Mendocino County Today: Sunday, Mar 13, 2016

• Spring Forward
• Rainbow
• Site Prep
• LakeCo Courthouse
• Dollar Resistance
• Sequiera's Claim
• Fire Money
• Shelter Behavior
• Retention Pay
• Big Band
• Carjacking Mom
• Amy Winehouse
• Coastal Commission
• Yesterday's Catch
• Trump Ratings
• SuperCandidate
• Marco Radio
• Ghost Town
• Bare Knuckled
• Egg Hunt
• Poetry Reading
• First Aid
• Charter Candidates

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS REMINDER:

SPRING FORWARD

(Fall Back).

It's almost spring!

Set your clocks one hour forward early Sunday morning.

RAINBOW OVER BOONVILLE, TAKE TWO

DESPITE THE HEAVY RAINS, no reports of costly damage in the denuded Valley Fire, Rocky Fire or Jerusalem Fire areas, probably because Lake County Public Works did effective site prep in anticipation of El Nino rains.

CONTRAST AND COMPARE. Lake County has been trying to build a new county courthouse for the past seven years. But unlike the unneeded and unwanted new county courthouse for Mendocino County, which is sailing along to groundbreaking outside all local processes, the Sacramento judicial gods have balked. The judge's admin arm has suspended all work on the Lake County project to consider alternatives and costs.

THE NEW LAKE COUNTY courthouse is estimated to cost well under a hundred mil. It was supposed to be finished in 2014 but now it may not be ready until 2019.

HOW COME Mendo County's new courthouse is almost double the trimmed back Lake County courthouse cost of $90k-plus? Could it be.... NINE JUDGES? And how come the extra scrutiny for Lake but none for Mendo?

REDWOOD VALLEY residents opposed to a Dollar Store plunked down in their crossroads shopping area are organizing themselves as “Smart Growth Rural Mendocino.” There is growing opposition across the country to Dollar Store's expansion into ever smaller communities. A community meeting to discuss a “Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council” will be held this coming Monday at 5:30pm at the Redwood Valley Grange on East Road.

A WEEK FROM TODAY, on Saturday, March 19th, there will be a “Rally for the Valley” beginning in the vicinity of the highly popular and much supported independent Redwood Valley Market. The rally will move across East Road to where the Dollar General will, if not stopped, be located.

THE OWNERS of the Redwood Valley Market have filed a CEQA lawsuit against Mendocino County and the parcel owner and developer. The case is up in Superior Court this Friday, March 18th.

MORE ON FORMER ASSISTANT DA PAUL SEQUIERA'S $90k claim against the County, a reader writes:

"Sequiera's claim? An agreement with the County typically needs to be signed. He seems to be claiming he had some kind of verbal agreement. After he retired from Contra Costa County and comes up here I am sure he wanted as much money as he could get. I can imagine he was told, 'We'll see what we can do,' but I doubt anyone (except maybe the DA) ever told him 'You got it.' This may be a case where the DA promised more than he could deliver, but I am not sure how that obligates the County. I do know Sequiera's position was taken out of the management bargaining group so it could be dealt with separately. He was also hired as 'extra help' which was a work around that allowed him to be paid more than if he had been a regular employee. The reward for doing everything legally possible to max out his compensation is a bogus claim on the way out the door."

“THE DANS” — Dan Hamburg and Dan Gjerde — make up the Ad Hoc committee that was appointed last November to come up with a way to provide some Prop 172 money to emergency responders as required by the text of Prop 172. Since November The Dans have labored long and hard on the matter for four whole months and come up with… … NOTHING!

Of course, the simplest idea would be to propose what Comptche Fire Chief Larry Tunzi proposed years ago: “the increment” — i.e., baseline the revenues at something like the present $7 mil and give anything over that to the Chiefs to allocate as necessary to the various rural districts. But of course Dan #1 is totally tone-deaf and Dan #2 has not been around long enough to know about Tunzi’s proposal. The newly formed “Fire Districts Association” originally asked for around 30% of the $7 mil — a non-starter since it would take millions from the Sheriff’s budget and would never pass. But of course the County is ethically and legally bound to subsidize the rural fire and ambulance districts with as close to regular reliable funding as possible. (Not that that has been a factor before.)

