Mendocino County Today: Friday, July 2, 2021

Nightly Stratus | 7 New Cases | Mezzanatto-Benitez | Table Raffle | Brewery Fire | Kiera Missing | Jackson Action | Penis Cloth | Records Hall | AVHC Expansion | Philo Produce | Local Beef | Boonville Produce | Starr Reopening | Public Transit | Commercial Ag | Miller's Qualifications | San Quentin | Ed Notes | Steam Truck | Planning Agenda | AV Village | Police Reports | Blackhawk Firecopter | Caradine Guilty | Yesterday's Catch | News Truck | Grand Illusion | Rummy WMDs | Vietnam Memorial | War Crimes | Prison Bodybuilders | That's Life | Precipitation Preparation | Tramp Jane | My Heart | Mandela Mandala | Lazy Legislators

HOT AND DRY WEATHER will persist across the interior through this weekend and into early next week. Coastal areas will remain seasonably cool, with nightly stratus intrusions, followed by some afternoon clearing. (NWS)

7 NEW COVID CASES reported in Mendocino County yesterday afternoon.

MEZZANATTO-BENITEZ

Paradise Point Island Resort in San Diego was the setting for the June 26th, 2021 wedding and reception of Evelyn Benitez and Garrett Mezzanatto. 

The ceremony was a family affair with the wedding party consisting mostly of family and close friends. Bridesmaids included the bride’s cousins, Jenny and Flor Gonzalez; aunt, Flor Gonzalez all from San Diego; the groom’s cousin, Isabelle Caudillo of Ukiah; and friends Allison Valadez, Meagan Kersey, Daphne Espinoza and Lesley Alcaraz all from San Diego. Representing the groom, were his brother, Drake Mezzanatto of Portland; his cousin, Bailey Caudillo of Ukiah; and friends Carlos Mendoza from Chico, James Prager from Calistoga, and Erik Rogers, Eric Alcaraz, Vlad Turovskiy from San Diego. The groom’s father, Kevin Lee from Boonville, stepped in at the last minute to replace a groomsman who could not make it. The flower girl and ring bearer were Charlotte Turovskiy and Ritchie Gutierrez. The bride’s uncle and aunt, Frank and JoAnna Navarette from San Diego served as honorary attendants for the couple.

The bride grew up in the San Diego area and is the daughter of Mariana Gonzalez of National City and the granddaughter of Alejandra Vargas of San Diego. She is a 2013 graduate of University High School and a 2018 graduate of San Diego State University with an accounting degree. She is currently employed with Space Micro in San Diego. 

The groom is the son of Kevin and Renée Lee of Boonville. He is a 2012 graduate from Anderson Valley Jr./Sr. High School and a National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) certified personal trainer. Garrett is self-employed.

A WILDLAND FIRE was reported in Boonville a little before 3pm Thursday afternoon. On edge given the hot, dry, windy conditions, we asked AV Chief Andres Avila about it.

Avila: “It was reported as a 200' x 200' spot fire located in the disc golf course at the Brewery. It was extinguished by Brewery employees. AV Fire Department units were cancelled prior to arrival.”

Let’s hope whatever other “wildland fires” may pop up in the area are of this non-threatening variety. (Mark Scaramella)

MISSING

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office needs the public’s help to locate missing person Kiera Lynn Foley, age 32, of Redway. 

Foley is believed to be missing under unknown circumstances.

Foley was reported missing by a family member on June 28, 2021 at about 9 p.m. According to the family member, Foley lives a transient lifestyle and was last seen in the Eureka area. Foley’s last contact with family members was in late April of this year.

Foley is described as a white female adult, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall, 125 pounds, with brown eyes and long brown hair.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding Foley’s possible whereabouts should call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251.

(Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office)

JACKSON STATE UPDATE

Updates on JDSF and Youth organized and led Rally July 3

So much to cover...

First from Sara Rose:

"Come this Saturday, July 3rd to a youth organized and led rally to Save Jackson Demonstration State Forest. There will be speakers of all ages, and intermittent music from 12-2 in front of Town Hall on Main Street in Fort Bragg. There will be information about the forest and why it needs to be saved, and what you can do to help. Learn how you can get involved and save our beautiful forest."

The number of people training to take Direct Action to save the Trees is growing. The all day nonviolent training last Sunday was a great success with 20+ people attending. Amazing how many people have trained in the past 3 months! Over 100 and counting, including a 9 and a 5 year old! If you're interested, we will have another training soon. Stay tuned.

The Cal Fire “pause" in logging seems to be still in effect. We are watching the gates to THP 500 and have a daily presence at the Kiosk. We have set up an Action Camp and the protocol to protect the Gemini Tree from a spite cut. Last week Forest Defenders saved her from the chainsaws. Come meet the Gemini tree and help protect Her. Check out her new Banner. We are at the Kiosk at 5 am until noon. You'll hear the story of how Gemini got her name.

