Mendocino County Today: Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Drifting Low | 19 New Cases | Help Diane | Lauren's Opening | 128 Speeders | Westport Coast | CHP Presence | Eel Kayakers | Lord Sattui | Help Thyself | AVArts Scholarships | Mendo Triathlon | Seastacks | Swearing | Navajo Code | Supes Notes | Noyo Bookstore | Voodoo | GJ Report | Little Painting | Active Gay | Unlikely Parallels | Barbarossa 80 | Early Marmon | Bear Subscribes | Narrow Gauge | Unlawful Weapon | Planning Reports | Yesterday's Catch | Shotgun Better | 80mil Medicaid | Capone's Limo | Hedge Newspapers | Math Homework | Comments | Latest Technology | Big Aqua | Wuhan Lab

AN UPPER LEVEL LOW drifting offshore will keep temperatures slightly below late June averages across the interior through midweek, accompanied by a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms the next few afternoons. Coastal areas will remain cool with areas of marine layer clouds. Another heat wave is in store for the interior late week into the weekend. (NWS)

19 NEW COVID CASES (since last Friday) reported in Mendocino County yesterday afternoon.

DIANE HERING needs support. Long time Valley resident, co-founder of Bruce Bread, co-founder of KZYX and Wild Iris Festival, Diane Hering needs assistance and transportation due to an illness she has been fighting for several years. 

To help or contribute go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/diane-hering-support

STEVE SPARKS brings good news: Lauren’s at The Buckhorn is quietly opening. Phase 1 began on Saturday evening with takeout meals, wine, some mixed drinks and bottled beers, with table service off the menu in the pub area (seating for 32, including bar seats) and on the front porch (14). Later this week, Phase 2 will see the draft beers pouring along with more cocktails and a wider menu. Phase 3 will be later in the month when the restaurant area will open with seating for over 40 people. And finally Phase 4 will comprise outdoor dining in the downstairs beer garden, live music, The Quiz, full menu, and full bar. Cheers and hope to see you there.

SHERIFF KENDALL told us he would talk to the CHP commander in Ukiah about the speeding prob in the Anderson Valley, particularly on the weekends. Not only has the Sheriff himself stopped vehicles travelling well over the limit to “warn and advise” their drivers, the CHP was in The Valley Friday afternoon and Sunday during the afternoon hours when outsiders, and plenty of locals, cannonball up and down Highway 128.

THE AV COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT board of directors has approved a letter to the CHP emphasizing the need for a regular CHP presence in the Anderson Valley and prioritized hiring of a resident deputy for Anderson Valley.

ON THE EEL OUT OF DOS RIOS HEADED FOR ALDERPOINT

DARIO THE DUPLICITOUS

Editor,

Re. Dario Sattui’s Letter to the Editor.

In these days of great division I do ponder just how to talk respectfully to the other side, but now find myself called upon to respond to the somewhat duplicitous position expressed a couple weeks ago by Dario Sattui in a Letter to the Editor in the June 9 AVA. 

Back in the days when I wrote a regular column, ‘Vine Watch,’ what was happening in Anderson Valley was often referred to as “Napa-fication,” not only by me but others as well. So now we have Mr. Sattui in his introduction to why he is enlarging (metastasizing?) his Napa based, castle dominated, feudalistic enterprises to Anderson Valley stating that it is the “…. pristine nature which I adore.” And acknowledging that “Napa Valley is over built with sprawl, in my opinion, with traffic and congestion problems, Anderson Valley is probably like Napa was in the 1950’s.” 

My God Dario, if you don’t like what you helped to build in Napa why in hell bring it to Anderson Valley - not just in one vineyard but in three that you name?

Initially the “overbuilt ” Napa Valley oozed into Sonoma Valley bringing a disruption to community well documented in a book titled “A Tale of Two Valleys: Wine, Wealth and the Battle for the Good Life in Napa and Sonoma” by Alan Deutschman. 

Next was Anderson Valley, first led by rich wine empire elites wealthy beyond their need to make a living and then joined by the billionaire dot com-ers all of both factions whom for the most part are non-resident and colonize solely to exploit terroir and water in the process of growing greater empires. 

I will interject here that it is truly bewildering, the chasms that can separate we humans from each other. We are, all of us, creatures of nature and of a species that fortunately or not is endowed with big brains. Yet it is the artificial entity of money that so often has a hand in the divide. 

Mr. Sattui goes on to acknowledge that there is a body of Anderson Valley residents that see his Earth battering undertakings behind the Elke Vineyards as an affront to the Valley and the environment and seems to also acknowledge his actions as such by the juxtaposing statement, “I am also [my bold - an admission of guilty as charged?] a conservationist/environmentalist.” 

