[Audio] Floyd Squires denies salacious accusations related to arson fire; Humboldt’s last week of news

In the latest episode of Humboldt Last Week (8:54): After Eureka put out a press release including a salacious and so-far-unproven accusation regarding notorious landlord Floyd Squires, the property owner did respond to at least one reporter’s request for comment.

“(He) said the accusations were unfounded and that he did not know the suspect,” said North Coast Journal Assistant Editor Kimberly Wear.

Two suspects may end up facing charges related to an alleged arson fire that brought down one wing of the Blue Heron Motel along Broadway in Eureka. Kattie Yocum, who is headed to trial, and Desirae Henley, who according to a police report made the unproven accusation that Yocum ignited Squires’ property after Yocum failed to receive an apartment in exchange for a salacious act.

In the podcast Wear discusses her interactions with Squires and his lawyer, Floyd and Betty Squires’ local history as property owners, how a defamation expert witness said Eureka’s press release may have some red flags, and much more.

The interview begins at 8:54.

Also covered

An officer-involved shooting in Arcata leaves a suspect dead and an officer wounded, a Ferndale mom accused of trying to murder her daughter is using a temporary insanity defense, top local officials support dreamers, a large publication says we have the best climate in the state, a Humboldt-raised musician makes the third round of “American Idol” auditions, Lumberjack football might be axed, and much more.

Humboldt Last Week is a way to hear highlights from Humboldt’s last week a news. It’s available on iTunes, SoundCloud, and many other podcast platforms.

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Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

In the end the city is likely to have to pay for its unprofessional inclusion of an irrelevant salacious rumor in an official report. It doesn’t even matter whether it is right or wrong in fact. It was wrong of city officials to publish it. It was outside the authority of the employee making the allegation.

There has always been a strain of unprofessional vindictiveness in Eureka’s bureaucracy. In fact, to a lesser extent in Humboldt Co government too. It is never alright to conduct a personal vendetta use government as a weapon no matter how ugly the person is. It demeans government to make it a personal fiefdom.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago

Excellent comment. Thank you.

Alfred Fung
Guest
Alfred Fung
6 years ago

Is a police report not something any member of the public can access through a records request? Eureka sharing information that anyone can get doesn’t seem all that wrong to me.

Alfred Fung
Guest
Alfred Fung
6 years ago
Reply to  Alfred Fung

If Eureka said Squires did it that would be slander. However, all Eureka did was point to a report with clear accusations, not facts.

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago
Reply to  Alfred Fung

Any employee who so exposed the City to having its court cases, both those involve the Squires property and the criminal arson , damaged by including extraneous, unverified and sensationalized comments in a press release should be fired under the Employee Standards of Conduct. The level of bad judgement and personal vindictiveness was incredible. The only thing that will save them is that the person who did it was the boss.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago

So you think that police reports should be hidden from the public? Or just reports dealing with very special people like Floyd?

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

A government issued press release is not a Jerry Springer TV show where people are held up for ridicule for ratings and innuendo is as good as fact. Every person has certain individual rights in dealings with the government. It doesn’t matter whether they are popular or unpopular. They have rights.

There is a huge list of exceptions to public disclosure of police records under the California Code. (Section 6254.) Several of these apply to Squires in this case. It is immaterial whether you like or dislike him- you have no right to curtail his rights. And you should be very grateful that such rights exist so that someone you have irritated can not salt a police report with all sort of nasty opinions and have it made public at their whim.

BTW have you noticed that in the case Squires was the victim in this case? His property was burned down. That gives him even more rights under the code covering disclosure. Beside the fact it was simply a stupid thing to do as it certainly jeopardized any court proceding in arson case and in the seperate housing violations case and any civil case that anyone ever wants to bring that involves Squires.

Double speak outside of cheek
Guest
Double speak outside of cheek
6 years ago
Reply to  Alfred Fung

Actually no. Found that out the hard way. Freedom of information act doesn’t apply to cases where the police report lists witnesses, etc. even if you are a victim of a violent crime. If this isn’t accurate let me know because the police department refused to give me copy of police report and I was the victim!

Alfred Fung
Guest
Alfred Fung
6 years ago

Looking into state laws about it, I’m seeing property crime police reports are easier to obtain. Technically this would have been a property crime police report.

Mariahgirl
Guest
6 years ago

We can all thank Sparks and Gerving for this entire Mess! They are such fine upstanding employees of Eureka.

Mariahgirl
Guest
6 years ago

I think there will be a lot more that the city will be paying for than just slander. Some of the buildings were actually cleared of violations and then deemed a problem. How do they get the ok to just tear them down? Seems kind of fishy to me.

Kattie R Yocum
Guest
5 years ago

Floyd Squires is full of shit. He did promise me an apartment in exchange for blow job. It’s pretty embarrassing to admit but I did suck his dick and he never game me an apartment. Hence why I lit his motel on fire.

Alfred Fung
Guest
Alfred Fung
6 years ago

Good for Eureka. A courageous move telling us exactly what these people responsible for so many properties are capable of.

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Alfred Fung

Inmocent until proven guilty, if someone said things about you that were false to a group of people that werent happy with you and they beleived it and spread ot around you would be crying foul. Just try to show respect and treat others how you would like to be treated wither or not they deserve or not and you will be a happy person

Jake
Guest
Jake
6 years ago

Yocum and Henley are undercover vigilantes working for Uncle Sam.