Read about the Spirited Rally through downtown Fort Bragg here: Activists march thru Ft. Bragg protesting Jackson Demonstration State Forest timber harvest

Getting news of our efforts to save JDSF outside of Mendocino County (the Redwood Curtain) isn't easy. But here is another sign that we are breaking through. We were on KPFA. https://kpfa.org/episode/sunday-show-june-27-2021/ 

It helps to share news of our campaign on social media. We need the Governor and/or the State Legislature to step up and put a moratorium on all logging in our State Forest! Keep those letters and calls coming.

Here's a good petition to sign and share: forestsforever.org/campaigns/e-alerts/ProtectDontLogPublicJacksonForestRedwoods.html

Onward!

We speak for the Trees,

Anna Marie Stenberg, <ams@mcn.org>

A WIDE RANGE OF ACCOMMODATIONS

Whose problem is it when halfway is outside of a box?

Dear Community:

I recently loaned a fat tire electric bike to a member of the Mendocino Trail Stewards. David Gurney is using it to monitor remote areas of Jackson State Forest for logging activities. At this time, it is my intention to continue doing so until logging activities cease in the Fall.

I have attempted to offer assistance to more than a few local non-profits. My attempts have been in vain, apparently due to lack of "reasonable" communication. I have attempted to engage in Guru-Seva (a sanskrit term) in many venues only to be rebuffed. I recognize the reason for doing this. Recognizing a paradigm shift can be uncomfortable or not. It is what it is and some understand why that is so.

It is not necessary for me to join a group in order to serve. Joining a group would entail believing in the doctrine and dogma being offered. I have an assortment of tools that are at my disposal. It is necessary to communicate in order for me to work with you. I am willing and able to answer questions and offer assistance not yet imagined.

I am not seeking recognition or other forms of identity. I am a tool of spirit that is not bound to time, space, form nor species. I can provide references. Perhaps a few well qualified community leaders could form teams for mutual support. A team could consists of up to a half dozen uniquely qualified communications experts. Anyone that knows me would confirm that, while loud at times, I have no violent tendencies. Having said that, I should mention that more than a few people have sought counseling, had nervous breakdowns, changed careers, questioned their religion, changed sexual orientation, been inspired, disgusted and generally confused as a result of having spent an inordinate amount of time in my presence. There are a handful of old friends that appear to tolerate me.

I understand why the African statue with the large penis makes some people uneasy. Manoharan insisted that I didn't remove that particular figure from our temple. In honor to him and to you, I would be pleased to ceremoniously drape a cloth over the organ in recognition of anyone that is offended. The ringing of a small bell would be appropriate!

The planet is a temple. Chief Seattle got it right. <https://www.historylink.org/File/1427> 

I'm not looking for an identity. I am who I am while I recognize spirit. I would be pleased to offer my unique assistance to a few representatives that meet me halfway. Whose problem is it when halfway is outside of a box?

Namaste,

Charlie Engel <manlyangel@gmail.com>

ps. Stay tuned for the summary of my psychological report from Kaiser Park Shadelands in Walnut Creek.

HEALTH CENTER EXPANSION

Anderson Valley Health Center News

The AV Community Health Center is embarking on a new building project! Many of you may know that Anderson Valley Health Center has been planning for a significant expansion to our building for a few years now. We will be starting on a public fundraising campaign (following a quiet phase) in early fall. However, the Health Center received a one million dollar grant from the Human Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to begin the project and has since received over $500,000 in additional grant funds. Thankfully, much quicker than anticipated, we have received permits and begun demolition as of today July 1, 2021. We will continue to keep the community apprised of new developments with the project. Thank you for your support!

Chloë Guazzone-Rugebregt, MPH | Executive Director | Anderson Valley Health Center| P.O. Box 338, 13500 Airport Rd. Boonville, CA 95415 | ph. 707-895-3477 | cel. 707-772-6606

THIS WEEK AT BLUE MEADOW FARM

Our spring greens were hit by wind, weather and ravenous critters this year, but summer brings walla walla onions, zucchini, purslane, sunflowers and very first tomatoes…

Blue Meadow Farm, 3301 Holmes Ranch Rd, Philo, (707)895-2071

VELMA'S FARM STAND AT FILIGREEN FARM

First weekend of blueberries!! Open Friday 2-5pm and Saturday 11am-3pm, On Anderson Valley Way in Boonville

We will be offering vegetables including the first “New Girl” tomatoes, lettuce, arugula, spring onions, kale, beets, chard, turnips, cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, kohlrabi, and summer squash. We will also have fresh flower bouquets, our 2020 olive oil, quince apple butter, dried prunes and raisins. All items are certified biodynamic and delicious! Follow us on Instagram for updates @filigreenfarm or email Annie at farmstand@filigreenfarm.com with any questions. We accept cash, credit card, check, and EBT/SNAP! 