My question: How can you claim to be an environmentalist when you are doing your part in pushing what you see as “pristine” toward a situation you find unpleasant and “… over built with sprawl”? The hill that Mr. Sattui denuded is not only an eyesore but also an emblem of the steady slurp by outsiders for more and more of our precious water. 

He says he “…frowns on developers who despoil the environment for profit,” and states he has “never done so.” Ha! When he bought the Dennison Vineyard, and I’m sure he did so under the common price setting standard of setting value and price based on plantable acres of which that hillside would not have been considered. It would seem that if he was not worried about profit he would not be motivated to squeeze what he could out of his investment.

Mr. Sattui goes on, claiming that he has “a right” to build three more houses and guest houses on that Dennison Ranch Vineyard but “vows” he will not do so — stating, also, that he will not build a second house on the Navarro vineyard he calls Morning Dew. His rationale, “I do not wish to be part of the problem despoiling nature.” 

As if denuded of nature hillsides and his thousands upon thousands of grapevines are a blessing. And there are certainly quite a few of us in the Valley who say we need the housing infinitely more than we need more water sucking wine grapes and wine vistas.

Dario Sattui’s letter is self-contradictory and self-aggrandizing to the point it feels like he thinks of himself as the loving king or lord addressing the vassals, peasants and serfs of the medieval feudal period that his Napa Castle of Love represents. His is a love that even lib/lab hippies can’t even recognize even if we are also the kings and queens of being whatever we fancy ourselves to be. 

Oh please Mr. Sattui, Gag me with a spoon, and get the hell outta Dodge.

David Severn

Philo

PS. Under Glossary of Medieval Land Holding Terms my computer tells me a Rape is an intermediate division of a county, usually with a river, forest and castle. Hmmm?

PPS. As I close out this letter about noon on Monday the Navarro River gauge puts the flow rate at 1.55 cu/ft per sec. The previous record low was in 1977 at 2.90 cfs and the average for 6/21 is 40 cfs.

AVARTS SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO ASPIRING ARTIST GRADUATES

Anderson Valley Arts (AVArts) awarded two Arts Scholarships for Graduating Seniors at the June 9^th Senior Awards Night. AVArts member Cathleen Micheaels presented the scholarship awards to two very deserving Anderson Valley Junior & Senior High School graduates:

A $2,500 scholarship was awarded to Gabriella Isabelle Kephart to support her attendance at the University of California, Santa Cruz to pursue her studies in Human Biology while also continuing to explore the arts.

A $4,500 scholarship was awarded to Shekina McEwen to support her attendance at the University of Southern California to pursue her studies in music.

AVArts was extremely impressed with both Shekina’s and Gabriella’s applications, their academic achievements and their commitments to making the arts a vital part of their futures as they head into a year of discovery, creativity and inspiration.

The scholarships were made possible by the efforts of the volunteer members of AVArts and the support of local artists, educators and supporters of the arts in Anderson Valley.

AVArts is a 501(c)3 non-profit made up of volunteer members dedicated to supporting and promoting the arts in Anderson Valley since 1999. In addition to its scholarship programs, AVArts also supports bringing diverse, quality supplemental arts programs to Anderson Valley schools that would otherwise not be possible. For more information about AVArts and its programs see www.av-arts.org.

Anderson Valley Arts Members: Karen Altaras, Peggy Dart, Paula Gray, Dennis Hudson, Glynnis Jones, Lauren Keating, Cathleen Micheaels and Jody Williams

MENDO TRIATHLON

On Sunday, June 20, 2021 at approximately 11:17 A.M. a Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff was on routine patrol in a marked patrol vehicle.

The Deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation on a silver Ford Sedan in the 7000 block of East Road in Redwood Valley.

The driver of the vehicle immediately sped up and traveled northbound on East Road. The driver of vehicle failed to stop at the intersection of East Road and School Way. The driver of the vehicle continued northbound on East Road and passed a vehicle on the right shoulder.

The driver of the vehicle passed another vehicle over the solid double yellow lines and also drove in the wrong lane of travel during the pursuit. The top speed driven during the pursuit was approximately 100 miles per hour.

The driver of the vehicle collided with a tree near the intersection of East Road and Tomki Road, but continued northbound on Tomki Road for a short distance before making a U-Turn and continuing southbound on East Road.

The driver of the vehicle then turned eastbound onto Road J and into a property in the 3000 block of Road J. The driver of the vehicle drove for a short time through the vineyards, ultimately fleeing the vehicle on foot after it became disabled.

The initial Deputy was able to relay the present location of the driver of the vehicle to incoming Law Enforcement personnel. The driver of the vehicle ultimately fled to a property which had a large pond behind a house. The driver of the vehicle entered a small aluminum boat and paddled with his arms into the center of the pond.

At one point the driver of the vehicle jumped or fell from the small boat, and was having difficulties staying above water. Deputies requested the assistance of Redwood Valley Fire Department and Ukiah Valley Fire Authority in the event a water rescue was needed.

