I take it Willis is quite unlike the majority of California, as they will honor one of their own who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
Actually, much of Willits is completely the opposite.
Obviously, there are some very good people as those who initiated this action and got the by-pass named after him. There are are others who spend all their time trying to obstruct. Activists were able to get the largest employer in Willits, Remco Hydraulics, to shut their doors over alleged environmental harm. There are tree sitters who wasted large resources suing and tree sitting trying to block this by pass.
My general impression of Willits is years ago it was a cowboy/logger town now it is old hippies, environmentalists, and drug growers/manufacturers. If you go there, stay on the main roads.
You know less about California than you think.
PS The town is Willits.