If we’re lucky someone at the four-months delayed discussion (that they should have had in the first place back in November) will suggest the Tunzi idea and things might budge. Otherwise, with Hamburg in the loop, it could take years.

* * *

Board of Supervisors March 14 2016 Agenda Item 6(b)

Discussion and Possible Direction to Staff Regarding Fire-EMS Funding in Mendocino County

Previous Board/Board Committee Actions: On November 17, 2015 the Board of Supervisors appointed Supervisor Hamburg and Supervisor Gjerde to a Fire-EMS Advisory Ad Hoc Committee to review and possibly make recommendations to the Board for funding of fire districts and emergency medical services in Mendocino County.

Summary Of Request: The Ad Hoc committee has both hosted and attended a variety of meetings with local fire district representatives to research and identify sources of funding for public safety, in particular for fire services and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The Ad Hoc’s intention was to review existing funding sources and to possibly bring back recommendations to the Board of Supervisors with options that could improve the sufficiency and sustainability of fire and EMS services in Mendocino County. The Ad Hoc desires the opportunity to share with the full Board and the public some of their findings, and to provide an opportunity for a public discussion on public safety funding with fire district representatives.

“NO STARING…”

A reader writes: "Is this crazy or what? … 'Keep your mind on your driving / Keep your hands on the wheel / Keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead…' I hadn’t thought of these lyrics in years. Thanks ACS for a blast from the past."

* * *

SUPES TO CONSIDER BEHAVIOR POLICY FOR ANIMAL SHELTER

(If this is really necessary, it’s another reason to turn the Shelter over to the Sheriff…)

Board of Supervisors March 15 2016 Agenda Item 5(d)

Discussion and Possible Approval of a Standards of Behavior Policy for the Mendocino County Animal Shelter

(Note that the proposed procedure requires that the Board of Supervisors themselves are the appeals board for volunteer appeals — perhaps the most unworkable and dumbest of the dumb ideas proposed.)

Previous Board/Board Committee Actions: On May 20, 2014, the Board of Supervisors adopted a similar policy for the Mendocino County Library System.

Summary Of Request: The Mendocino County Animal Shelter’s proposed Standards of Behavior Policy is designed to promote appropriate use of the Shelter. The policy will allow Shelter staff to carry out their mission to assist stray, lost or abandoned animals in a safe and productive environment. While staff and volunteers have current standards of behavior in place, this policy will serve as a baseline for members of the public on how to conduct themselves respectfully in a public setting, while protecting staff and volunteers. County Counsel has reviewed and approved the proposed policy. Supplemental information regarding policies for Shelter staff and volunteers are attached for reference.

Mendocino County Animal Care Services Standards Of Behavior

The Mendocino County Animal Shelter seeks to provide a calm, safe environment where staff and members of the community can come together to help animals in need. While you are visiting the Shelter, please remember to be considerate to those around you. To ensure a positive Shelter experience for visitors, volunteers and employees, the Board of Supervisors has adopted the following Animal Care Services Code of Conduct:

Respect Shelter Rules
Patrons and volunteers must follow the rules and policies of the Mendocino County Animal Shelter.

Food or Drink
Eating and drinking in the Shelter is allowed only in designated areas.

Selling, Soliciting, Mass Distribution of Materials or Panhandling
Selling, soliciting, panhandling, or mass distribution of unapproved materials is prohibited. Any such materials shall be submitted to the Animal Shelter Manager for approval prior to distribution and/or posting.

Public Displays of Obscene Material
Public displays of obscene or visually disturbing material that interferes with the ability of others to use the Shelter, or as prohibited by law, is prohibited.

Loitering
Loitering in the Shelter, on Shelter steps, entryway or Shelter property thereby creating a nuisance to those who are trying to enter or exit the building or to use Shelter resources is prohibited. Patrons shall be engaged in activities associated with the use of the Shelter while on Shelter property.