The driver was able to get back into the boat and paddle around the pond. After approximately two hours of negotiating with the driver, the boat capsized, and he swam to shore. The driver was placed under arrest without further incident.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nathan Werkerishna Feliz, 22 of Redwood Valley. 

Feliz was found to have two active felony warrants for his arrest related to the possession and manufacturing of assault weapons, with $60,000 being the total bail.

Feliz was also charged with felony evading a peace officer and Felony Evading a Peace Officer with wrong-way driving.

Due to the threat to public safety, a Mendocino County Superior Court Judge was contacted, who approved bail of $150,000 being set related to the evading charges.

Feliz was ultimately booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $210,000 total bail.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance with this: California Highway Patrol, CalFire Prevention Officers, Redwood Valley Fire Department, Ukiah Valley Fire Authority

ASSIGNMENT: UKIAH - SWEARING, LANGUAGE OF MORONS

by Tommy Wayne Kramer

A couple years ago I was melting my brains while adding to future melanoma woes at Spring Training in Phoenix.

It was scorching hot, or did I already say Phoenix? I was a few rows back of the third base dugout, sipping at my ice-cold beer, lazing on a sunny afternoon. Through the peaceful quiet of a meaningless ballgame came a shrill shriek and a blue streak of swear words, more than enough to last me a month. She wasn’t finished.

“She” looked to be about 12 years old. The focus of her wrath was her cellphone. The young female (“lady” would mislead) swore some more until her father mildly inquired. Dear daughter, it seemed, was suffering from inadequate wifi coverage and was making everyone in the park know it.

I was startled. Her profanity suggested a veteran user of swear words delivered at high volume, unencumbered by worries she might be violating social norms. She was dressed in teen fashion of the day. Dad was the picture of niceness: Quiet, helpful and possibly unaware his daughter was swearing like a Boonville logger who had just chainsawed his left leg off.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago in Santa Rosa, where Trophy and I sat outdoors having lunch. A guy we would typically identify as homeless or crazy was seated nearby and was having a loud argument with the pavement. His commentary was all angry profanity of the sort we are beyond familiar with.

Swearing, once rare and the exclusive province of adults, has seeped downward and outward. Swearing is now common among children and is the universal language for morons. Thus it’s everywhere.

Even in so-called polite society cursing is as common as soft cheese and white wine. There’s no safe space provided to those who find coarse language offensive, and in fact it’s an invitation to up the voltage with more and more “Eff this! and Eff that!” Then, with a wink and a smirk, comes the occasional “Oops, pardon my French!” witticism.

Swearing has served as a verbal crutch for inarticulate loudmouths through the past 50 years. That it was once rare, and often shocking, was its chief appeal to a generation that believed shock and rudeness were vital tools in the war against uptight parents.

Today’s purveyors of profanities enjoy two (2) options. The first is to accuse another of perverse sexual practices, mostly involving one’s own mother, and the second is to hurl filthy insults at God. That’s it: MF and GD.

(A few fringe novelty curses exist, but Mother and God make up 90% of the swearing to which we are routinely subjected.)

This means every longtime blasphemer has been repeating himself endlessly all his life. No new verbal outrages have yet been invented, which is no surprise given the shrunken vocabularies and stunted educations of most practitioners of the dull art. My theory, time-tested: The greater the percentage of swear words, the lower the IQ of the speaker.

And we all know the irony of those who believe they are exhibiting a fierce independence by shouting outside the lines of conformist conversationalists, and who think cursing demonstrates courage and brash honesty. Maybe among your parents.

But swearing long ago invaded and conquered so-called polite society with sheer mass and volume. Far from being the voice of the rebel, misfit or outcast, swearing is as common on TV as canned laughter.

Programs aimed at kids (I’m thinking of one of my favorites, South Park) feature fourth graders stringing together 22 minutes of foul language, start to finish. It wouldn’t be South Park without it, and I love the show.

But still. I mean, you know?

At the movies it would be strange for a film to go 15 minutes without a barrage of swearing, ostensibly loading gritty realism into the script.

Late night comedians chuckle while delivering lewd and rude commentary that bring guffaws and delight to the dimwitted drawn to low fare. There will always be a market.

It’s like pornography. Our generation has reduced what once was truly transgressive into everyday fare consumed by our country’s children. Is there a nine-year old who hasn’t been exposed, repeatedly, to acts historically understood as adult-oriented and / or perverted, but are now mainstream? As part of this pathetic package, all these children swear, and frequently.

We have friends and neighbors who think this is progress.