SWIMMERS TO THE READY

The C. V. Starr Community Center will re-open on July 19th!

Good Morning.

We have brought the pools back up to their normal temperatures as we are currently hosting lifeguard certification courses so that we are staffed for our reopening. The Lap Pool is 80 degrees and the Leisure Pool is 85 degrees.

Carly Wells

Administrative Services Supervisor

C. V. Starr Community Center

Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District

707-964-9446 .106

<cwells@MCRPD.US>

PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HILLS, AN EXCHANGE

[1] I’d make the argument that every single grow, legal or not, that exists in the SoHum hills is an insult to the environment. The natural state of things, wet year or dry, is that from May-October it’s dry, and the creeks and the rivers that sustain the fishery rely on what was banked in the aquifers in the winter. That spring doesn’t come from nowhere – it’s all part of the same system. Arguments about the wine producers or the hay farmers or whatever are straw-man BS and “whataboutism” / they don’t address the very real fact that our rivers are dry and water diversion plays a big part in that. I don’t care if it’s weed or tomatoes, agriculture doesn’t belong in the hills – it’s an affront to nature.

[2] So, by your reasoning, people shouldn’t be allowed to make a life in the mountains? Making a living, feeding your family, usually is going to take some water, whatever you are doing. Nature is great, and there are WAY too many people in the woods, I agree with that. But people need to live and use water responsibly. My solution - large water tank for winter storage.

[3] I’m not suggesting that the hills be depopulated, I’m saying that it isn’t the place for commercial agriculture. To whoever inferred that I want people from dry areas to move here – nope. In SoHum and much of Mendo we ARE dry areas – one of the worst-off places for water right now is Mendo. To whoever wanted to educate me about gravity, the Central Valley farms exist for 2 reasons: huge public investment in water infrastructure and wells. They’ve overused the wells without allowing them to recharge so much that the land is sinking. The huge water projects are dry, and the water-intensive crops such as almonds have sucked up much of what there was. The only reasons that LA, Vegas, and Phoenix exist is mass storage in the form of reservoirs and mass delivery systems – an affront to nature on a much larger scale. These have been sustainable to a point, if you don’t care about salmon or the salinization of the Sacramento delta, but that’s ending soon. The Colorado River has been so overdrawn for so long that it too dries up before it reaches the ocean. Lake Powell is one of the biggest man-made disasters on the planet. But back to our area, people can live modest and sustainable lives in the hills. And if you can “water bank” in the wet season with off-stream sources, and do so in a way that doesn’t tear up the land so that sedimentation becomes a problem, go for it. But how many of these huge grows are doing that? Few if any, since weed is so water intensive. Back to my first point – it IS an affront to nature to have commercial agriculture in the hills. The history of the west is the history of water.

DR. MILLER'S CREDENTIALS ARE IN ORDER

(The following is in response to complaints from people unhappy with the County's mental health programs that Dr. Miller is not qualified to lead these strategies.)

Dear Mr. Anderson,

Human Resources carefully reviewed Dr. Miller's credentials and compared her credentials and work experience with the county job description. It is clear she has the qualifications for the position. Below is an email from my HR Director confirming Dr. Miller's qualifications and experience. If you have further questions, please send them my way.

Thank you,

Carmel 

---

From: William Schurtz 6/30/2021 4:42 PM

Carmel,

When Jenine was hired into her current position of Behavioral Health Director in 2016, her qualifications were:

Education: Bachelors in Psychology, Masters in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. 

Clinical work experience - 7 years. 

Mental Health managerial/administration experience - 6 years.

Note: As of today, Jenine has over 18 years of applicable mental health experience, combined clinical, managerial, and administrative.

The minimum requirements for her position is shown below. Pursuant to Section 620, Title 9, of the California Administrative Code, an individual must possess one of the combinations of experience and education outlined below in order to qualify for this position. 

Jenine qualifies under #6, the additional qualifying experience substitution of experience for the required education. 

