Hospital Board Trustee John Russum died this week of natural causes.  Before being elected to the board, Russum was the long-time superintendent of the county road department.  Board Chairman Mary Orr said, "If there's one common thread from everyone I talk to it's this:  He was a nice guy.  And he was ... he was a good guy.  He's going to be so horribly missed."  She said Russum will be remembered as someone engaged in the community, and the community will suffer a great loss with his absence.

The Humboldt County Commissioners will appoint a replacement at a later date to fill Russum's seat until the election November 2010.