(Tom Hine sometimes writes under the TWK byline. The first time he ever heard a parent swear was when he was 10 years old and dear dad muttered the word “crap.” …)

SUPES NOTES

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ CONSENT CALENDAR is supposed to be reserved for non-controversial items that do not require separate discussion or a separate vote. In practice, the Consent Calendar typically includes at least one or two items that the CEO would prefer not to discuss. Or a “retroactive” item or two which the Supes have no choice but to approve, making them effectively irrelevant. They used to grumble about these occasionally, but not lately. And sometimes the Consent Calendar is loaded with items that do not seem to meet the non-controversial standard.

THE CONSENT CALENDAR is controlled by the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. But in 2010 the Clerk of the Board function was consolidated into the Executive Office (as an alleged cost saving measure) with CEO Carmel Angelo adding Clerk of the Board to her many titles.

ELIMINATING THE LAST independent Clerk of the Board was a significant step forward in CEO Angelo’s consolidation of power. Instead of Clerk of the Board staff who answered directly to the Supes (and who provided limited staff support) since 2010 everyone in the Clerk of the Board’s office has answered to Carmel Angelo. The Grand Jury complained about this bad arrangement and the Board has made noises about changing it — after CEO Angelo retires.

FINAL ADOPTION of Chapter 22.18 of the Mendocino County Code, the controversial new pot cultivation ordinance, is a perfect example of flaunting the intent of the Consent Calendar. The ordinance is very controversial with the public, with two referendums in the works to either modify or repeal it altogether. It also failed to pass unanimously the last time the Board voted on it, which by itself should disqualify it from the consent calendar. But it’s item 4ax (aka #50) on the Consent Calendar. Which means they’ve run through the alphabet once and are about to finish a second lap. 

AMONG THE LONG LAUNDRY LIST of other “non-controversial items” on the Consent Calendar for June 22 are the following:

A CONTRACT for $75,000 with Bischoff Performance Improvement Consulting for the Strategic Planning Process (which will probably cost more than that for their grand but wasteful “strategic plan”) by the time they’re through;

A CONTRACT for $153,337 with North Coast Opportunities (a generic go to for work the County staff would  prefer not to do) for Covid Awareness. (Is anyone not aware at this late date?);

ANOTHER $50,000 for the high priced attorneys at Liebert, Cassidy and Whitmore (Carmel Angelo’s premier go to outside attorneys since she lacks faith in the competence of County Counsel) to beat back the legal challenge from former Public Health Director Barbara Howe who was unceremoniously fired back in 2019 and who then sued for wrongful termination, etc., for a new total of $150,000 (when the case could have been settled for $25,000 in walking away money in the beginning);

A CONTRACT TO LACO Engineering Consultants, another Carmel Angelo favorite for work her own staff prefers not to do, for $100,000 in grant research and writing;

A CONTRACT for a whopping $5,404,000 in Emergency Communications Improvement Projects (unspecified);

A CONTRACT for $367,675 to Karpel Solutions for a Criminal Justice Case Management System. (But for who – the DA? Probation? Sheriff? Doesn’t matter — uncontroverisal.);

A CONTRACT for $230,000 for the Board of Supervisors Public Health and Safety/Security Improvement Project at Low Gap Road. This project was unilaterally directed by the CEO and put out to bid with no Board of Supervisors discussion or direction. And provides a convenient excuse for the CEO to continue to lock the Public and the Supes out of the Board Chambers until at least October; 

APPROVAL OF THE FINAL BUDGET for $346 million without any mention of the serious underfunding of the Sheriff’s budget (left unresolved at the last budget meeting a couple of weeks ago) and without any line item budget detail. Without this information there is no way for the Supes (or the Public) to know what is being approved. If any questions come up later, as they will for some of the dubous contracts on the budget’s contractor list, the Supes will be told “it’s in the budget”;

A RETROACTIVE CONTRACT with Nevada County Counsel’s office for $15,000 because apparently Mendo County Counsel Curtis needs former former Mendo County Counsel Kit Elliot (who is now Nevada County Counsel) to hold his hand during these oh-so difficult times. Is that unfair to say? In the absence of any explanation it’s as good as any. Ms. Elliott is no David Eyster either;

FORMATION OF a County Staff Based Advisory Committee for Redistricting (in place of a Citizen’s Advisory Committee which is typically used) because we all know the drawing and re-drawing of Supervisorial District lines in non-controversial;

A CONTRACT for $1.5 million to a Bay Area Community College to train foster parents. This is an annual contract. (Why not see if Mendocino Community College is interested in providing this service?); 

ANOTHER $50,000 to Angelo’s sole-source pals at LCW (for a new total of $142,500) for consultation on Labor issues; 

A HOST OF CONTRACTS for Helping Professionals including $152,000 to RCS/the Schraeders to operate an inland shelter and day center; $139,697 to Hospitality Center for an Emergency Shelter (also under the Schraeder’s scope); $339,848 to Tapestry for counseling (also part of Schraeder’s empire); $300,000 to Willow Glen for housing LPS conserved clients; $260,000 per year for two years for RCS/the Schraeders for some kind of help or other; another $89,172 to RCS/the Schraeders; and yet another $275,000 to RCS/the Schraders. (Are we the only ones who are getting the impression that the County’s main function in the helping services area is to hand over work to the Schraeders and take a cut?)

