Mendocino County Today: January 19, 2021

Dry Wind | Vaccine Recall | Point Arena | Mendo Visitors | 128 Open | Ocean Rock | Wildfire Geyserville | Owl | Clyde Stanley | Comptche 1971 | Romeo Punch | Forest Tracks | PPP Recipients | Yesterday's Catch | Forgetfuls | Zoom Trivia | Quail | About Antifa | Moonfall | Divided Half | Books | Convicting Trump | Pacific Coast | Same Old | Jesus Search | Bad Faith | Trump Roast | Bezos Rescue | Poverty Solution | Pay Raises | Conditional Unity | Energy Alternatives | Twain Hut | Christian Mob | Phone Prognostication | Comments | Who We Are | Trumpians Rejoice | Found Object

DRY OFFSHORE WINDS will dissipate this evening. The next chance of rain will enter the region Thursday evening into Friday, with another round of rain possible Sunday. (NWS)

DR. ERICA PAN, the state's lead Health Department epidemiologist, is calling for clinicians to stop using a batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccines after half a dozen people suffered allergic reactions. More than 330,000 doses of the shot were distributed to 287 providers across the state earlier this month. Six recipients needed medical attention at a mass immunization site in San Diego over 24 hours. Roughly a hundred Mendo Coast people have been vaccinated with Moderna to no reported ill effect.

MENDOCINO COUNTY sent out a press release Monday afternoon containing the following paragraph:

The county has reviewed the lot numbers administered through our mass vaccination clinics as well as the inventory stored in our freezer. We can confirm that none of Mendocino County Public Health’s Moderna vaccine on hand or already administered is associated with Moderna Batch 41L20A - the batch the state is concerned with,” says Vaccine Coordinator Adrienne Thompson.

SEVEN HOURS LATER this revised presser was released [key changes in bold]:

REVISED PRESS RELEASE: 100 Doses Of Mendocino County Public Health’s Moderna Vaccine Included In Batch Causing Higher Allergic Reactions

Dr. Erica S. Pan, the State of California’s lead epidemiologist notified counties on the evening of Sunday, January 18th that the use of a specific lot of the Moderna vaccine should be “paused” due to the possibility of higher allergic reactions, as evidenced by a San Diego County Moderna vaccination episode.

The batch in question was used at a mass vaccination event in San Diego, where six healthcare workers experienced allergic reactions to the Moderna vaccine. Dr. Pan states no other batches have been identified with increased reactions.

“The county has reviewed the lot numbers administered through our mass vaccination clinics as well as the inventory stored in our freezer. Upon further review, we are confirming that 100 doses of Mendocino County Public Health’s Moderna vaccine associated with the batch the state is concerned with were used at a vaccination event at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds on January 7th,” says Vaccine Coordinator Adrienne Thompson.

According to Thompson, all 100 doses were administered at the event and comprised a separate order from the State. No adverse reactions occurred. “County staff will be contacting all 100 individuals that received a vaccine with this lot number to alert them of the recall. No other side effects have been noted from use of this vaccine.

With regard to the tracking of vaccines, Mendocino County Public Health is responsible only for vaccine allotments distributed by the State to Public Health.  

The state separately allocates and distributes vaccine allotments to Adventist Health, to pharmacies and to Indian Health Clinics. It is up to those healthcare entities to administer, track and report all vaccine data to the state.

“Mendocino County does not have access to their vaccine information or their lot numbers,” notes Thompson. “However, these other vaccine providers are continuing to review their Moderna inventory to compare their lot numbers against the state-identified batch in question.”

Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Andrew Coren states that because these are new vaccines, events such as this are not unexpected, and should not deter the public from getting vaccinated.

“This isolated event has not increased the percentage of vaccine reactions, which continue to be about one person in 100,000. Getting vaccinated continues to be the best way for all of us to help move beyond this virus and return to a normal way of life,” he concludes.

The county’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages are the best way to keep updated about vaccinations and all issues related to Covid-19. For specific vaccine-related questions, please phone Mendocino County’s vaccination hotline at (707) 472-2663 or email DOC-vaccine@mendocinocounty.org.

CHRISTIE OLSON DAY (of Gallery Books, in Mendocino) TO SUPERVISOR WILLIAMS

Ted, I'm so frustrated with the number of visitors in town. One of my employees just had a customer from Sonoma say she would be back in February since “Mendocino is the only place open for business!” I want to keep my store open to serve our community, but it feels like we are sitting ducks for the whole state. Sonoma County is under a stay at home order, but clearly this woman (and thousands like her) misunderstand the fact that Mendocino County is not. What can we do to change this?

WILLIAMS: Christie, I don't believe county government has legal foundation to block out of county residents. Stay at home orders are by region. The state will impose restrictions when hospital intensive care bed availability drops below 15% for the region. 

OLSON-DAY: I do understand that it would be a political non-starter, with our ICU capacity where it is now. Appointments and signs are good ideas, but ultimately they just make things more stressful for our employees. There's just no comfortable way to manage all this visitor traffic. Thanks for your response!

UPDATE: CHP reported at 7:10 this morning that Highway 128 is now open.

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HWY 128 REMAINS CLOSED DUE TO SHALLOW FLOODING of a short stretch near the Hwy 1 junction. A lone bicyclist rode through the flood zone and reported the depth is about one foot over the roadway centerline. CalTrans continues to have someone stationed at the flood zone 24 hours, ready to reopen the gates as soon as the flooding recedes and the roadway is safe to use. Last time the road reopened about 2:30 AM. CalTrans highway status page, type in 128 and click the search button: https://roads.dot.ca.gov/

The river water continues to very slowly rise: the level was 4.35 at 5:15 PM today. Navarro River gauge chart (scroll down to the SECOND graph): https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv?site_no=11468000

The sandbar damming the river mouth remains intact despite one person's effort digging a ditch across it in and attempt to start a breach. I observed water flowing through the ditch and thought it might develop into a breach. But then a sleeper wave washed over the sandbar and mostly obliterated the little ditch. The digger was a male young adult carrying a surfboard. He was gone by the time his Navarro Canal was wiped out.

The estuary water level is no more than a foot lower than the crest of the sandbar at its lowest point. A natural breach may occur tonight or tomorrow if conditions allow. If that happens the backed up river water will quickly drain to the sea and end the minor flooding that has kept 128 closed more than 48 hours now.

Whether manmade or natural, a breach will not last long due to lack of recent rain, so there isn't enough river flow to keep the channel open in the face of large surf that tends to close it up again.

The best detour for locals is via Comptche and Flynn Creek Rd to Hwy. 128 west of Rancho Navarro. Both Comptche-Ukiah Rd. and Flynn Cr. Rd. were resurfaced last summer and offer smooth driving.