1. CA licensed physician or surgeon showing evidence of having completed the required course of graduate psychiatric education as defined in Section 623 to be supplemented by an additional period of two (2) years of training or practice limited to the field of psychiatry, one (1) year of which shall have been administrative, or

2. CA licensed Psychologist with a doctorate in psychology and at least three (3) years of acceptable clinical psychology experience, two (2) years of which will be administrative; or

3. Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a master's degree in social work or higher and at least five (5) years of mental health experience, two (2) of which shall be administrative; or

4. Licensed Marriage, Family and Child Counselor with a master's degree in an "approved" behavioral science course of study and at least five (5) years of mental health experience, two (2) years of which shall have been administrative; or

5. State of California Board Registered Nurse with a master's degree in psychiatric or public health nursing and at least five (5) years of mental health experience, two (2) of which shall be administrative. Additional post-baccalaureate experience in a mental health setting may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the educational requirements; or

6. Administrator with a master's degree in hospital administration, public health administration, or public administration and who shall have at least three (3) years of experience in hospital or health administration, two (2) of which shall have been in mental health. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

William Schurtz

Human Resources Director

County of Mendocino 

Phone: (707) 234-6600

schurtzw@mendocinocounty.org

ED NOTES

OF THE UNINDICTED Bush-era war criminals — Donald Rumsfeld, Condaleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, Bush himself of course, and Colin Powell — Rumsfeld always seemed from here the worst, the craziest of them. Brown University’s Costs of War Project estimated that by 2018 the Afghanistan war had claimed about 147,000 lives, to include 38,480 civilians; 58,596 Afghan soldiers and police (about as many American troops as died in Vietnam); and 2,401 U.S. military personnel. The Taliban will finish their takeover of Afghanistan about half an hour after the last planeload of special forces is airborne, and the Middle East that “Rummy” and his co-conspirators named above permanently destabilized will continue to be a massive charnel house.

Rumsfeld was hardly the only person in the Bush administration responsible for the Afghanistan war. But in December 2001, under attack in Kandahar, where it had retreated from the advance of U.S. and Northern Alliance forces, the Taliban sought to broker a surrender — one acceptable to the U.S.-installed Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. At the Pentagon, Donald Rumsfeld refused. “I do not think there will be a negotiated end to the situation, that's unacceptable to the United States,” he said. That statement reaped a 20-year war, making it fair to say that the subsequent deaths are on his head, even while acknowledging that Rumsfeld was hardly the only architect of the conflict.

ENSLAVED PEOPLE were not recognized as human beings but as property that could be mortgaged, traded, bought, sold, used as collateral, given as a gift and disposed of violently … Enslaved people could not legally marry. They were barred from learning to read and restricted from meeting privately in groups. They had no claim to their own children, who could be bought, sold and traded away from them on auction blocks alongside furniture and cattle or behind storefronts that advertised “Negroes for Sale.”

— Hannah Jones

DOUBT few people could argue with the truth of the above statement, and I don't understand the mass gnashing of teeth over Jones' 1619 Project, which is also a series of historical facts pegged to the historical fact that black people were central to the American project — capital accumulation deriving from free labor — prior to the founding of the republic by white aristos. The rightwing seems terrified that the young, when they look up from their handheld devices, might get the notion that a lot of bad stuff happened way back when, and all of it was committed by Whitey because Whitey's innately evil.

A LOT of bad stuff did happen, and Whitey did do a disproportionate lot of it, but it comes with the species, not only white America's seminal crimes against, as NPR puts it, “people of color” but everyone, historically considered. I doubt that white children are cringing at their school desks as liberal teachers — name a single public liberal among Mendocino County collective faculty, K-14 — indict them for the sins of their great grandparents, and I doubt that few teachers of any color are pounding white children over the head with their original sin as white people.

IF THE STOLEN ELECTION is “a lotta bullshit,” the manufactured hysteria from rightwing White Media that the educational process is devoted to making white children ashamed of American history is also a lotta bullshit. Squared. The truth might not make you free but it does tend to tether you to reality, and the reality is that race relations in this country have never been better, and American history, genocide and slavery and the whole bloody record of it, is our collective history, just as your personal history is the immutable collected facts of your life, no rewrites allowed. Call me Mr. Pangloss, but American history is also a history of making amends, or trying to, er, superficially and ineffectively of course, but that's what the libs claim they're doing. 

PRETENDING bad things didn't happen is the history I learned as a kid, and you probably got the same load of bullshit I did, from which the history of black people was totally excluded, and Indians were the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Mexicans were still in Mexico and wore giant hats, the Jews had made the desert bloom, the Chinese sold firecrackers and chop suey. A lot of dumb white people never quite got over it, hence Fox News. 

THE MERE MENTION of history still makes so many young people groan because they know instinctively they're getting a lotta bullshit. If the teacher is any good, history has never been more interesting because it's at last being presented whole based on the premise that life is not now nor has it ever been puppies and unicorns anywhere in the world, including here.

PLANNING COMMISSION Meeting Agenda and Staff Report for 7-15-21 

 The Staff Report(s) and Agenda for July 15, 2021 is posted on the Planning department website at: mendocinocounty.org/government/planning-building-services/meeting-agendas/planning-commission

Please contact staff with any questions.