DESPITE PREVIOUS DIRECTION from the Board to cease putting obviously controversial, retroative, or high-cost items to the Consent Calendar, the CEO persists in doing so, almost as if she’s daring the Supes to call her to account. But they never do. The Executive Office is piled high with meaningless Board directives (meaningless because they are not tracked or implemented) that have been ignored by the CEO. Apparently, the Supervisors just don’t care.

NOYO BOOKSTORE: WE'RE BACK!

Greetings!

We are thrilled to announce the reopening of the Friends of the Fort Bragg Library's Noyo Bookstore.

Beginning June 18, 2021, the Noyo Bookstore resumes their weekly hours of operation, every Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 11-3.

Since the store is very small and not well ventilated, secure masks and social distancing are highly recommended.

FROM KATHY WYLIE: The 2020/21 Mendocino County Grand Jury has released a report on local mail-in elections: mendocinocounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/43213/637571184457200000

THIS YEAR WINESONG decided to give artists 4” x 4” panels centered on 5” x 5” panels to paint. They are going to make posters from these paintings for a Winesong event.

I have never painted oil paintings on such a small surface, nor on glued a double panel.

After I painted a rainy day ocean scene, I was not sure how to paint the border of the surrounding larger back ground panel.

I stared the painting, then I imagined all day long when we got rain, then suddenly the sky opened up to a beautiful sunset. Wouldn’t it be marvelous?

Here it is, “Rain and Sunset”.

I know we are eager to have rain now.

— Mariko Irie

CARL NASSIB, 28, on Monday became the first active NFL player to come out as gay, saying that his announcement ended 15 years of secrecy. 

Nassib, a defensive end with the Las Vegas Raiders, said that he finally felt comfortable enough to be open about his sexuality. He thanked his coaches, teammates, friends and family and said that he was incredibly happy and”'truly loved” his life. A graduate of Penn State university, Nassib stressed, during Pride Month, that he was not making his announcement for publicity, describing himself as “a very private person.” But, he said: “I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary.” Nassib added that he was making a $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project, which works with LGBTQ youth and is a leading suicide prevention group. The Pennsylvania-born football star is far from being the first publicly gay NFL player, but no one has ever come out before while still employed by a professional team. 

EUREKA PRODUCTIONS VIDEO MAGAZINE #12 TRAILER

OPERATION BARBAROSSA

Achtung, Machtig Redaktor, and all armchair generals! 

Tuesday June 22 is the 80th anniversary of Operation Barbarossa, the Nazi German attack on the Soviet Union, arguably Hitler’s biggest blunder. What would today’s world be like if Der Fuhrer had stood down in the East and resumed his concentration on Britain? 

Jay Williamson

Santa Rosa

WELCOME BACK, BEAR

Dear Anderson Valley Folks,

I haven’t seen an Advertiser since the summer of 2013. I’ve always thought your paper was the best local newspaper in the country. I was pleased to find your address among the mass of paperwork I’m forced to live with.

I am sending $50 in hope that this will afford me a partial subscription. At the moment this is all I can spare.

I really miss the updates on “Pixie,” and hope she’s well. It’s a rough world out there and the weekly “manbeater of the week” was something one can only find in a Northern California newspaper. I’m totally over all the “fake news” and BS that the rest of the country eats up. I look forward to reading something more aligned with my west coast mentality.

Always,

Joseph Guadagnoli, aka ‘The Bear’ #57064-037

Federal Correction Institution

PO Box 52020

Bennetsville, SC 29512

PS. I’m also interested in whatever back issues you might have available as much of your reporting and essays are timeless.

NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD ON THE MENDOCINO COAST

Over a span of some six decades, three or more companies operated a narrow gauge railway near the town that is, today, called Elk California, on the Mendocino Coast.

http://www.pacificng.com/template.php?page=roads/ca/greenwood/ngmendocoast.htm

COVELO, 2:30AM, REFUSE ROAD

On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at approximately 2:33 AM Mendocino County Deputies observed a vehicle driving in the a creekbed near the intersection of Refuse Road and Crawford Road in Covelo.

Deputies observed the vehicle stop and turn off its engine and lights off. Deputies approached the vehicle on foot and contacted the driver and sole occupant who was identified as being Luiz Gonzalez, 23, of Covelo.

Deputies observed an open container of an alcohol beverage in the passenger area of the vehicle. Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun under the front seat of the vehicle.

Deputies noticed the shotgun barrel was under 18 inches in length thus making the weapon unlawful to possess.

As Deputies spoke with Gonzalez they observed he was displaying symptoms of illicit drug usage.