— Nicholas Wilson

WILDFIRE BURNING EAST OF GEYSERVILLE AS GUSTS HIT OVER 80 MPH IN NORTH BAY MOUNTAINS

Firefighters early Tuesday were continuing their work seeking to contain to a wildfire burning in the wind-whipped hills east of Geyserville, where confirmed gusts reached at least 85 mph overnight.

pressdemocrat.com/article/news/wildfire-burning-east-of-geyserville-as-strong-winds-hit-region/

MENDO COLD CASE: CLYDE DONALD STANLEY

On March 6, 1988 the remains of Clyde Donald Stanley (aka “The Dancing Fox”), a 31-year-old male from Fort Bragg, were found underneath a refrigerator in the area commonly referred to a Chadbourne Gulch, about 10-miles north of Fort Bragg. A forensic autopsy performed revealed that Stanley died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Family members last saw Stanley alive on March 27, 1987, leaving a family member’s house in Willits. Stanley was driving a 1973 yellow Ford Courier pick-up truck with a white camper shell.

Anyone with information in regards to the murder of Clyde Donald Stanley is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip-Line by calling 707-234-2100.

Age at time of disappearance: 31 years-old

Hair: Black

Eye color: Brown

MCSO Case#: 88-0701

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Lucy Stanley: I am his sister and i hope they find the bastard out there that took his life for NO reason. He came up for my dad’s services. He was living in Arizona. It is not fair that someone can just come and do this to someone. One day I will find out.

NO ROMEO IN THIS HOUSE

On Friday, January 15, 2021 at about 1:28 AM Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to contact a reporting person who wanted to report a domestic violence incident that occurred a few days earlier to an adult female (18 years-old).

Deputies contacted the reporting person who advised the adult female had visible injuries to her face. The reporting person reported the adult female's injuries were caused by her cohabitant boyfriend.

Deputies responded to the adult female's residence and conducted a domestic violence investigation.

Upon contact the Deputies learned she was assaulted by her cohabitant boyfriend, Romeo Lopez, 19, of Willits, during an argument that occurred approximately a week earlier.

Deputies learned that during the argument, Lopez punched the adult female in the face causing an injury to her face. Deputies observed bruising on the adult female's face.

Lopez was present at the residence and was arrested for domestic violence battery.

Lopez was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

LOCAL BUSINESSES GET PPP MONEY FROM THE FEDS (PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM)

Mendo's PPP recipients include some of the least deserving entities imaginable, and employees of these recipients are invited to tell us if their paychecks were protected by recipient businesses and non-profits.

The top 20 percent of earners - those making upwards of $100,000 per year - have benefited greatly from the Federal Reserve's unprecedented measures to cushion financial blows wrought by the pandemic, including by dropping benchmark rates to zero and easing credit conditions. Over the past year income inequality in America has neared its highest point in over half a century, raising questions about whether coronavirus relief efforts were misdirected, leaving those who needed help most out in the cold. Analysts fear that future efforts to bolster the US economy - with Joe Biden's administration preparing to deploy billions more dollars of aid in the coming weeks - could further exacerbate the country's wealth gap. 