Inappropriate Language
Inappropriate or abusive language is prohibited.

Smoking
Smoking is prohibited inside the building, on Shelter steps, all entry ways or outside of any public entryway. Smokers must be at least 20 feet from any entrance or operable window at the Shelter.

Offensive Odors and Dress Code
Anyone whose bodily hygiene is offensive so as to constitute a nuisance to other persons shall be required to leave the building. Since many people are sensitive to strong fragrances, patrons are asked to refrain from excessive use of perfumes or colognes. Being fully clothed, including shirt, shoes, and pants, dress, or skirt, is a requirement of using the Shelter. Closed-toed shoes are required in all kennel and dog play areas.

Harassing Behavior
Harassing behavior is prohibited. Harassing behavior may take many forms and includes, but is not limited to: unwanted conversations, verbal abuse, advances of a personal or sexual nature that intimidate or make the other party uncomfortable, harassing or obscene gestures or sounds, offensive touching, staring at Shelter staff or at other patrons so that performance of their duties or use of Shelter resources is materially disrupted, and intentionally monopolizing staff time so that performance of duties is materially disrupted even after the staff member has clearly indicated that a reference or customer service transaction has ended. For the purposes of enforcing the Mendocino County Animal Shelter's Code of Conduct, harassing behavior directed at a Shelter employee, volunteer or patron by a volunteer or patron shall include behavior which occurs anywhere both on and off Shelter property, over the phone, by mail or any electronic source, such as email or social media.

Disturbing Noise
Disturbing anyone by unreasonable noise (e.g., cell phones; videoconferencing applications such as Skype or Face time; loud conversations; loud singing; radios; other electronic devices with headphones turned up at an unreasonable volume; etc.,) is prohibited.

Following/Stalking
Stalking employees, volunteers or patrons in the Shelter is prohibited. Stalking is the willful, malicious, and repeated following and harassing of another person. For the purposes of enforcing the Mendocino County Animal Shelter’s Code of Conduct, following/stalking behavior directed at a Shelter employee or volunteer, shall include behavior which occurs anywhere both on and off of Shelter property.

Abusive Behavior
Abusive behavior, such as threats or violent behavior toward staff, volunteers or patrons, is prohibited.

Unsafe Behavior
Unsafe behavior such as roughhousing, climbing on kennels, disturbing animals, running, skateboarding, or any other potentially injurious action is prohibited.

Trespassing
Trespassing is prohibited. To trespass includes entering the Shelter during a period of suspension of Shelter privileges, entering any non-public area of the Shelter without permission, failing to leave the Shelter immediately upon closing, or being in the Shelter before or after public hours without express permission from authorized Shelter personnel.

Unattended Children
Children are encouraged to visit our Shelter. The Shelter is concerned about children’s safety and welfare. We recognize parents’ or guardians’ responsibility for the behavior and well-being of their children. We respect the privacy of all Shelter patrons and intervene only when a child is deemed at risk.

If an unattended child comes to the attention of Shelter staff, staff will make a good-faith attempt to contact the parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian cannot be reached, the child will be referred to the local law enforcement agency. Children age 12 and under may not be left unattended anywhere in the Shelter and must be accompanied and directly supervised by a responsible adult.

Unlawful Behavior
Unlawful behavior while in the Shelter or on Shelter property, including, but not limited to, carrying unlawful weapons, assault, indecent exposure or sex acts, use of drugs or alcohol, damage to Shelter property, theft, attempted theft, brandishing a weapon, public drunkenness or intoxication, public urination and defecation, is prohibited.

Unauthorized Areas
Certain areas of the shelter are not accessible to the general public due to health and safety concerns. Shelter privileges may be revoked pursuant to this policy if a member of the public accesses unauthorized areas of the shelter.

Shelter Specific Behaviors/Rules/Issues/etc.

The expected behavior of shelter volunteer’s is outlined in the Animal Care Services Volunteer and Community Involvement Policy.