Deputies evaluated Gonzalez and determined he was under the influence of a controlled substance. Deputies suspected Gonzalezs was addicted to illicit drugs which prohibits him for possessing firearms.

Gonzalez’s drivers license was suspended and revoked due to a prior driving under the influence of alcohol offense. Gonzalez also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Gonzalez was arrested for Drug Addict in Possession of Firearm, Possession of a Short Barreled Shotgun, Under Influence of a Controlled Substance and in Possession of a Firearm, Driver’s License Suspended/Revoked due to a DUI, and, Arrest Warrant - Misdemeanor – DUI and booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $35,000 bail.

PLANNING STAFF REPORTS!

The Staff Report(s) and Agenda for July 1, 2021 is posted on the department website at: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/planning-building-services/meeting-agendas/planning-commission

Please contact staff with any questions.

James F. Feenan, Commission Services Supervisor, Mendocino County Planning & Building Services, My Direct Line: (707) 234-6664

CATCH OF THE DAY, June 21, 2021

CURTIS ADAMS, Willits. Controlled substance, probation revocation.

MARCELINO ANGUIANO, Ukiah. Trespassing, vandalism, criminal threats, probation revocation.

TIMOTHY BANUELOS, Ukiah. County parole violation, resisting.

DONALD BARHITE JR., Clearlake/Ukiah. Grand theft, controlled substance, paraphernalia, failure to appear.

RANDALL CANEPA, Fort Bragg. Shoplifting, trespassing, petty theft.

JOE GARCIA, Ukiah. Interfering with police communications, failure to appear, probation revocation.

ERNESTO GONEZ-SILVA, Ukiah. Attempted murder, loaded firearm in public, concealed weapon in vehicle, shooting into inhabited dwelling, violation of restraining order by purchase or receipt of firearm, contempt of court, false ID, resisting, conspiracy.

MELCHOR GUTIERREZ-CRUZ, Covelo. DUI.

CHRISTIAN HERNANDEZ, Ukiah. Controlled substance while armed with loaded firearm, loaded firearm in public, concealed firearm, conspiracy, resisting, probation revocation.

JEREMY KENYON, Fort Bragg. Shoplifting, transportation of controlled substance, failure to appear.

MARCOANTONIO MARMOLEJO-CARRERA, Ukiah. Attempt-aid-counsel-procure arson.

ARTEMIO ORTEGA-REYES, Ukiah. Controlled substance, paraphernalia, probation revocation.

LAWRENCE ORTIZ, Ukiah. Controlled substance, felon-addict with stun gun, saps & similar weapons.

NO NEED FOR AN AK

Editor: 

Regarding U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez saying an AR-15 is the best weapon for home defense, I must disagree. I attended a seminar on home defense, and they said the AR-15 is not good for home defense. The reason being the .223-caliber round is high velocity. If you miss your target, the round can go through walls. If it doesn’t strike a stud, that round can go through many walls, potentially killing a family member in another room or your neighbor two, three or four houses away.

Also, in a chaotic situation, like shooting at a human being, the shooter tends to fire until the clip is empty. That’s a lot of lead flying around the neighborhood.

The best gun is a 12-gauge shotgun with buckshot. It’s hard to miss your target, and no worries about rounds going through the walls. There really is no reason to own an assault rifle to defend your home.

Bill Thompson

Petaluma

ALMOST 10 MILLION AMERICANS joined Medicaid during the pandemic. Total enrollment is now 80 million, a record high. (New York Times)

MOST PEOPLE don't know that after serving his prison sentence for tax evasion, Al Capone lived for another 15 years in his Florida mansion. The first photo is of his mansion and the second is him at his security entrance. From the king of booze to a customer. The third is his Limo. He was still angry with the Feds for absconding with his 1930 Cadillac Imperial Sedan which he had paid $30,000 to have armor plated with bullet proof windows that could be lifted to fire back at enemies or the police. After the Pearl Harbor attack the FBI needed an armored limousine to protect President Roosevelt, but they didn't have one, so they used Capone's, which they had already confiscated, until they could build one of their own.

• 

• 

• 

— Bill Kimberlin

FEARS FOR FUTURE OF AMERICAN JOURNALISM as hedge funds flex power

More than 70 local newsrooms have closed over the past 15 months, with hundreds of media jobs lost, as the already difficult financial conditions in the industry intensified during the crisis. By some estimates a staggering 2,100 local newspapers, or one in four, have closed in the US since 2005.

But into the carnage a new breed of owner has emerged: one that has industry veterans and media observers deeply worried about the future of journalism in America and its ability to act as part of a functioning democracy.