James F.Feenan, (707) 234-6664

ANDERSON VALLEY VILLAGE UPDATE

Upcoming AV Village Events

AV Village Weekly Walking Group Every Tuesday, 10 AM, Meet at the Community Park (near the AV Health Center). For more info contact: Kathy Cox kcox@mcn.org

AV Village Monthly Gathering: Introducing the Redwood Caregivers Resource Center and “Bring a Friend” Sunday July 11th, 4 to 5:30 PM, AV Senior Center

Join us for a conversation with Nancy Power Stone, Program Director at the Redwood Caregivers Resource Center. They provide services, including possible respite, to assist caregivers of older, frail individuals, or to assist older caregivers of people of any age who have disabilities and more. Helpful fact sheets and links at website: www.redwoodcrc.org. 

As we are opening back up we invite you to bring a friend that would like to learn more about the AV Village. If you would like to bring finger food (no dips please) let us know - thank you!

Our gatherings are open to everyone, but we ask that you are vaccinated and “marinated” so you can attend. Masks are REQUIRED if you are not vaccinated. Please RSVP with the coordinator thank you! For our next Monthly Gathering, Sunday August 8th, will be a Volunteer Reception and Bring a Friend that would be interested in volunteering with us!

AV Village Book Conversation: “The Righteous Mind - Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion” Tuesday July 13th, 2 to 3 PM, Meeting place TBD. The book is “The Righteous Mind - Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion” by Jonathan Haidt and we will cover Part II (pages 95-186). If you are interested, please contact Lauren for more details: laurenk@pacific.net (mailto:laurenk@pacific.net) or (707) 895-2606.

AV Village Life Conversations Group Thursday July 29th, 4 to 5 PM, Meeting place TBD

Different phases of life can require different kinds of conversations so we would like to have a get-together that would allow "life conversations" and sharing our collective wisdom and support about issues regarding living well, changing health and mobility issues, caregiving, grief, our changing roles, losing autonomy, death and dying or .....?? These conversations can happen informally during the event or allow for split-off groups to form and meet at other times. Contct Donna if you are interested: (707) 684-0325

Become a teacher for the healthy living course!

Mendonoma Health Alliance: Space is limited. Register Today! For more info or to register, please contact (707) 412-3176 x102 info@mendonomahealth.org

Pilot Membership Assistance Program

With some generously donated money, AV Villages will begin a Membership Assistance program offering a reduced Membership fee to those who might not otherwise be able to join. If you or your family is interested, please contact. If you are interested in joining the Village at the reduced rate, please contact Anica Williams, 707-684-9829 or Philip Thomas, 707-895-3595.

Anderson Valley Village P.O. Box 576 Boonville, CA 95415 707-684-9829, andersonvalleyvillage@gmail.com

THE USUAL — MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, TAIL LIGHT OUT, DOPE, WARRANTS

On Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 11:52 P.M. Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies were on routine patrol in the 7000 block of North State Street in Calpella.

The Deputies observed a black Chrysler sedan traveling southbound on North State Street committing a vehicle code violation.

The Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted the two occupants. The driver was identified as being Tony Smith, 39, from Santa Rosa.

A records check revealed Smith had an active felony warrant (Violation of PRCS) for his arrest out of Sonoma County.

The Deputies also learned Smith was on active PRCS with terms to include a Fourth amendment waiver, do not possess weapons, no alcohol and do not travel more than 50 miles from his residence.

The Deputies conducted a probation search of Smith and his vehicle.

The Deputies located a sales quantity of suspected morphine pills inside the vehicle. The Deputies located a knife in Smith's possession and found that he was in excess of 50 miles from his residence.

The Deputies also developed probable cause to believe Smith was in possession of alcohol in violation of his PRCS terms.

Smith was arrested on charges of Transportation Controlled Substance/Narcotic For Sale, Possession Controlled Substance/Narcotic For Sale, Violation of PRCS - Post Release Community Supervision, Felony Arrest Warrant and booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was held with a No-Bail status.

========================

LOPEZ’S DRUNK CRASH

 On Monday, June 28, 2021, at approximately 11:00 pm, Ukiah PD Officers were dispatched to the intersection of Washington Ave. and S. Dora St. regarding a traffic collision. Upon arrival, they found two vehicles involved in the collision, both with major damage. The power pole was completely sheared off at the base, disrupting power to the entire neighborhood, and the wires on the power pole were arching with electricity and on fire. 

Upon investigation, Officers learned there were three people inside a Chevy Silverado and two people inside a Toyota Highlander. While speaking to the involved persons, Officers detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the driver of the Chevy Silverado. The driver was identified as 19-year-old Jose J. Lopez-Flores of Ukiah. 