Donna Schwichtenberg
Guest
Donna Schwichtenberg
6 years ago

I rented from the Squires the worst land Lord ever he’s a scum Lord

Donna Schwichtenberg
Guest
Donna Schwichtenberg
6 years ago

He’s a scum Lord i rented from the Squires the worst land Lord ever

Diamondpie
Guest
Diamondpie
6 years ago

Since the Squires have been lamdlords here for such long time how come we haven’t heard about anything like this til now

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  Diamondpie

🤔 This one’s 2010 https://m.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/fighting-floyd-squires/Content?oid=2130925
It’s been a few a year since then it seems like.

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Diamondpie

There have been numerous articles about Squires. On the first page of Google Search I found this one from 2010. https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/fighting-floyd-squires/Content?oid=2130925 I remember posting several this year alone.

Diamondpie
Guest
Diamondpie
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I mean about him bein accused of pervy things

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago

I heard she has a lock tight case, she’s coughing up all kinds of evidence…

Miguel
Guest
Miguel
6 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

Good one Gazoo

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Nothing out of his mouth is the truth!!!!!!No way no how ever

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  G-MAS

https://youtu.be/Z_4ca8jthAs
Shaggy might play this for you at the Mateel this week

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

At least it looks cleaner on that lot now,both of them.Tear them all down!!!!

Troy Johnson
Guest
Troy Johnson
6 years ago

Floyd Squiars can say all he wants…Hes a major cancer to EUREKA. All his palaces need to be shut down. This is my opinion…….

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

He’s a blight on our community!

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

If he were scum, he would have taken the 1% govt loans long ago to make the cosmetic changes needed to his dumps, so he could collect 10x the rent money like the other landlords have done.
But he didn’t.
He chose to house the down and out that nobody else would.
He still had to charge crazy enough high rent, in order to pay off the city extortion fees and court battles throughout the years, so his tenants could remain housed.
Case after case is the main ingredient for “if you tell a lie often enough, eventually the people believe it”. Even those who don’t watch the nightly news have come to know who “Squires” is, thanks to the pat your back media.
When the cases and costs for cases increased, his funds for maintenance decreased.
That’s the way I see it.
No, I haven’t bothered to listen to the audio. It’s difficult to trust a journalist who depends on the entertainment industry for material.

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

Talked to his tenants?

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

It is hard to find anyone who has a good word for him. But I wonder why a person would be a tenant in one of the ramshackle buildings he owns in the first place. I have not been a renter in awhile but surely he can not he the only landlord around.

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago

Finding places to rent is really difficult in part because indoor grows either take up rentals or have damaged them.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Which ones, Kym? The ones who wish to remain because they have no other option at this time while they save up for a better life? Or those who cry about everything and demand for the landlord to change their lightbulb? Maybe you mean the ones who will agree to say or sign anything for a baggie? Maybe it’s the ones who are stuck there for life due to their bad choices, so they blame their environment?
There’s always two sides to every coin. Sometimes there’s more than one coin.

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

True, there is more than one side. But I have family that provide low-income rentals and, yes, some of the renters are unreasonable but others are truly needy and appreciate the help that my family provides them.

Many of Squires’ properties, on the other hand, are considered a blight on the neighborhoods that they are situated in by the people that live nearby. https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2017/apr/5/neighbors-unload-evil-slumlords-floyd-and-betty-sq/

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Myles Cochrane

Sorry Myles, but you lost all respect when you eagerly beaverly referred John Oliver as your “expert”.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Myles Cochrane

A few podcasts ago. A month or so?
I used to look forward to your middleman approach, your voice, your energy and your community news. Then bam, your true self came out. When I called you out on it, you referred to Oliver as a source you look up to.
Your sources are your sources, and if that’s your thing, then have at it. But as for me, I like my soup non biased thank you.
Except Kym’s blog. She ticks me off sometimes, too, but at least she acknowledges her bias.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago

The city of Eureka should erect a statue of Katie Yokum, possibly designate a holiday. We need more heroes.

local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

what we need is everyone fired involved in this very expensive pissing match. it all started with Gary Boughton who headed up the Engineering Dept. and live across the Street from the one on H. his wife was in the recent settlement. its delusional to think the tenants are the result of his dwellings.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Is this Floyd? The former city engineer isn’t responsible for changing your diapers, Floyd.

Borderwallbuilder
Guest
Borderwallbuilder
6 years ago

Eureka needs to drain the swamp!
A major colon cleansing to get the fecal matter out is in order.
How long can the city operate the same dysfunctional way?
How do they expect to be taken serious?
Officials need to be held accountable and their days are numbered, election time eurekans will remember and vote accordingly. Until then clean up your act!

local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago

its hard to drain the swamp when its the staff and nepotism.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago

I think that the removal of Floyd Squires properties will be a pretty popular idea on election day. Maybe you can start the “Slumlord Party,” Floyd! Eliminate all building codes in Earthquake country! Legalize not paying hookers!

Not me, though. I will be voting Katie Yokum for City Engineer!

Ralph
Guest
Ralph
6 years ago

sa·la·cious
səˈlāSHəs/
adjective
adjective: salacious

(of writing, pictures, or talk) treating sexual matters in an indecent way and typically conveying undue interest in or enjoyment of the subject.
“salacious stories”
synonyms: pornographic, obscene, indecent, crude, lewd, vulgar, dirty, filthy; More
erotic, titillating, arousing, suggestive, sexy, risqué, ribald, smutty, bawdy;
X-rated; informalporn, porno, blue, XXX; euphemisticadult
“salacious writing” lustful; lecherous.
“his salacious grin faltered”
synonyms: lustful, lecherous, licentious, lascivious, libidinous, prurient, lewd; yuk, ewww….