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• $5-10 million, Mendocino Community Health Clinic, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 318, 2020-04-14, Administration of Public Health ...
• $2-5 million, Advanced Mfg. & Dev., Willits, CA 95490, 147, 2020-04-09, Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing
• $2-5 million, J. A. Sutherland, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 500, 2020-04-09, Limited-Service Restaurants
• $2-5 million, Nick Barbieri Trucking LLC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-05-03, General Freight Trucking, Local
• $2-5 million, Redwood Community Services, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 310, 2020-04-13, Child and Youth Services
• $1-2 million, Anderson Logging, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 77, 2020-04-15, Logging
• $1-2 million, C&S Waste Solutions Of California, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 22, 2020-04-27, Solid Waste Collection
• $1-2 million, Consolidated Tribal Health Project, Inc., Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 67, 2020-04-10, All Other Miscellaneous Ambulatory
• $1-2 million, Coyote Valley Entertainment Enterprises, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 184, 2020-04-28, Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
• $1-2 million, Cypress Holdings Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 135, 2020-04-14, Supermarkets and Other Grocery)
• $1-2 million, Maverick Enterprises, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 104, 2020-05-07, Aluminum Sheet, Plate, and Foil ...
• $1-2 million, Mendo Mill And Lumber Co, Ukiah, CA 95482, 225, 2020-04-15, Home Centers
• $1-2 million, Mendocino Coast Clinics, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 112, 2020-04-28, Family Planning Centers
• $1-2 million, North Coast Brewing Company, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 114, 2020-04-13, Breweries
• $1-2 million, North Coast Opportunities, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 240, 2020-04-27, Other Individual and Family Serv...
• $1-2 million, Retech Systems LLC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 51, 2020-04-15, Heating Equipment (except Warm A...
• $1-2 million, Sparetime Supply, Inc., Willits, CA 95490, 121, 2020-04-15, Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm...
• $350,000-1 million, Acme Rigging Company, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 26, 2020-04-15, Other Commercial Equipment Merch...
• $350,000-1 million, Anderson Valley Health Center, Inc., Boonville, CA 95415, 30, 2020-04-29, Offices of Physicians (except Me...
• $350,000-1 million, Ardzrooni Vineyard Management, LLC, Philo, CA 95466, 94, 2020-04-29, Grape Vineyards
• $350,000-1 million, Barnett Logging Inc, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 8, 2020-05-04, Logging
• $350,000-1 million, Caito Fisheries Inc, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 70, 2020-04-14, Seafood Product Preparation and ...
• $350,000-1 million, Chevalier Vineyard Management, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-05-01, Grape Vineyards
• $350,000-1 million, Factory Pipe, LLC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 49, 2020-04-15, Automobile Manufacturing
• $350,000-1 million, Frey Vineyards, LTD, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 51, 2020-04-07, Wineries
• $350,000-1 million, Golden State Wealth Management, LLC, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 45, 2020-04-15, Investment Advice
• $350,000-1 million, Ken Fowler Motors, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-04-11, New Car Dealers
• $350,000-1 million, Little River Inn, Inc, Little River, CA 95456, 110, 2020-04-15, Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
• $350,000-1 million, Long Valley Health Center, Inc., Laytonville, CA 95454, 36, 2020-04-15, Administration of Public Health ...
• $350,000-1 million, Mainsheet Capital, Inc., Boonville, CA 95415, 46, 2020-04-09, Breweries
• $350,000-1 million, Mendocino Animal Hospital, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 23, 2020-04-29, Veterinary Services
• $350,000-1 million, Mendocino Wine Group, LLC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-04-27, Wineries
• $350,000-1 million, Navarro Vineyards LLC, Philo, CA 95466, 62, 2020-04-16, Wineries
• $350,000-1 million, NCRM, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 27, 2020-04-29, Support Activities for Forestry
• $350,000-1 million, Noble Vineyard Management, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 150, 2020-04-13, Grape Vineyards
• $350,000-1 million, North Coast Energy Services, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 36, 2020-04-15, Environment, Conservation and Wi...
• $350,000-1 million, North State Investments, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 84, 2020-04-14, Limited-Service Restaurants
• $350,000-1 million, Pacific Medical Resources, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 172, 2020-04-14, All Other Miscellaneous Store 
• $350,000-1 million, Pacific Redwood Medical Group, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-05-01, Offices of Physicians (except Me...
• $350,000-1 million, Paulson Excavating, Inc, Albion, CA 95410, 21, 2020-04-13, Site Preparation Contractors
• $350,000-1 million, Redwood Coast Medical Services, Gualala, CA 95445, 65, 2020-04-14, Offices of Physicians, Mental He...
• $350,000-1 million, Redwood Quality Management Company, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 36, 2020-04-04, Specialty (except Psychiatric an...
• $350,000-1 million, Rinehart Oil, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 62, 2020-04-14, Other Gasoline Stations
• $350,000-1 million, Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation, Ukiah, CA 95482, 70, 2020-04-16, Administration of Housing Progra...
• $350,000-1 million, Sherwood Oaks Enterprises, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 90, 2020-05-01, Continuing Care Retirement Commu...
• $350,000-1 million, Sherwood Valley Casino, Willites, CA 95490, 81, 2020-04-28, Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
• $350,000-1 million, Silver's Wharf, LLC, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 68, 2020-04-15, Full-Service Restaurants
• $350,000-1 million, Solid Wastes Of Willits, Inc., Willits, CA 95490, 74, 2020-04-27, Solid Waste Collection
• $350,000-1 million, Soto Bros Farm Labor Contractor Inc., Hopland, CA 95449, 250, 2020-06-04, Farm Management Services
• $350,000-1 million, Stanford Inn, Mendocino, CA 95460, 74, 2020-04-27, Hotels (except Casino Hotels) an...
• $350,000-1 million, Tapestry Family Services, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 36, 2020-04-14, Offices of Physicians, Mental Health
• $350,000-1 million, The Homestead Exchange Cooperative, Incorporated, Ukiah, CA 95482, 90, 2020-06-26, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (...
• $350,000-1 million, Thurston Auto Group, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 38, 2020-04-27, New Car Dealers
• $350,000-1 million, Thurston Auto Plaza, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 72, 2020-04-27, New Car Dealers
• $350,000-1 million, Ukiah Car Center LLC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 30, 2020-05-03, New Car Dealers
• $350,000-1 million, William C. Pauli, Potter Valley, CA 95469, 48, 2020-04-13, Grape Vineyards
• $350,000-1 million, Willits Redwood Company, Inc., Willits, CA 95490, 29, 2020-04-08, Direct Health and Medical Insura...
• $350,000-1 million, Wylatti Resource Management Inc, Covelo, CA 95428, 63, 2020-05-02, Highway, Street, and Bridge Cons...
• $150,000-350,000, Albion River Inn, Inc., Albion, CA 95410, 50, 2020-04-29, Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
• $150,000-350,000, All In One Repair & Towing, Ukiah, CA 95482, 20, 2020-04-12, Motor Vehicle Towing
• $150,000-350,000, Aum Construction, Inc., Mendocino, CA 95460, 36, 2020-04-15, Industrial Building Construction
• $150,000-350,000, Baechtel Creek Medical Clinic, Willits, CA 95490, 25, 2020-05-03, Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health.
• $150,000-350,000, Beto's FLC, Inc., Talmage, CA 95481, 45, 2020-04-28, General Freight Trucking, Local
• $150,000-350,000, BRH Associates, Inc., Boonville, CA 95415, 23, 2020-04-14, Hotels (except Casino Hotels) an...
• $150,000-350,000, Broiler Steak House, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 45, 2020-04-28, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Brutocao Vineyards, Inc., Hopland, CA 95449, 32, 2020-04-14, Grape Vineyards
• $150,000-350,000, Camp Navarro Stewards, LLC, Navarro, CA 95463, 42, 2020-05-03, 