Officers learned Lopez-Flores was traveling westbound on Washington Ave. at a high rate of speed. Lopez Flores failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of S. Dora St. and collided with the Toyota Highlander. The collision caused Lopez-Flores’ Chevy Silverado to veer off the roadway and collide with a power pole. Officers conducted a DUI investigation and subsequently arrested Lopez-Flores for DUI. 

The driver of the Toyota Highlander and the 8-year-old passenger were transported to Adventist Health Ukiah Valley ER for minor injuries. One passenger of the Chevy Silverado was also transported to the ER for minor injuries. Lopez-Flores and the third passenger of the Chevy Silverado were uninjured. 

City of Ukiah Electric was called to the scene to repair the damaged power pole. 

Flores-Lopez was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for felony violations of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury. 

(Ukiah Police Presser)

========================

FLOREZ RUSE FAILS

On Sunday, June 25, 2021 at approximately 7:20 PM, a representative of Redwood Ford contacted UPD regarding a possible identity theft. The Redwood Ford employee advised a UPD Officer that a female subject, later identified as Antoinette Florez, entered Redwood Ford to purchase a vehicle. 

Florez provided the employee with a California Driver’s License. The employee didn’t believe Florez was the person pictured on the California Driver’s License and became suspicious. Florez placed a cash deposit on a vehicle using the California Driver’s License she had provided, and planned to take possession of the vehicle the next day. The employee provided UPD with a picture of the vehicle that Florez had arrived in at the dealership. 

A short while later, UPD Officers were on patrol and spotted the vehicle parked at Lalo’s Mexican Food. UPD Officers approached the vehicle and contacted Florez. While speaking with Florez, UPD Officers learned she had an active felony warrant for her arrest in Fresno County, for probation violation. UPD Officers additionally were advised Florez was on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) for false personation of another. A term of her PRCS was to obey all laws. 

When asked about the incident at Redwood Ford, Florez informed Officers that she entered Redwood Ford with the intent to purchase a vehicle using someone else’s identity. A search of Florez and her possessions, per her PRCS terms, resulted in UPD Officers locating multiple California Identification Cards and California Driver’s Licenses that did not belong to Florez. Additionally, UPD Officers located over a dozen credit/debit cards that also did not belong to Florez. Florez was taken into custody without further incident. 

Florez was booked at the MCSO Jail on the above-mentioned violations and her bail was set at Zero bail, per the COVID bail schedule. 

(Ukiah Police Presser)

GREAT NEWS: The North Coast has its first brand new Blackhawk fire fighting helicopter. The helicopter will assist in fire fighting efforts in several North Coast counties.

The helicopter can carry 1,000 gallons of water, it’s designed for quick attack, can transport up to nine firefighters and it’ll be critical for rescue missions.

In total, the State will purchase up to 12 Blackhawks, replacing the Vietnam-era Hueys.

(State Senator Mike McGuire presser)

TRIAL DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY OF ABSCONDING

Ukiah, Tuesday, June 29

A Mendocino County Superior Court jury returned from its deliberations Tuesday to announce it had found the trial defendant guilty.

Defendant Leartis Kamau Maurice Caradine, age 30, of Ukiah, was found guilty of willfully failing to appear in court when ordered while out of custody on bail, a felony.

After the jury was thanked and excused, a separate court trial was conducted on sentencing enhancements also charged by the District Attorney. 

After all the evidence was presented and received during the court trial, the special allegations alleging that (1) the defendant has previously suffered a Strike conviction and also that (2) the failure to appear was committed while the defendant was released from custody on an earlier charged felony were both found to be true.

The Strike conviction that was found true was the defendant’s January 2017 felony conviction in the Tehama County Superior Court for driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and in doing so causing great bodily injury to another person.

The defendant’s other Mendocino County felony case is now set for a separate jury trial in August.

The attorney who presented the People's evidence to the jury was Deputy District Attorney Juan Jose “Joe” Guzman.

Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Keith Faulder presided over the two-day jury trial.

(DA Presser)

CATCH OF THE DAY, July 1, 2021

ROBERT BOYER, Vacaville/Ukiah. DUI-alcohol&drugs.

ERIC CHRISTENSEN, Garberville/Ukiah. DUI.

TAYLOR HALE, Laytonville. Domestic battery.

ROBERT JAMES, Fort Bragg. Controlled substance, county parole violation, failure to appear.

MURRAY JENKINSON, Laytonville. DUI.

EDUARDO LEON, Willits. DUI.

ALIYAH MALICAY, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, resisting.

BRADLEY MALLETT, Laytonville. County parole violation.

STEVEN RABURN, Redding/Ukiah. DUI.