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors determines all Shelter policies, including standards for public behavior on the premises. The Shelter retains the right to take any action necessary to ensure a safe and appropriate environment for everyone.

These standards of behavior are available as a brochure and online at the Animal Care Services website. The Shelter Manager and his/her designated staff are responsible for interpreting these rules in accordance with applicable law and for ensuring appropriate behavior in the Shelter.

Enforcement of these rules will be conducted in a fair and reasonable manner. Any person who violates these standards will be asked to bring their behavior into compliance immediately or leave the Shelter. Failure to comply with the Shelter’s established rules, regulations, and policies could result in removal from the premises and suspension from the Shelter for a period of one day to one year. Violations could also result in the restriction and/or termination of Shelter privileges.

A patron or volunteer has the right to request an Administrative Review of a suspension order that is for a period greater than seven days. Please see Suspension of Shelter Privileges Notification and Appeal Process.

Suspension Of Shelter Privileges Notification And Appeal Process

Patrons or volunteers who do not comply with the Mendocino County Animal Shelter Standards of Behavior Policy may be asked to leave the Shelter for a period of one to 30 days by the Shelter Manager or his/her designee. The Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director will make determinations on any proposed suspensions of 30 days to up to one year.

Immediate Suspension With Further Action To Follow:

The following behaviors will not be tolerated:

• physical abuse or assault fighting or challenging to fight;
• making violent or threatening statements;
• damaging, destroying, or theft of Shelter property

(Ed note: These things are already crimes; why do they feel it necessary to prohibit crimes?)

Authorized Shelter staff will instruct anyone displaying these behaviors to leave the Shelter immediately. Police will be called and additional legal action may occur, as appropriate. In addition, based on the severity of the situation, a suspension of Shelter privileges for up to one year will be applied without advance warning or prior suspension. Shelter staff will notify the Shelter Manager immediately, where a determination of the appropriate suspension period and procedures will be assigned.

All other prohibited behaviors will be addressed in the following manner: First Violation: Initial warning and given copy of the Standards of Behavior Second Violation: Shelter privileges suspended for the day Third Violation: Shelter privileges suspended for seven days Fourth Violation: Shelter privileges suspended for up to a year Circumstances, including the seriousness or continuing nature of the conduct may warrant immediate suspension of Shelter privileges.

At the recommendation of Shelter staff, the Shelter Manager or designee will issue a letter to the volunteer or patron specifying the behavior that violated the Mendocino County Animal Shelter Behavior Policy; penalty for doing so, which may include a suspension of Shelter privileges; and the designated suspension time of up to one year. The date of the letter will serve as the date of notice in starting the timeline for appeal. The Clerk of the Board of Supervisors will schedule a hearing requesting a hearing date for the appeal of a suspension of privileges within 30 days of the notice of suspension of privileges.

At the recommendation of the Shelter, the Board of Supervisors may suspend a patron or volunteer from Mendocino County Animal Shelter facility for a period of one year or more if the patron or volunteer’s conduct is deemed an ongoing threat to Shelter patrons, volunteers or staff.

Any patron or volunteer who has had his or her Shelter privileges suspended may appeal once in writing to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. An appeal petition must be mailed or delivered to the Executive Office, 501 Low Gap Rd, Room 1010, Ukiah, CA 95482, within 15 days of the suspension. The appeal petition must include all reasons the patron believes he or she is not in violation of the Mendocino County Animal Shelter’s Behavior Policy or why the suspension is not appropriate.

The Board of Supervisors, upon hearing the petition during a public meeting and then voted upon, will issue a written determination of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the petition. The Board of Supervisors may uphold the suspension, overturn the suspension or propose an alternative. The determination is final and shall have no precedential value. An appeal may not be repeated.

WHICH JOBS DOES MENDO HAVE TROUBLE FILLING & KEEPING?

(Would you be surprised to learn that the list includes “screeners”?)