According to a recent analysis, funds or private equity firms now control half of US daily newspapers, including some of the largest newspaper groups in the country: Tribune, McClatchy and MediaNews Group.

theguardian.com/media/2021/jun/21/us-newspapers-journalism-industry-hedge-funds

ON LINE COMMENTS OF THE WEEK

[1] Lots of talk coming from #Sacramento about the 'nature-based delusions' that they peddle as 'climate solutions' but the real facts on the ground show that the Newsom Administration is more than happy to let CALFIRE get away with climate science denial and running roughshod over public concerns about their poor management of a critical state asset. Unfortunately, the list of natural resource professionals staying silent about the failures of 'sustainable forestry' and 'markets-based conservation' in the redwood region is far too long. We are facing ecological meltdown and the old boy network is still hammering away at the few big trees left on the landscape.

[2] “It will be the worst fire season in memory…” says CDF every year regardless of conditions.

[3] Trolls 

Generic troll – mostly insults and swears, topic hardly matters. If a narcissistic sociopath, will attempt to take control of the forum where possible.

Ideological troll – only cares about convincing others of their usually discredited and feeble ideology (why else bother). Becomes unglued when presented with indisputable facts.

Paid troll – usually has a set goal, e.g., discredit the forum, defend mainstream propaganda, muddy controversial topics, etc. Easy to spot. Lies, lots of lies, gaslighting (what you’re seeing isn’t happening). Weak argumentation, whole catalog logical of fallacies. Extremely active, multiple handles. Attacks nearly every forum topic with the same zeal.

[4] As an IT guy I am forced to deal with people who for lack of a better word are dumb as dirt.

A friend of mine also in IT at the same place once quipped to me about feeling at best average intelligence until he started working where we work.

He now feels far superior to most of the people we work with.

I would hazard a guess most of them are far below 100 but most are above 80 as they can in fact spell their own names.

The company likes to put together various howtos for people to fix easy computer problems but if the steps are more than two or three most people simply can’t follow along or refuse. 

Humanity is in sad shape as everything continues to move at such a rapid pace that most people now need to know as much about computers as I did as an IT guy back in the mid 90’s.

[5] Biking/Hiking on Logging Roads…

I'm no authority, but…Most of the logging roads in the area are on private timber companies' land. Visiting these places is sometimes frowned upon, sometimes tolerated, sometimes allowed by permit. It depends on which company you're dealing with and which company rep you're talking to. As long as you're not a guerilla pot grower, however, you're unlikely to get in real trouble. But these places are usually pretty trashed except for the immediate riparian zones where they're not allowed to cut. Then there's the Jackson Demonstration State Forest. The JDSF is public land. You're welcome to ride the logging roads there, there is a network of bike trails built and maintained by the community, and there are even a few remote camp sites. BUT, several of the nicest parts of the JDSF are closed for butchery, and one of them is a war zone. 

As for maps, check this out:

https://boredfeet.com/mappages/map9780985599409.php

Or visit the JDSF's office in Ft. Bragg; they've got a pretty good map of those lands. Or visit the Outdoor Store or Catch a Canoe.

[6] EUREKA 

(1) What kind of shit hole places does she go to that she recommends Eureka? Great place to visit if you want an abundance of drugs, weed or make someone disappear. Other than that, the beauty of the place can not be enjoyed without the threat of being robbed by a tweeker.

(2) My job takes me all over North America and I’ve visited hundreds of small and medium cities. There are few places that compare to Eureka and Humboldt County for beauty and recreational opportunity. Most people here are great. I’ve been here for 40 years and lived in Eureka for the majority of that time. Never been “robbed by a tweaker.” Nor have my friends. Does Eureka have issues? Of course. But you should get out more if you think it’s some unbelievable hellhole. Lots of places have similar issues and none of the positives.

IS BIG AQUA TANKING?

by Lawrence Reichard

According to globenewswire.com, global aquaculture generated 2018 revenues of $271.66 billion, and is expected to grow to $376.48 billion by 2025.

Well, unless it doesn't.

As marine fish stocks experience widespread decline, Big Aqua is rushing to fill the void with all manner of manufactured frankenfish. Nary a week passes without a new industry scheme for "growing" fish on land or in marine waters. Environmentalists have rightfully laid siege to Big Aqua for years, causing each new fish "farm" design to promise the world new, intoxicating environmental heights never before imagined.

Norway leads the industry pack. But after laying waste to large swaths of Norway's marine waters, Norwegian investors, venture capitalists, self-professed farmers and at least one convicted fraudster have set their sights on distant shores. And my home of Maine is right in their crosshairs.

The industry is salivating over the Pine Tree State. Cold, relatively clean water. Relatively cheap real estate. Cheap, mostly union-free labor with a reputation for tough, hard work. An unsurpassed eco-brand standing all alone in iconic L.L. Bean winter boots with glorious snow-covered Mt. Katahdin rising in the background. Ready access to vast East Coast markets - Maine is within a day's drive of 100 million hungry people. Water laws dating back to bucket baths. And a very pliant state government.