• $150,000-350,000, Canteen Service Of Ukiah, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 15, 2020-04-15, Vending Machine Operators
• $150,000-350,000, Carter Momsen PC, Ukiah, CA 95482, 9, 2020-04-12, Offices of Lawyers
• $150,000-350,000, Cave Investments, Inc., Willits, CA 95490, 20, 2020-04-28, Automotive Parts and Accessories...
• $150,000-350,000, Cerro Pacific Lumber Inc, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 48, 2020-05-01, Lessors of Nonresidential Buildi...
• $150,000-350,000, Charles L Barra And Martha E Barra Living Trust, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 28, 2020-05-01, Grape Vineyards
• $150,000-350,000, Cold Creek Compost, Inc, Ukiah, CA 95482, 27, 2020-04-28, Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufac...
• $150,000-350,000, Community Care Management Corporation, Ukiah, CA 95482, 50, 2020-04-29, Other Individual and Family Serv...
• $150,000-350,000, Coyote Valley Retail Enterprises, Redwood Valley, CA 95470, 26, 2020-04-28, Gasoline Stations with Convenien...
• $150,000-350,000, Ellie'S Mutt Hut & Vegetarian Cafe, Ukiah, CA 95482, 43, 2020-04-11, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Empire Contracting Inc, Gualala, CA 95445, 17, 2020-04-04, Residential Remodelers
• $150,000-350,000, Ford Street Project, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 34, 2020-04-28, Residential Mental Health and Su...
• $150,000-350,000, Geiger's Long Valley Market LLC, Laytonville, CA 95454, 36, 2020-04-11, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (...
• $150,000-350,000, Glen Ellen Star, LLC, Gualala, CA 95445, 26, 2020-04-16, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Goodlife Cafe, Inc., Mendocino, CA 95460, 24, 2020-04-29, Limited-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Gregg Simpson Trucking, Ukiah, CA 95482, 10, 2020-04-28, Other Heavy and Civil Engineerin...
• $150,000-350,000, Gualala Supermarket, Inc., Gualala, CA 95445, 35, 2020-06-27, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (...
• $150,000-350,000, H&M Logging, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 41, 2020-04-29, Logging
• $150,000-350,000, HC GP Inc., Philo, CA 95466, 22, 2020-04-29, Wineries
• $150,000-350,000, Husch Vineyards, Inc., Philo, CA 95466, 54, 2020-04-16, Wineries
• $150,000-350,000, I & E Lath Mill, Inc., Philo, CA 95466, 33, 2020-04-27, Sawmills
• $150,000-350,000, Institute Of Om LLC, Philo, CA 95466, 0, 2020-05-03, Internet Publishing and Broadcas...
• $150,000-350,000, Jacobszoon And Associates, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 24, 2020-04-30, Support Activities for Forestry
• $150,000-350,000, Johnson Family Ranch, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 23, 2020-04-28, All Other Animal Production
• $150,000-350,000, Keffeler Pharmaceutical Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 25, 2020-04-28, Pharmaceutical Preparation Manuf...
• $150,000-350,000, Kemppe Liquid Gas Corporation, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 22, 2020-04-28, Natural Gas Distribution
• $150,000-350,000, KM Jeffers Dental Corp, Ukiah, CA 95482, 12, 2020-04-08, Offices of Dentists
• $150,000-350,000, L.D. Giacomini Enterprises Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 11, 2020-04-10, Commercial and Institutional Bui...
• $150,000-350,000, Law Offices Of Duncan M. James, Ukiah, CA 95482, 9, 2020-04-13, Offices of Lawyers
• $150,000-350,000, Maccallum Properties, Inc., Mendocino, CA 95460, 75, 2020-04-28, Hotels (except Casino Hotels) an...
• $150,000-350,000, Madfam, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 6, 2020-04-28, Farm Product Warehousing and Sto...
• $150,000-350,000, Manchester PT Arena Band Of Pomo Indians, Point Arena, CA 95468, 41, 2020-04-27, Casinos (except Casino Hotels)
• $150,000-350,000, Manzanita Services, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 40, 2020-04-29, Services for the Elderly and Per...
• $150,000-350,000, Mariposa Natural Foods, Willits, CA 95490, 49, 2020-05-04, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (...
• $150,000-350,000, Mayfield Equipment Company, Ukiah, CA 95482, 77, 2020-04-15, Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm...
• $150,000-350,000, McCarty'S Auto Body, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 16, 2020-04-28, Automotive Body, Paint, and Inte...
• $150,000-350,000, McFarland Trucking Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 21, 2020-04-04, Specialized Freight (except Used...
• $150,000-350,000, Mendocino Cafe, Inc., Mendocino, CA 95460, 109, 2020-04-14, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Corporation, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 30, 2020-04-30, Zoos and Botanical Gardens
• $150,000-350,000, Mendocino Onsen Corporation, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-04-27, Hotels (except Casino Hotels) an...
• $150,000-350,000, Mendocino Private Industry Council, Ukiah, CA 95482, 14, 2020-04-15, Other Grantmaking and Giving Ser...
• $150,000-350,000, Mendocino Village And Coast Pharmacies, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 15, 2020-04-28, Pharmacies and Drug Stores
• $150,000-350,000, Milovina Vineyards, Inc., Hopland, CA 95449, 35, 2020-05-08, Grape Vineyards
• $150,000-350,000, Nelson And Sons Incorporated, Ukiah, CA 95482, 18, 2020-04-15, Fruit and Tree Nut Combination F...
• $150,000-350,000, New Trend Wireless Inc, Ukiah, CA 95482, 21, 2020-04-29, Electronics Stores
• $150,000-350,000, North Cal Wood Products I, Ukiah, CA 95482, 28, 2020-05-03, Sawmills
• $150,000-350,000, Novick & Associates, Inc, Gualala, CA 95445, 2, 2020-06-01, Offices of Lawyers
• $150,000-350,000, Noyo Harbor Inn, LLC, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 36, 2020-04-28, Bed-and-Breakfast Inns
• $150,000-350,000, Patrona Restaurant And Lounge, Ukiah, CA 95482, 35, 2020-04-14, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Patterson's Pub Mendocino LLC, Mendocino, CA 95460, 24, 2020-04-16, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Performance Coatings, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 20, 2020-04-15, Paint and Coating Manufacturing
• $150,000-350,000, Peter Pugger Manufacturing Inc, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-04-11, Other Major Household Appliance ...
• $150,000-350,000, Professional Event Services, Ukiah, CA 95482, 32, 2020-04-15, Security Guards and Patrol Servi...
• $150,000-350,000, Rap Investors, LP, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 47, 2020-04-15, Hotels (except Casino Hotels) an...
• $150,000-350,000, Redwood Empire Title Company Of Mendocino County, Ukiah, CA 95482, 19, 2020-04-29, Direct Title Insurance Carriers
• $150,000-350,000, Selzer Realty & Associates Re/Max, Ukiah, CA 95482, 13, 2020-04-28, Offices of Real Estate Agents an...
• $150,000-350,000, Shuster's Transportation Inc, Willits, CA 95490, 16, 2020-05-05, General Freight Trucking, Local
• $150,000-350,000, Sonoma Sweeper Inc, Ukiah, CA 95482, 24, 2020-05-01, Landscaping Services
• $150,000-350,000, Sportz Investment Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 16, 2020-04-13, New Car Dealers
• $150,000-350,000, St Mary Of The Angel's Catholic School, Ukiah, CA 95482, 33, 2020-04-27, Elementary and Secondary Schools
• $150,000-350,000, Strictly Vineyards, LLC, Boonville, CA 95415, 29, 2020-04-28, Grape Vineyards
• $150,000-350,000, Surf Super Market, Inc., Gualala, CA 95445, 0, 2020-04-27, Supermarkets and Other Grocery (...
• $150,000-350,000, Swithenbank Construction, Inc., Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 13, 2020-04-29, Commercial and Institutional Bui...
• $150,000-350,000, Tali Pak Lumber Services LLC, Hopland, CA 95449, 34, 2020-04-28, Sawmills
• $150,000-350,000, Tan Oak Financial, Ukiah, CA 95482, 13, 2020-06-02, Telemarketing Bureaus and Other ...
• $150,000-350,000, Thanksgiving Coffee Co,Inc-GP, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 23, 2020-04-16, Breweries
• $150,000-350,000, The Coffee Critic Inc., Dba Black Oak Coffee Roasters, Ukiah, CA 95482, 8, 2020-05-03, All Other Specialty Food Stores
• $150,000-350,000, The Fasiha Company LLC, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, 30, 2020-04-14, 
• $150,000-350,000, Thurston Auto Company, Inc., Ukiah, CA 95482, 19, 2020-04-27, New Car Dealers
• $150,000-350,000, Toki Corporation, Ukiah, CA 95482, 0, 2020-04-27, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Ukiah Brewing Company, Ukiah, CA 95482, 27, 2020-04-14, Full-Service Restaurants
• $150,000-350,000, Walter Stornetta Ranch, Manchester, CA 95459, 21, 2020-04-11, Dairy Cattle and Milk Production
• $150,000-350,000, Wylatti Enterprises, LLC, Covelo, CA 95428, 14, 2020-04-28, Logging
• $150,000-350,000, Zab Enterprises Incorporated