Board of Supervisors March 15 2016 Agenda Item 5(h)

Presentation and Possible Adoption of a Retention Pay Schedule for Mendocino County Job Classifications Within the SEIU Bargaining Unit Identified by Human Resources as Hard to Retain (As Indicated in Attachment A “Retention Pay Recommendation”), and Approval of Retention Pay for those Identified Classifications to be Paid Out Over Four Pay PeriodsMay in Fiscal Year 2015-16 and Fiscal Year 2016-17

Previous Board/Board Committee Actions: On July 21, 2015, the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County of Mendocino and the Service Employee’s International Union, Local 1021 (SEIU), for the term of July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017. The MOU includes a Retention Pay term for certain positions as approved by the Board. On September 22, 2015 the Board adopted a retention pay schedule for Social Workers and Nurses and acknowledged work to identify and recommend additional classifications to receive retention pay was on-going.

Summary Of Request: The Retention Committee met four times between September 2015 and March 2016 to discuss retention pay. The Human Resources Department’s final recommendations for retention pay are for those classifications listed on Attachment A, “Retention Pay Recommendation.” Human Resources developed the list of recommended classifications and corresponding rate tiers using employment data from October 2013 through October 2015. Consideration was given to the average number of filled positions in each classification and the number of turnovers during the timeframe taking into consideration variables such as retirements, failure to pass a probationary period, vacancies created by acceptance of a promotion, and the level of critical need. Rate tiers were determined by considering the required qualifications and the salary range of each recommended classification. The recommendations were calculated using the number of months employed and includes two rate tiers. Rate Tier 1 includes a payment of $1,000/$1,500/$2,500 and Rate Tier 2 includes a payment of $2,000/$3,000/$5,000. The number of months for year-one payments are calculated as of August 2, 2015 which is the first day of the first full pay period following the adoption of the current SEIU labor agreement. Year two retention pay amounts for employees in the classifications identified in Attachment A will be recalculated based on the number of months employed as of August 2, 2016 and will be paid out over four pay periods in March and April 2017. The General Fund allocation for retention pay is included in the Contingency account. Employees paid with other funding sources (such as federal funding or state realignment funding) will be paid using those funding sources. The total retention pay from the General Fund in FY 2015/16 and in FY 2016/17 is not expected to exceed the annual allocation of $200,000.

Estimated General Fund Cost: (About $200k)

MAKE AMERICA GYRATE AGAIN! The Swingin' Boonville Big Band will be performing at the Anderson Valley Grange in Philo on Sat., April 2. Music starts at 7:30, tickets at the door are $10. Bring your dancing shoes and swing the night away!

HEREEEEES, JOHNNY!

On 03-10-2016 at approximately 05:37 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a reported assault in the 500 block of Rancheria Road in Manchester, California. Sheriff's Deputies arrived and learned that a 78 year-old female was approached by her son, John Wesley Logan, 44, of Manchester, who requested her vehicle keys. Knowing that Logan did not possess a valid driver's license, the female denied Logan's request to use the vehicle. Logan began cursing and yelling obscenities at the female. The female began to fear for her safety and told Logan she was contacting law enforcement. As the female reached for the telephone, Logan grabbed the telephone receiver causing the line to disconnect, preventing the female from requesting law enforcement assistance. The female then attempted to stand from her chair but Logan placed his hands on her shoulders forcing her back into the chair. After a short time, Logan left the room. The female obtained her vehicle keys and purse and attempted to leave the residence through the front door. Logan blocked the front door, again placing his hands on the female's shoulders and pushed her into the kitchen of the residence. Logan forced the female to sit in a chair and again began yelling at her. Logan forcibly removed the keys from the female's hands and left the location in the female's vehicle. Sheriff's Deputies searched the area attempting to locate Logan and the vehicle, without success. Later the same evening, family members of the female were able to locate the vehicle but Logan was still outstanding. On 03-11-2016 at approximately 11:30 PM, Sheriff's Deputies responded to the female's residence where they contacted Logan. Logan was placed under arrest without incident. Logan was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for Carjacking, Witness intimidation, False Imprisonment and Elder Abuse. Logan was to be held in lieu of $82,500 bail.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: ‘Amy: The Girl Behind the Name.’ (The Amy Winehouse Story)

