he be getting one? *** Loco
Litterers were shamed for trashing Clam Beach. A local shared pictures of trash scattered around a bonfire on the popular beach in McKinleyville. The individual also criticized those who spray painted a rock with a likely nod to teenage romance at Moonstone Beach near Trinidad. The response was overwhelming annoyance with the pictured childish behavior.
The Eureka City Council delayed a decision about installing license plate-reading cameras. Police have noted these cameras help fight crime and solve missing persons cases among other things, but concerns about privacy and data security led to the delay. EPD says the data will only be stored for 30 days and will not be shared for things like immigration enforcement. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office already uses license plate readers outside of city jurisdictions. *** Loco
Cannabis is stronger than ever and that might be causing problems. A NYT analysis noted nearly a third of adult cannabis users report continued use despite negative effects on their lives. This is coupled with increasing cannabis potency and growing cases of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, which typically involves at least weekly cannabis use and severe nausea and vomiting. This news is drawing calls for further study and moderation when it comes to Humboldt’s economic fixture in cannabis. *** NYT
A man on a mobility scooter in Eureka was struck and killed outside of a crosswalk while the sun hindered visibility, officers say. The man was hit by two vehicles and died at the scene near WinCo. EPD says drugs, alcohol, and speed were not factors and everyone is cooperating. *** RHBB
Local media will mostly stop sharing mugshots of alleged criminals following a federal court decision. Citing a case of a man whose charges were dropped but the sharing of his mugshots harmed him personally and professionally, a U.S. appeals court said publishing the photos is unconstitutional and booking photos should now only be shared in special cases of public safety. Local law enforcement is complying. *** Loco
Select local officials gathered to support Proposition 36 and its aims to toughen theft and fentanyl penalties. Heading to California voters in November, 36 targets repeat offenders by making a third-strike theft a felony and involves harsher penalties for fentanyl dealers. Among police and conservative officials, progressive Humboldt County Supervisor Steve Madrone voiced his support. Critics, including Governor Newsom, argue 36 will grow prison populations and complicate mental health funding. We’ll see how Humboldt County votes on 36 in November. *** RHBB
Polling is tight for Proposition 33 which allows California cities to impose rent control on all housing types. Current rent control rules are more restrictive. Supporters say the move helps struggling renters as nearly 30% of Californians spend over half their income on rent. Opponents argue if landlords cannot raise rents willy-nilly it may discourage new housing development. We’ll see how Humboldt County votes on the issue in November. *** CalMatters
A four-year-old girl from Hoopa is missing. Her dad, who only has visitation rights, failed to return her after a scheduled visit and he turned himself in. He’s in jail and says he knows where his daughter is but he’s not talking. She was last seen in Eureka. *** TS
The LA Times says Eureka and Arcata are the best California cities to retire. The analysis notes they considered climate, health and wellness, recreation, and affordability. Ranking at number 1 and 2 respectively, Eureka and Arcata received compliments for their “cooler temperatures, relatively affordable housing, (and closeness) to breathtaking nature and beaches.” Eureka and Arcata’s only downside noted in the article was related to their distance from big cities. Our neighbors up in Crescent City also made the list at number 7. *** LA Times
The nation’s largest dam removal project ever is complete along our Klamath River. The historic removal of the four dams is finished allowing better fish migration and water quality among other things. “Fish once again have access to more than 400 stream miles.” Beyond the dam removals which were the result of decades of work, vegetation restoration work on the river banks will continue for years. *** RHBB
The Sitka Wine Lounge is Ferndale’s ‘cozy’ new wine bar. Nestled in a historic 1898-built Gazebo building in the Victorian Village of Ferndale, the owner Kristie has described the lounge, including its nods to beautiful art and pleasant music, as cozy, comfortable, inviting, and authentic. Humboldt Last Week is honored to welcome its new program partner, Sitka Wine Lounge in Ferndale. *** SitkaWine.com
Redditors shared their favorite things about Humboldt. [Some of my favorite top mentions include nature, camping, community events, murals, real radio stations run by real humans, locally owned grocery stores, clear air, wacky people, the to-each-their-own mentality (for the most part), and Humboldt’s typically cooler coastal climate compared to the rest of the state. I’ll also add the extreme rarity of highway traffic jams. -MC] *** r/Humboldt
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