CATCH OF THE DAY, January 18, 2021

SHANNON ARNOLD, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol. (Frequent flyer.)

SHANIQUEA BENT-MIDDLETON, Willits. Domestic battery.

TERESA GARNER, Ukiah. Resisting/threatening.

MICHAEL MCCLELLAN, Fort Bragg. Attempted burglary, brandishing, hit&run with property damage, false ID.

FOREST NICHOLSON, Fort Bragg. Domestic battery.

SHAYANN OLIVER, Emeryville/Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

AV VILLAGE GENERAL TRIVIA WITH THE COORDINATOR

Tuesday January 19th, 4:30 to 5:30 PM

Join us for General Trivia with the AV Village Coordinator and have a little fun and learn some new useful facts?! I am always looking for new ideas - let me know if you would like to lead a round. Please RSVP with the coordinator so we can get an idea of attendance, thank you.

Same Zoom link & password for all AV Village Events: https://gmail.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cea1e601922fa82e47579cc80&id=6b7e8b6351&e=358077c1c9

Meeting ID: 434 337 6734

Passcode: avv

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Dial by your location: +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

JEFF BLANKFORT ON ANTIFA: 

It is time to do some critical thinking about Antifa which has been accused of and used by Trump and his followers as the face of a dangerous violent enemy. It began in Portland in 2007, nine years before the founding of the Proud Boys and its existence arguably has produced the opposite of its intended goals, a proliferation of militant right wing groups who led the invasion of the capitol on January 6.

But what is or should be curious is that nowhere on its website is there a single mention of America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone a condemnation of US imperialism. And the police don't seem interested in arresting them, in Portland or elsewhere.

On its website there is a list of question and answers about Antifa, one of which stands out: "What is Black Bloc? Why do you all wear black? (The answer, of course, is that it provides an open invitation for the police and government agents to infiltrate the organization.)

Antifa's answer: "Black bloc is a tactic where large groups of people wear all black to conceal their features. This helps us stay anonymous, reduce the risk of state repression, and demonstrate group solidarity."

It should be recalled that in 1999, when a large non-violent protest in Seattle shut down the annual convention of the WTO (World Trade Org.), arguably the most successful left protest in US history, the Black Block made its debut, AFTER the victory, breaking store and bank windows while the cops stood and watched. For the mainstream media, that became the story. Jump to Portland which had more than 100 days of late evening violent protests. Out of 153 people arrested by the Portland police and released shortly thereafter, only one was linked to Antifa.

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I hope that half the country can eventually settle into just being annoyed at the administration in power, as has pretty much always been the case in my lifetime. With the purge going on, I don’t think that will be so easy this time around, though.

And I hope when Biden is removed from office that it’s only due to his cognitive loss, and not something that can be blamed on a “right-wing extremist”.

That would be very, very bad.

Let the man retire to the rec room with his presidential-monogrammed shuffleboard cue.

CAN TRUMP BE CONVICTED?

by Ralph Nader

Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, a graduate of Harvard Law School, asked his colleagues: “If inciting a deadly insurrection is not enough to get a president impeached, then what is?” Ten Republicans voted for Impeachment, but 197 House Republicans disagreed. Trump incited the crowd in person on the Mall. He lied to his supporters saying, “I’ll be with you” on the march to the Capitol. Trump then refused to call the crowd back when it turned into a mob that violently stormed into the Capitol. Trump scurried back to the White House to gleefully watch on TV his “special people” rampage through the Congress with destructive intent.

Why should the GOP obeisance to Trump, the Mobster in Chief, this recidivist criminal, a violator of many provisions of the Constitution, obstructor of justice “as a daily way of life” according to his former national security advisor John Bolton, and hourly lying sociopath, surprise anyone?

Congressional Republicans have aided and abetted, for four years, Trump’s assertion that “With Article II, I can do whatever I want as president.” Dangerous Donald did just that. He finally incited a massive, homicidal street crime against the very Congress that let him get away with everything, day after day, as if there were no laws and no Constitution to be observed whatsoever.

The GOP speakers who defended Trump in the House Impeachment debate will go down in history as unsurpassed political cowards and lying bloviators, led by Trump clone, belligerent Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. Trump’s Congressional protectors, however, failed. The House of Representatives voted for Articles of Impeachment that are on their way to the Senate for a certain trial. The Senate should convict treacherous unrepentant Trump and ban him from ever seeking federal office again.

In the days before the trial, more incriminating evidence will emerge.

Already, a GAO investigation is underway into Republican lawmakers suspected of being complicit in aiding the mob’s objective of physically overturning the results of the presidential election. Evidence of early facilitation both before and during the armed invasion is reaching investigators, including the involvement by some Capitol Police and other police officers in plain clothes.

Trump’s business allies and supporters are not waiting for any verdicts. Major corporations such as Disney, Coca-Cola, and J.P. Morgan Chase have suspended campaign contributions to the GOP. Last week, the powerful National Association of Manufacturers demanded that Trump be removed from office under the 25th Amendment. Trump’s banks, to whom he owes hundreds of millions of dollars, are distancing themselves from their insatiable borrower. New York City has canceled its contract with the Trump corporation. More cancellations of deals with TRUMP, Inc. will come.

Though verbally defiant, admitting no mistakes, and as usual taking no responsibility, Trump is a broken man, assailing his most loyal subjects including total toady Vice President Mike Pence. Deprived of his Twitter machine and other Internet platforms, Trump will soon be a besieged debtor, a manyfold investigated and sued defendant abandoned by the likes of Mitch McConnell.

The calculus of political survival for the just re-elected McConnell’s Congressional Republicans has changed. In the minority, no longer will Republicans be able to confirm corporatist judges or pass Trump-like corporate tax cuts for the super-rich, or dismantle health and safety regulations.

But out on the MAGA hustings, Trump may be a huge tormentor, raising money and wanting to run again. Such a prospect is intolerable to McConnell. That is why he is turning against Trump by declining to oppose Impeachment and signaling that he may unleash his Republican Senators to convict Trump, if only for their own political survival. The GOP polls are slipping and will slip more as the toxic stench of what occurred before and during the January 6th attack increases.

McConnell does not want Trump either to run or threaten to run again in 2024. The only way that yoke can be lifted is to free 17 or more Republican Senators to vote for conviction followed by a simple majority vote banning Trump from future federal office.

Out of office and prohibited from regaining office, Trump will be increasingly defined by his more violent, hardcore Trumpsters. Trump being Trump, will not oppose their street actions. He will want to continue to address and exhort his followers to remain a political force.

This entanglement is already underway. While Washington, D.C. is brimming with thousands of soldiers, police, and surveillance technology, the Trump militants are unfazed. They are planning more protests.

According to Pentagon officials, reported in the New York Times, “Some 16 groups – some of them saying they will be armed and most of them made up of hardline supporters of Mr. Trump – have registered to stage protests.” This cannot be good political news for the Congressional Republicans left behind after the Trump family departs the White House.

What are the probabilities that a conviction in the Senate will be achieved? Better than 50/50, given the survival instincts of the politicians wanting the felonious Trump off their backs.

As for Trump, what he has left until noon on January 20th, barring some last-gasp grotesque eruption, is the pardon power for his closest allies like Rudy Giuliani, his family, and himself. He could enlarge the range of pardons by declaring a Day of Forgiveness on January 19th with general pardons of deserving, elderly prisoners, political prisoners, and nonviolent drug offenders in the federal prisons.

However, such a vision is inconsistent with narcissism. We’ll see.