You don’t need me to tell you that this singularly sad and insightful movie is worth watching. The critics are raving about it. But what they don’t say is:

One: It’s actually more of a carefully edited and unscripted assemblage of semi-chronological home and personal videos than it is a “documentary.” Everybody gets to say whatever they want, there’s no independent research or background material. Given that young people grow up nowadays in the age of nearly ubiquitous iPhones and GoPros, it’s not surprising that much of their life is on a video somewhere, especially if they’re talented and it’s obvious at an early age. (For those who worry that email won’t leave the kind of record for future biographers that pen and paper used to, they can be somewhat compensated by what the “Amy” documentary presages: video biographies like this.)

Two: Another overlooked aspect of the film is how much the almost completely unparented young Amy Winehouse (who grew up in North London) was screwed up by heavy teenage pot smoking. (Reminiscent of Patrick Cockburn’s son’s pot-fueled turmoil as described in “Henry’s Demons” co-written by Patrick and his son Henry. Henry was lucky to have had competent, loving parents who could help him — and did.) The pot obviously made Amy Winehouse into some kind of very talented schizophrenic or bipolar kid who was intensely vulnerable to the emotional ups and downs of otherwise ordinary highs and lows of a young person’s life.

And Three: What a fine musician she was! And what a loss to music! She was a jazz prodigy at an early age and could play some very tasty and advanced jazz guitar to accompany her unique singing voice (which one of her friends correctly described as reminiscent of a polished 65-year old jazz singer’s voice). The clips showing how she developed her own compositions detail her very advanced experimentation with sophisticated chord progressions. (She later moved away from her jazz roots as producers and promoters convinced her to move to more popular styles, but the poetic lyrics remained achingly sincere and heartfelt – and disturbing in a way that should have been a warning if anyone had been paying attention.)

Winehouse’s mostly absent father and very weak mother come across as contributing factors in her life going off the rails early on. (For example, in her now-iconic tune “Rehab,” there’s a line that explains the main reason she didn’t want to go: “…and if my daddy thinks I’m fine.” He did, but she wasn’t — and that’s probably why she didn’t wanna go to rehab, no, no, no. (Not that it necessarily would have helped her at that point.)

Then add the pressure of being an instant pop icon almost overnight.

After the teenage pot-poisoning, Winehouse went on to the heavy alcohol and drug abuse that killed her at age 28. But based on the film, it looks like the alcohol and heavier drugs were more of a misguided attempt to blot out the effects of her pot-wrecked soul.

To someone in their 70s like me, there were some strong overtones of the tragic Judy Garland story (not to mention Janis Joplin). But Judy — who died at age 47 — didn’t have the addiction accelerator of marijuana at an early age that Amy Winehouse had.

* * *

One of her final compositions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMO5Ko_77Hk

(— ms)

COASTAL COMMISSION & ‘THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY’ (From the L.A. Times:)

It's becoming harder and harder for me to describe in believable terms what goes on at a California Coastal Commission hearing. But I'm going to give it my best shot. In the past week the circus came to Santa Monica, where demonstrators, still angry about last month's firing of the agency's Executive Director Charles Lester, booed commissioners and called on them to resign. "Our Coast is Not for Sale," said one sign… The commissioners who fired the world's leading authority on the Coastal Act claimed he wasn't a good leader. But as they struggled in Santa Monica to figure out how to find a replacement, it became more evident that the leadership problem was with the commission. And who'd want the job now, after Lester's observation that the commission "seems to be more interested in and receptive to the concerns of the development community as a general rule"?

(Courtesy, Rob Anderson, District 5 Diary)

CATCH OF THE DAY, March 12, 2016

MYISHA BRAZIEL, Ukiah. Failure to appear.

MICHAEL DAMPER, Covelo. Negligent firearm discharge.

SAMUEL GIBNEY, Fort Bragg. Drunk in public, probation revocation.

CHARLES GIELOW III, Willits. Community supervision violation.

DESTINEY JOHNSON, Calpella. Drunk in public.