CODY SHEPARD, Potter Valley. Domestic battery.

TONY SMITH JR., Santa Rosa/Ukiah. Narcotics/controlled substance for sale, county parole violation.

JACOB WALTRIP, Ukiah. Failure to appear.

NEWS, ALWAYS AND NEVER WHERE AND WHEN TO EXPECT IT

Last day in June, 2021.

5PM in San Anselmo. Time to acquire a bottle of Valley dry white or perhaps a French Chardonnay. Which is why I'm here.

Parked the Jeep and headed on foot to Ludwig's Liquor and Smoke Shop on the next block. Always an ample selection of preferred wine refrigerated there. Once I saw a guy in here with shaggy white hair buying cigars.

In a nearby parking space sat a large truck with a communications satellite uplink on the roof. (How small in radius they are today.) The sliding door is open and I see two young men inside working with video production instruments, sensing they are uplinking video content to some television content location.

"Hey guys what's up, here in San Anselmo?" Not having heard any sirens today.

One closest to me looked me over, seeing a harmless inquiring fossil.

"We interviewed a woman who lives here. One of those who claimed she was raped by Bill Cosby."

I had seen online that a PA judge ruled Cosby's release from prison on Wednesday.

I said, "What was her, this woman's response to that news?" 

Surely I would not ask her name but I thought the interview might be "picked up," syndicated by a local station and then to a network news channel.

The one inside the production truck, the one who seemed to be senior (he just looked that way, maybe thirty years old), said with what I sensed was a professional semi-smile, "She was not happy."

"Probably not," I hastily murmured. Ludwig's closed in ten minutes.

They nodded. Work to do.

"You guys like your job?"

Another nod and back to work.

— Bill Grimes

RUMSFELD ON IRAQ’S WMDS, 2003

by Jeffrey St. Clair

Donald Rumsfeld fancied himself a dark genius, the McNamara of the neo-cons. But he was really a rather conventional thinker with a plodding, sententious rhetorical style that some mistook for sagacity. In reality, Rumseld had mastered one parlor trick, which was his ability to seduce that most credulous of species, the national security reporter. Rumsfeld made many of them believe that the knowns were unknown and the unknowns were known. In swallowing his deceptions, the press helped him kill, maim and torture hundreds of thousands of innocent people. They’ll try to rewrite his story and their part in it, but history will speak for itself and the more they try to suppress it the more fiercely it will reassert itself.

From a compilation of quotes by American politicians on Iraq’s alleged WMDs that I put together for my book, ‘Grand Theft Pentagon.’

“We know where they are. They are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad.” – March 30, 2003

“There are people who in large measure have information that we need … so that we can track down the weapons of mass destruction in that country.” – April 25, 2003

“I never believed that we’d just tumble over weapons of mass destruction in that country.” – May 4, 2003

“They may have had time to destroy them, and I don’t know the answer.” – May 27, 2003

(Jeffrey St. Clair is editor of CounterPunch. His most recent books are Bernie and the Sandernistas: Field Notes From a Failed Revolution and The Big Heat: Earth on the Brink (with Joshua Frank) He can be reached at: sitka@comcast.net or on Twitter @JeffreyStClair3.)

RUMSFELD AND THE PRISONERS

by Alexander Cockburn (May 2004)

It was not far into the war in Afghanistan that Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld made plain his views of the treatment of prisoners, after horrifying accounts began to surface of the treatment of Taliban POWs.

Recall that after the surrender of the Kunduz fortress in November 2001 hundreds of Taliban were taken prisoner along with an American called John Walker Lindh. Rumsfeld had originally stated that the US was “not inclined to negotiate surrenders.” He then amended this to say that the Taliban should be let out of the net but that foreign fighters should expect no mercy: “My hope is they will either be killed or taken prisoner.”

It turned out they endured both Rumsfeld's options. A year later Jamie Doran, a British television producer, aired his documentary established beyond reasonable doubt that hundreds of these prisoners — with no distinction between Taliban or “foreign fighters” — died either by suffocation in the container trucks used to transport them towards the Shebarghan prison, or by outright execution near Shebarghan.

On the basis of interviews with eyewitnesses, Doran said US soldiers were present when the containers were opened. “When the containers were finally opened, a mess of urine, blood, faeces, vomit and rotting flesh was all that remained ... As the containers were lined up outside the prison, a [US] soldier accompanying the convoy was present when the prison commanders received orders to dispose of the evidence quickly. Newsweek's investigation into the Afghan atrocities (“The Death Convoy of Afghanistan,” 26 August 2002) stated that “American forces were working intimately with 'allies' who committed what could well qualify as war crimes.”