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY #2

Does it matter what Joe Biden says or does? He was an undistinguished senator at best having not even sponsored, let alone accompished, anything noteworthy in his decades-long Senate tenure, and a craven errand boy for financial institutions, both government and private, at worst. Then, for eight years he was an irrelevant vice president to a very polished but solidly mainstream President. The only reason he ran (or was put up to run) was to keep Bernie Sanders from getting the nomination. And the only reason he won was that he was the only candidate who wasn’t Trump. While he is being criticized by Republicans for various “progressive”-sounding noises, that’s all obviously lip service because the top Dems will cynically prevent anything remotely “progressive” from passing and blame it on the Republicans. Besides, Biden is only a figurehead for a loose collection of grasping conventional interest groups and has neither the motivation or the energy to push for any of it. Neither do his over-the-hill Demo pals in the House and Senate. I am amused by the various “progressives” who call on their fellow “progressives” to “demand” this or that. On penality of what? DNC Democrats know that the powerless progressives have absolutely zero leverage because in the end they know that the progressives have no choice but to vote for whoever the DNC puts up to keep from getting another boogey-man Republican. Like Clinton and Obama before him, Biden can be expected to be objectively worse than Bush or Trump on some issues (predominantly international) and better on a few other mainstream no-brainers. But as for the big problems facing the country: job loss and climate change, Biden’s record alone is all anyone needs to know where that will go. The only real questions for now is a) whether the country can hold anything remotely together (“uniting us” in the laughable terms Biden uses) before Biden shuffles off the stage? And b) who among the next generation of politicians will pop up next? If the best we get are a Kamala Harris type vs. a Kevin McCarthy type in next presidential election, would anyone expect the current trajectory to improve?

THE ZEITGEIST WANTS WHAT THE ZEITGEIST WANTS

by James Kunstler

Is the USA about to be cancelled? The nation’s irresolvable affairs festered in an ominous globe of silence through the weekend as the Potemkin inauguration of Joe Biden loomed just days ahead. With actual news scant, rumor frizzled through America’s neural network like political neuralgia, prompting little gleeps of pain in both the Red and Blue camps. Were those thirty-something-thousand troops in Washington DC posted to fend off an attack of white supremacists? What was that strange military aircraft traffic from Rome, Italy, to Oklahoma City about? How come Veep Mike Pence went to Fort Drum, home of the army’s fabled 10th Mountain Division, in wintry upstate New York?

The hypothetical Biden Administration is shaping up to be something like a four-year-long séance, a conjuring of apparitions wailing out talking points in a darkened room. The actual location of the inaugural event remains a mystery, or even if it will be an event, maybe just a pre-recorded video concoction of Mr. Biden’s greatest hits of 2020. Check and see if he’s wearing the same necktie from beginning to end. If a hologram is inaugurated, does that make the land-mass between Montauk and Santa Barbara a post-structural figment? The “president-elect,” made an ectoplasmic appearance Sunday talking up “science,” the Democrat’s mental life-preserver, and then shuffled offstage in an apparent fog of confusion as the Ritalin wore off. He’ll be great in the war room, I’m sure.

The mystery surrounding DNI John Ratcliffe’s long overdue report on foreign interference in the election cleared up only a little with the release of a letter sent January 8th to the Senate Intelligence Committee. In it, citing a side report from Intel Community Ombudsman Barry Zulauf, Mr. Ratcliffe refers to “undue pressure being brought to bear” on analysts by CIA management to craft their conclusions according to political loyalties. In other words, once again the CIA appears to be playing games with the American people and can’t be trusted. Isn’t that reassuring?

Meanwhile, The New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC have turned into a nonstop gloat-fest anticipating the punishments to be dished out by progressive Wokesterdom against anyone who ever entertained a thought about or uttered the phrase “stolen election.” They can kiss their livelihoods goodbye. Their college degrees will be revoked by such bastions of free thinking as Harvard. Their websites will be liquidated. Senators and congresspersons must be thrown out of their seats. They’ll be reduced to squatting on filthy blankets at the entrance of the Walmart begging for spare change, or hauled off to re-education camps where NPR lawyers with riding crops preside over their therapeutic struggle sessions, beating the wrongthink out of their hides. For Democrats, vengeance is a dish to be served piping hot. Would you like flies with your shit sandwich?

First up, the Dems promise, will be an executive order granting amnesty to an estimated 11-million illegal immigrants, along with Democratic Party registration cards, to buffer up the voter rolls for elections yet-to-come forever more, with a caravan of additional thousands from Honduras conveniently heading north to the US border just as the Biden “team” has announced they intend to ease the rules for claiming asylum. That will surely be welcome news to the millions of Americans whose jobs, livelihoods, and businesses have been destroyed by Covid-19 lockdowns.

And what of the fellow who remains president for hours now measured in mere double-digits? That’d be Mr. Trump. Is he simply moping around the Oval Office on a heap of My Pillows as the end nears, awaiting the punishments promised by every George Soros-backed DA in the land and their Lawfare allies inside the Beltway? That would be unlike the man. You could sure make the case that whoever is president after Wednesday noon is likely to drown under a world-beating tsunami of financial and economic woes. Why not just pass that old baton to holographic Joe? Let him flail and flounder in the foamy slop of radical discontinuity.

Well, for one reason, it would be less than patriotic to leave one’s country to a hologram, essentially leaderless, and in thrall to sinister forces with other than the national interest in mind, that is, the citizens’ interests. And yet, to do your duty while breaking the long chain of peaceable transitions from one party of good faith to another is an awesome and fateful step into the unknown. But, if the election itself was a kind of coup, if once good faith has become bad faith, well, that sort of changes everything. How this melodrama turns depends on the information at hand. Does the president have it or not? Something is going to drop in the hours ahead. Will it be consequential? Will it correct anything that’s gone wrong? Or will it just drive the country closer to civil war?

(Support Kunstler’s writing by visiting his Patreon Page.)

AMAZON SHOULD DELIVER VACCINES

The battle against COVID-19 can be considered a war. To prevail, expertise in logistics is necessary. One could consider the vials of vaccine like bullets in a conventional war. I am pleased that our military is participating in this effort.

Having said that, I would suggest that Amazon has the ability, second to none, to place items in the hands of those needing them efficiently. Furthermore, it operates internationally. If Jeff Bezos and his organization were to take charge of this task, it would yield amazing results.

If Bezos were to do this at the expense of his company, it would be a fantastic act of altruism never before seen. I hope that this suggestion will somehow be brought to his attention.

— Terry Ramseyer, Half Moon Bay

PAY RAISES for most of San Francisco’s municipal workforce just kicked in — they add about $2,340 a year to the annual base pay of an experienced Muni driver, about $3,633 more for a registered nurse, and a whopping $10,000 to $14,000 for the city’s top executives. For Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax, that 3% increase means a $13,968 raise to $479,580. But Colfax has donated his raise to the city’s COVID relief efforts, so his salary stays at $465,612. (Colfax is the home-schooled son of David and Micki Colfax of Boonville.) — Phil Matier, SF Chron

“OIL IS NOTHING MORE than a bridge solution to something far better. And that will happen, despite the profound ignorance of those willing to destroy the planet in the service of that black filth.”