ZIOMARA MARTINEZ, Hopland. Controlled substance, paraphernalia, false ID, failure to appear.

WILLIAM NAVE IV, Laytonville. Unspecified offense.

RICHARD ORTIZ, Redwood Valley. Drunk in public.

MICHAEL PARKER, Ukiah. Trespassing.

BRANDON PEDRIOLI, Willits. DUI.

ROBERT TAGLIO, Redwood Valley. DUI.

JOSHUA WOOD, Laytonville. Drunk in public, false ID, probation revocation.

DAVID WORTHY, Ukiah. Vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, probation revocation.

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

For nearly all of 2015, the conventional wisdom — outside cuckoo land, where he was already winning over hearts and minds — was that Donald Trump is a joke, not worth taking seriously.

His words were vile, of course; and everything about him was over the top. But he was a fine showman who enlivened otherwise mind numbing Republican debates by informing a mass audience that the American political class is incurably corrupt. That didn’t excuse his racism, nativism and Islamophobia, but it did redound to his credit.

No doubt, Muslims and Hispanics thought differently, even before people started taking Trump seriously. African Americans, Asians and Native Americans were probably also more wary of him early on than most white folks were.

In truth, though, his rivals’ views were no less noxious than his; only less blatant. Trump was unique, however, in one respect: his ability to awaken the inner fascist in large swathes of the Republican base.

This was evident from Day One, but nearly everyone thought that the problem would pass, along with the Trump candidacy itself; that, before long, normalcy would be restored. The Republican “establishment” would recover its grip on the party it used to own, or Trump would stumble irreparably, or someone less unacceptable would capture the fancy of Republican voters – something would turn the Trump phenomenon into a minor footnote.

Meanwhile, there was no denying that Trump was good at calling political and media elites out. He even went after Fox News, and lived to tell about it. This was no mean feat.

Before turning on them, Fox News had been Trump’s greatest asset. But even they could not have made a serious contender out of such a buffoon all by themselves. The media now helping Hillary also helped make Trump.

None of the moguls calling the shots, certainly not Rupert Murdoch or Roger Ailes at Fox, wanted their propaganda machines to publicize their own shortcomings and corruptions. But Trump was too much of a godsend for ratings and therefore for advertising revenues for the bastards to resist. All of them therefore fell abjectly in line, becoming Trump’s unpaid publicity agents.

Not to worry, however: the Donald would soon be yesterday’s lunch. That hasn’t happened, however. Trump’s approval ratings remain respectable, he keeps winning elections, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine ways that the GOP “establishment” could deny him the nomination.

(— Andrew Levine)

TINTIN IN THAILAND.

"You know, I go to the theatre to be entertained. I don’t want to see plays about rape, sodomy and drug addiction. I can get all that at home." --Peter Cook

The recording of last night's (2016-03-11) 107.7fm KNYO (and 105.1 KMEC) Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio show is available to download and keep or just listen to via http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

Also at http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com you'll find a large number of rainy-day or rainy-night links to interesting things to see and do and learn about, such as:

If you're blue and you don't know where to go to. http://boingboing.net/2016/03/10/who-is-the-republican-monster.html

You like classic jazz? Here are hundreds of hours of it, all organized and ready to download, free. http://TinyURL.com/DeathByJazz

And some good advice to consider in the truly ridiculously unlikely event of an office or school shooter. Such as: "Keep comfy shoes under your desk so you don't have to run away in uncomfortable shoes." Here's a question: Why should uncomfortable shoes even exist? What kind of an idiot would pay money for uncomfortable shoes?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/activeshooter/

Marco McClean
memo@mcn.org
http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