Ground zero for aquaculture's Maine invasion is my midcoast town of Belfast, where Nordic Aquafarms of Fredrikstad, Norway, wants to build a $500 million land-based industrial fish farm. Since announcing in February 2018, Nordic has met with tenacious citizen opposition and has been mired in a swamp of its own arrogance and incompetence. Two and a half years after its expected construction start, Nordic still lacks an Army Corps of Engineers permit and its Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Belfast Planning Board permits are both facing lengthy and well-financed appeals.

But the real kicker is a lawsuit over ownership of intertidal land Nordic needs for its saltwater intake and effluent discharge pipes. The trial begins June 22, and global Big Aqua will be watching. 

That whole legal mess could have been avoided. While negotiating to run its pipes through the land of out-of-state summer residents Janet and Richard Eckrote, Nordic discovered that intertidal flats presumed to belong to the Eckrotes might actually belong to Eckrote neighbors and longtime Belfast residents Judith Grace and Jeffrey Mabee - who happened to be selling their waterfront home. But rather than buy the property, Nordic tried to save a few bucks by withholding its inconvenient discovery from licensing agencies. 

But firebrand Nordic opponent and deed-and-title research whiz Paul Bernacki discovered Nordic's subterfuge. Nordic went to the PR mattresses, posting to its Facebook page a bizarroland statement saying it wasn't their place to say who owned what. Realizing the statement amounted to a land-grab confession, Nordic promptly took it down.

If Nordic loses the land ownership case, it is likely finished in Belfast, dealing a major blow to Nordic, which has hemorrhaged money in Belfast, and dealing a major setback to efforts by Maine Governor Janet Mills (D) to paint Maine as a place eager to disrobe for Big Aqua.

Mills' campaign to bend over for aquaculture was laid bare by emails I obtained under Maine's Freedom of Access Act. The emails reveal an inappropriate and perhaps illegal campaign to pressure the DEP to approve Nordic's permit application. The questionable effort was championed by Governor Mills' brother Peter Mills, executive director of the Maine Turnpike and wingman for various big-boy polluters, foreign and domestic.

The emails have found perch in the Nordic legal and permit frays and have been shared with enviro groups around the state who may use them as ammunition in current legal wars and or as grounds to reopen yesterday's lost battles.

Meanwhile Nordic's and Big Aqua's woes have spread well beyond Belfast Bay. Inspired by Nordic's Belfast foes, opponents of a similar Nordic operation in coastal Eureka, California have tapped Belfast activists for tips and information. And Maine activists in and around Bar Harbor and RV-infested Acadia National Park are rising up to challenge a sea-based Frenchman Bay project that - like every Big Aqua project - promises brand new cutting-edge technology cleaner than God's underwear.

And in Miami, Atlantic Sapphire, another Norwegian player, recently killed off fully 800,000 fish in the world's biggest land-based frankenfish factory because it failed to gauge how noise and vibration emanating from ongoing plant construction would devastate its fish, resulting in dead fish clogging up discharge pipes. It's hard to say who is more imbecilic here: Atlantic Sapphire, for building a keenly water-intensive operation in a state with more sinkholes than fresh water, or the State of Florida for allowing it.

Adding to Big Aqua's Maine woes was the recent defeat of LD1473, a bill that would have exempted land-based aquaculture projects from all state building and energy codes. Rather than take a scalpel to the codes, Big Aqua went after all of them - and failed in grand theatrical fashion. In an official legislative hearing, broadcast worldwide via Zoom, State Senator Kim Rosen of coastal Bucksport, 18 miles east of Belfast, read her bill while carefully sipping a joyfully announced late-afternoon cocktail. Within a few short words it was clear the properly lubricated Rosen had neither written the bill nor knew its content.

Indeed, in an email given to me by Rosen friend and LD1473 opponent Dr. Sid Block, Rosen wrote to Block: "this bill could have been written by the aquafarms!!!"

Armed with the email, I fired off a letter to The Bucksport Enterprise, whose editor, Don Houghton, told me Rosen was decidedly unaccustomed to such public thrashing. According to Houghton, Rosen protested post-publication that she thought her email to Block "was some sort of private correspondence." Apparently she was wrong.

No doubt smarting from the published letter, and facing a veritable storm of anti-LD1473 letters and emails, Rosen ran for cover. She pillow-killed her own baby, urging her previously giddy colleagues to snuff the bill - which they promptly did.

With LD 1473 now inhabiting a rotting Himalayan pile of abandoned and defeated bills, and with Big Aqua opposition stiffening in Frenchman Bay, a failed Nordic land grab in Belfast might cause global Big Aqua to think twice about Maine's vaunted but perhaps withering hospitality. And that would be a victory for Big Aqua opponents from Oslo to Eureka.

Lawrence Reichard is a freelance writer and editor who splits his time between Maine and Latin America. He can be reached at thedeftpen@gmail.com.