Sadly, we are a long way from being able to construct a Dyson sphere around the sun to harvest enough energy for our needs, You’re a fool if you actually believe your statement. All those solar panels are built using oil products, and they don’t last forever. Nice to have a few if you are camping, but to run your house? You’ll need backup. The alternatives are mere distractions, toys. Rain, or a cloudy day do not enhance the function of solar panels. Calm weather is not conducive to the running of windmills. I know. My city bought one some years back, and I’ve never actually seen it turning. Perhaps they only bought it for backup, so they can adequately suppress us when the time comes. The cop shop in the next town has a huge array of solar panels. Just wait until rocks are thrown at it. All those Teslas have to be plugged into the electric grid, run primarily on that black filth, so they actually still run on gas, only one step removed from the source, and probably more expensively, just so you can feel superior. Once rolling blackouts set in, you might have trouble powering it up at all. You’ll be riding shanks mare, just like the rest of us.

A CHRISTIAN MOB

Beth Stoneburner on Patheos:

Before self-proclaimed members of the far-right group the Proud Boys marched toward the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, they stopped to kneel in the street and prayed in the name of Jesus.

The group, whose participants have espoused misogynistic and anti-immigrant views, prayed for God to bring “reformation and revival.” They gave thanks for “the wonderful nation we’ve all been blessed to be in.” They asked God for the restoration of their “value systems,” and for the “courage and strength to both represent you and represent our culture well.” And they invoked the divine protection for what was to come.

The presence of Christian rituals, symbols and language was unmistakable on Wednesday in Washington. There was a mock campaign banner, “Jesus 2020,” in blue and red; an “Armor of God” patch on a man’s fatigues; a white cross declaring “Trump won” in all capitals. 

All of this was interspersed with allusions to QAnon conspiracy theories, Confederate flags and anti-Semitic T-shirts...

ON LINE COMMENTS OF THE WEEK

[1] Hopefully those who have supported Trump in the past (like me) will wake up and smell the roses. The REASON so many supported him (about 45 % of the voters) is that we were (and still are) tired of 25 years of a DO--NOTHING congress and white house. Trump came along and appeared willing to sidestep all the BS and get things moving again. What we didn't realize was that he was most likely a sociopath, psychopath or a wanna be dictator. We drank the Kool-Aid. In desperation .... Now what?

[2] Twitter is not in any way, shape or form a “public square”. It is a company, albeit a very large company, but still a company, not the government, that is run by a relatively small number of people. These people, others at “big tech”, other companies and individuals are editing content and choosing sides, based on what they saw on 1/6, as is their guaranteed right based on the First Amendment. They listened to the same speeches and watched the same videos you did on 1/6, and decided, for the most part, the scene displayed was not the side they wanted to be on. You are all now whining apparently because, surprise, surprise, they didn’t choose that side (your side?).

Also, consider the alternative. What if the government had the right to force these companies to carry content that they disagreed with, thought was false, broke the law, or could lead to violence? If you want to read the text of the First Amendment, you’ll see that idea is actually the opposite of the First Amendment. The truth is, Donald Trump has absolutely no interest in free speech, unless that speech happens to agree with him. Not so with Twitter or Facebook, despite the apocalyptic claims on this blog. You can still get an account on those platforms and post whatever you want and, so long as you don’t break any laws, the worst that might happen is it could be flagged as untruthful. But, sorry, you as an individual are still liable for what you say and any resulting consequences. So, why do you think Trump wants to repeal the Section 230 law? For free speech? No, he wants to open up the companies themselves to liability so that he, as the most powerful person on earth (for a little while longer), could sue them for disagreeing with him, as would then be his right whether or not the lawsuits would ultimately be successful (you’ve been watching the last two months, right?). I wonder what that would do for “free speech” on the internet.

Don’t worry, it won’t be long before another platform pops up to fill the vacuum created as the gas clears from Trump’s Twitter account. Maybe it will even be a platform that is run by Trump himself, if he is true to his word. On that platform, he’ll be able to exercise his First Amendment rights, say anything he wants, and abuse or banish anyone who disagrees with him. It will be beautiful, everyone says so.

[3] That’s because politicians play people and they seize upon a misinformed electorate i.e. “stupid people” who have been domesticated with TV, sports, food, sex and celebrity news. Politicians never have our interest at heart. They don’t care about me, you or anybody else. As long as it serves THEIR AGENDA, that’s all that matters even if it means watching and encouraging you to destroy your neighborhood including injuring and possibly killing your neighbor. They are capable of lighting a match and starting a civil war and standing back, watching the fireworks until it burns out, then zoom in for the kill by “seizing more control and power over you.

Fortunately, I figured it out long ago and it’s why I have no party affiliation and have never voted.

What really matters most is the “UNIPARTY” finally showing its face and true colors and coming out from behind the curtain. It’s been a one party system disguised as Democrats and Republicans for ages. 

[4] Joe Biden: a virtual candidate elected in a virtual election, sworn-in via a virtual inauguration to preside over a virtual presidency. Virtually no one has physically attended any public event with him in attendance since 2019. See also ‘Wizard of Oz.’

[5] The 20,000 National Guard in DC are just there for show; more olive-drab theatrics of the type we’ve been treated to since 9/11. Absolutely nothing will happen; the freakshow of January 6 served its purpose — justifying a further expansion of the omnipresent “Securitate” and pushing the narrative of an ever-present threat of White supremacist insurgents (now that the Islamic terror threat seems a bit long in the tooth).

The Great Trumpkin has proved himself to be a feckless, self-absorbed spoiled brat, ever ready to leave his supporters twisting in the wind and holding the bag. The best historical analogue is probably “Bonnie Prince Charlie” scurrying away dressed as a woman while the highlanders got sliced to ribbons by the redcoats.

Still, I voted for him over Sleepy Joe.

I’ve voted in ELEVEN presidential elections, and the choices got worse every damn time.

[6] Trump lost over 50 (is it over 60 now?) court cases on the election issue, and gave him only one tiny win. And the supreme court rejected him again:

Generally I trust judges because they don’t have to be raising money and securing influence for the next election. Generally I trust the results the judicial system produces because it’s designed to seek out truth. It’s highly imperfect, but it does evaluate based on evidence, precedent and rule of law.

On top of that, and I hate that it’s the case, but I find myself trusting the judges who threw out all those Trump cases because so many of them are Trump appointees. Trump managed to squeeze three onto the Supreme Court, and fully expected them to come to his rescue in his time of need. They didn’t. And I think that’s because, however much I disagree with their politics, they answer to a higher power: Truth, supported by evidence.