GHOST TOWN USA

I am meeting with longtime radical environmental anarchists at noon, who are car camping outside of the Washington D.C. beltway; they change camp grounds every two weeks. We will be discussing what can be done in the near total absence of any radical activity happening at the moment in the district. Although there are occasional protests on capitol hill, a large consistent radical presence of any significance is conspicuous by its absence. The anti-nuclear vigil continues in front of the White House, kept going by former substitutes for Concepcion Picciotto (who co-founded the vigil 35 years ago). There is no protest contingent in Lafayette Park. Also, there aren't any signs anywhere in regard to the current political primaries in the district, and nobody is wearing t-shirts of political candidates. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any interest in the political primaries in the district at all. I am booked into a travel hostel for two more nights. You may contact me if you want to actually do anything, such as spiritual rituals to counteract pointless materialism, or co-create street theater useful for dissent at the upcoming political elections in late July in Cleveland and Philadelphia, or we could collaborate on a literary project, or your suggestion here. For the next 48 hours, telephone messages for Craig Louis Stehr may be left for me at (202) 737-2333, and my email continues to be CraigStehr@inbox.com which I check constantly, and I answer all emails.

THE NEXT BIG THING

with Bobby Gunn, Champion of the World

http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/bobby-gunn-champion-of-the-underworld-20160307

YEP, A FORT BRAGG EASTER EGG HUNT

The Fort Bragg Leo Club (youth group of the Lions) has adopted this event.

It will be in the field between Redwood and C.V. Starr, March 26 - 10 AM

Cindy Lemas
Cinders Productions
P.O. Box 757
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
707-357-1889

Hi, Does anyone know if the Easter Egg Hunt at Redwood Elementary Field (to the North of the Aquatics Center) will be happening on Saturday the 26th?

It used to be sponsored by the Kiwanis Club but that is no longer active in this area I understand. Thanks!

Kathleen Fain
C.V. Starr Community Center
Assistant Guest Services Coordinator
kfain@MCRPD.US
(707)964-9446

WILDERNESS FIRST AID COURSE

The skills covered in the below class are essential skills for anyone going recreating or just traipsing about the North Coast.

Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR/AED, March 14-15, 2016

WFA: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

CPR: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on March 14

Location: Fort Bragg, CA

Cost: $125 for WFA and addition $30 for CPR

Wilderness First Aid instruction will be given by Bobbie Foster of Foster Calm. Classes are fun, with lots of hands-on skills practice. In addition to a half day of outdoor scenario practice of 1st aid and leadership skills, this class covers: patient assessment, shock and bleeding, head and spinal injuries, wounds, musculature injuries, heat and cold illnesses, and much more. Gain some good tools and knowledge to handle a wilderness 1st aid emergency. A 3 year Wilderness First Aid card will be issued upon successful completion of the WFA class. A 2 year Adult CPR card will be issued upon successful completion of the Check out www.fostercalm.com for more information.

Thanks, Jeff Laxier, Liquid Fusion Kayaking

THE CANDIDATES

The Charter Project of Mendocino County is proud to announce that 17 candidates from all over the County are running for Charter Commissioner. Voting YES on Measure W in the June 7th presidential primary will create the Charter Commission. You get to vote for 15. The 15 candidates with the most votes will be elected. Measure W asks the county, "Shall a Charter Commission be elected to propose a Mendocino County Charter?” If approved by the voters, a commission of elected volunteers will draft a county charter to be affirmed by the voters in a future election. A charter is like a constitution, but for a county. California is a “home-rule” state, which means it affords cities and counties the opportunity to increase their independence with a home-rule charter. If approved, Mendocino will become the 15th Charter County in California. The following are the dedicated volunteers that would like to redesign our county government structure to empower the citizens, protect our rights, increase Democracy, and lift the county governance out of a quagmire of paralysis.

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THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE!

• Ali Boecker, Fort Bragg
• Mike Burgess, Willits
• Els Cooperrider, Ukiah
• Govinda Dalton, Calpella
• Jed Davis, Potter Valley
• Norman de Vall, Elk
• Lynda McClure, Boonville
• Doug McKenty, Elk
• Ellen Rosser, Point Arena
• Michael St. John, Mendocino
• Steve Scalmanini, Ukiah
• David Sowder, Point Arena
• Robin Sunbeam, Ukiah
• Jim Tarbell, Caspar
• Agnes Woolsey, Mendocino
• Keith Wyner, Fort Bragg
• Mary Zellachild, Willits