I trust them more than I do some person on the internet, copy-pasting something some other person on the internet said.

If there’s any validity to this stuff it can survive examination by courts of law. Rudy had plenty of chances. 50 (or is it 60?) at least.

[7] Joe Biden isn’t the most popular president, Donald Trump is the most unpopular and people wanted him to be a one-termer.

Outside of the 40-45% of lifelong Democratic voters who would vote for a tree-stump if it were painted blue, a large number of others (Independents, Republicans) wanted to be rid of Donald Trump, and voted that way. I think it’s pretty clear that there were a lot of anti-Trump votes rather than enthusiastic pro-Biden ones.

The number of troops seems to keep growing rather rapidly, from 12,000 to 30,000 and counting. But whatever, it’s an extremely sad state of affairs for America – where a big slice of the national capital has to be cordoned off as if a war zone.

I don’t know how realistic and dangerous the threat from the crazier end of the pro-Trump crowd is, but they are not being indulged this time; not after 6 January … the state is in control this time.

Donald Trump made four fatal mistakes, in my view:

1. He downplayed the pandemic all year

2. He claimed a lost election was a rigged one

3. He discouraged supporters from using mail-in voting

4. He incited the storming of the US Capitol

You can argue whether all these things are “true”, but their truth doesn’t matter much – it is the perception in the popular mind and the mass media that matter most.

Anyway, in his dotage, sitting around one of his country clubs in a big leather chair, he can bore the pants off his guests about how he coulda been a contender …

On the issue of where are the adoring Biden crowds, I think that can be explained too. Firstly the Dems take the pandemic seriously – and much more like sensible governments and public figures do in most other countries, and secondly, I think the Dems are on the right track – America doesn’t have an appetite for another president with crazy adoring crowds and mass rallies.

Perhaps the people want a period of dull, methodical, and a steady ship … after the experience of the Trump years.

TRUMPIANS REJOICE!

An Inaugural Redress

by Steve Heilig

Trumpians rejoice, for ye are being set free at last!

You have nothing left to lose but your cult illusions

No longer must you labor under so many lies

Misplaced outrage can drain from your tired veins

The undeniable election certified, you may exhale

You need not be a pariah forever

Unlike the one you followed into the cesspool

The Great Don Con has been revealed for what he was

An angry failed liar seeking to extort you for all you’re wort.

MAGA MAGA hah hah hah

The sad joke’s on us, but it’s not too funny

And it’s ending how too many predicted

Like Jonestown or Manson or all too many 

A spasm of stupendously stupid cult violence.

.

“I’ll be with you,” he yelled to the lowest of his troops

“Patriots” who hate the Constitution and democracy

Who looked to be a fascist visigothic version of Burning Man

“Boys” indeed who watched too many bad movies

Nobody you’d want in your front yard

Or anywhere near your beloved family, right?

He warned us of caravans of terrorists

Any surprise they were his own?

“Let’s have combat” echoed his sage lawyer Rudi,

Soon to be disbarred and disgraced forever

Then he and Donnie fled to safety in the White House

Where watching on TV, as idiots rampaged

Committing an act of war if done by foreign powers; 

They sipped cocktails and laughed and danced

And Don the Con said his orcs looked to be “low class”

For he’s always hated and mocked them

As he has done war heroes and so many others

And reading the resulting revulsion of even his allies

He turned on his suckers, saying “you will pay”

Even after he and his own helped planned the whole charade

Knowing the cult footsoldiers wouldn’t have a clue what to do

Maybe a drunken frat brawl tantrum in the cafeteria

That oops, involved killing a cop and others dying

And Don remains silent on those little details

Confirming what we all knew, he hates his own troops

But ‘loves the poorly educated”

And shouts “Law and Order” but not for himself

More indictments and convictions than ever

And pardons for those who pay him in the end

He even hates dogs and cats

But that just has to be mutual.

.

So you can stop sending him cash and being suckered

Spend it on cult deprogramming

That’s difficult but possible and worth it

As the big money is finally fleeing

The big techies finally shutting him down

His minions jumping ship like rats, too late

The MAGA red hat stains upon them forever

A mark of a failed beast

As his sedition and idiot insurrection rebound on him

And all his other violations come back to haunt him

Like a male spider devoured by the black widow he poked

Eaten by the fires he stoked

Sunken into the swamp he dug and stocked

Shouting into a putrid void

Forever.

.

Meanwhile, on to more lasting and important things,

The issues you thought you supported him for,

Take a deeper scientific look and you will find joy

For he was conning you on all those too

And things should get better now

Not that any politician or party could ever satisfy

The rabid Right who only want more cash

The righteous Left who think wishing makes things so

All self-satisfied cynics who think they know better

Than those who actually work for a better nation.

.

But for so many of the poorest among us, 

And women and children and non-white humans

And the other species sharing earth with us

Now and into the frightening future

There just might be some hope now, for

“Socialism” is not scary, you already love our versions

The incoming regime is so moderate you need not fear

Change could be better other than for those 1%ers

Who only cared about and wanted more riches

For you’ve been sold a bad bill of goods for sure

You can look it all up:

Donnie did not fix the economy, he just took credit

His one victory was a tax cut for the wealthiest

He caused more abortions in the world than anybody ever

He ignored and botched the pandemic response

He paved the way for more poisons in our bodies

He tried to take healthcare away from millions

He perverted each agency by installing corruption

He paved actual free and wild lands for profit

He build a wall for profit too, keeping nobody out

He let crime rates increase for the first time in decades

He stopped action against climate change to imperil us all

He fueled international distrust and made us a laughingstock

He fired up racial strife nationwide

He debased all debate with endless lies and distortions,

From his Birtherism lie and faked religion onward

His lame diversions to blame antifa for everything

We thought it couldn’t get worse

But Oh it did for four years

That will live in infamy

He’s lost his own party the white house and senate

And any remaining respect of actual patriots

Impeach him and deny all his post-office percs

Bill him for all the golf time

Investigate and prosecute his whole ungodly family

Think of all the money saved

Sometimes it takes real evil to unite us.

.

So thanks for that

America you are not sacred

Your history has such horrors

But the perfect is the enemy of the good

And the evil “deep state” held fast again

As it did against Nixon long ago

Our founder were pretty darn smart

For all their faults and follies seen now.

So shake off the big dark money

Reverse the corrupt tax cuts and more

Tear down this goddam silly wall

Demilitarize the nation, dammit

And with the cash saved we can easily

Feed the poor

Heal the sick

Fund the free clinics

Fund the free schools

Raise the minimum wage

Save the planet, or some of it

We’ll have plenty leftover

For a big 250th bash in 2026

I’ll settle for all that

But only if we live up to our ideals

You may say I’m a dreamer

But most of us are at least sometimes

Better late than never 

You’ll sleep better, at least for now

You deserve a rest

Then We Shall Overcome

At least enough to breathe again,

Amen.

FOUND OBJECT [you supply the caption]