Witnesses also stated “600 Taliban PoWs who survived the containers' shipment to the Shebarghan prison ... were taken to a spot in the desert and executed in the presence of about 30 to 40 US special forces soldiers” (The Globe and Mail, 19 December 2002). Other US soldiers are said to have involved themselves directly and enthusiastically in the “dirty work” of prisoner torture and the disposal of corpses. “The Americans did whatever they wanted,” stated one Afghan witness. “We had no power to stop them. Everything was under the control of the American commander.”

John Walker Lindh was kept in a coffin sized box. As his lawyer later stated, the photographs left no doubt as to what kind of treatment he had endured. Part of his lawyer's final deal with the prosecution was a dropping of any possible charges of torture.

From May, 2003, the Red Cross was complaining to US army commanders and to proconsul Bremer in Iraq, to Rumsfeld, assistant defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice about frightful treatment of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib and elsewhere. “The elements we found were tantamount to torture,” Pierre Kraehenbuehl, operations director for the Swiss-based International Committee of the Red Cross, told reporters in Geneva at the end of the first week in May, 2004, after the Wall Street Journal disclosed the contents of a major Red Cross report. “They were clearly incidents of degrading and inhuman treatment.”

Kraehenbuehl said said the ICRC investigations showed “a pattern, a broad system” rather than “isolated acts of individual members of the coalition forces.” During an unannounced October visit to Abu Ghraib, for example, the ICRC monitors witnessed “the practice of keeping persons completely naked in totally empty concrete cells in total darkness for several consecutive days,” the report said.

The Red Cross teams also saw guards forcing male prisoners to parade around in women's underwear, according to the summary report. When an ICRC official complained to the military officer in charge, the report says, the American explained that the practice was “part of the process.” The ICRC report said the suspects were “beaten severely by [coalition forces] personnel” and one man, identified as 28-year-old Baha Daoud Salim, died. In the words of the report, “His co-arrestees heard him screaming and asking for assistance.”

The Red Cross began making its complaints just about the time, back in May and June 2003, the US was on a full-press diplomatic campaign to compel other countries to sign bilateral agreements exempting US citizens, whether military or civilians, from the potential jurisdiction of the new International Criminal Court (ICC) in Rome.

What's clear enough is that the quality of US leadership from the very top down, both civilian and military, is rancid. Accountability has long gone out of the window. The venality and corruption of Bremer's coalition officials and many of Sanchez's officers have naturally allowed many in the armed forces to degenate into criminal thuggery. Iraqi families complain that after US troops have searched and smashed up their homes, the occupants return to find their safes broken open and their savings and valuables stolen.

The Red Cross report cites some coalition military intelligence officers as reckoning that “between 70 per cent and 90 per cent of the persons deprived of their liberty in Iraq had been arrested by mistake.”

It's ironic how the great moral crusade for freedom and democracy in Iraq has foundered on a photo of Private Lynndie England hauling around The Other on a dog leash. Even the images of torture degrade one's moral instincts with appalling speed. I''d love to see a photo of Anne Coulter clipping the leash on Rush Limbaugh, though not being Muslim he probably wouldn't care. Remember, being forced to strip naked and have one's genitals menaced by savage dogs is something Muslims apparently find abhorrent. Those Others are a bunch of ninnies, aren't they? Not like us Christians. 

"THAT'S LIFE!" (That's life)
That's what all the people say.
You're ridin' high in April,
Shot down in May.
But I know I'm gonna change that tune,
When I'm back on top, back on top in June.

I said that's life (That's life)
And as funny as it may seem.
Some people get their kicks,
Stompin' on a dream;
But I don't let it, let it get me down,
'Cause this fine, ol' world,
It keeps spinnin' around.

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet,
A pawn, and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out,
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race!

That's life! (That's life)
I tell ya, I can't deny it.
I thought of quittin', baby,
But my heart just ain't gonna buy it.
And if I didn't think it was worth one single try,
I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly.

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet,
A pawn, and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out,
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself layin' flat on my face,
I just pick myself up and get back in the race!

That's life! (That's life)
That's life, and I can't deny it!
Many times I thought of cuttin' out,
But my heart won't buy it.
But if there's nothin' shakin' come this here July,
I'm gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die!

My, my!

— Composers: Gordon Kelly & Kean Thompson, Popularized by Frank Sinatra

WE GOT THE DOLLARS, BUT DETERMINATION?

Editor: 

No one can predict when the drought will end. It’s a cyclical event. For now, we can mitigate effects by trying to reduce our water usage by 20%. Cloud seeding is expensive, with no guarantee it works. Large-scale desalinization is still questionable because of its energy consumption and the challenge of concentrate disposal.

Just two years ago we experienced severe rainstorms, causing catastrophic flooding on the Russian River. We were not prepared then as we probably aren’t now to capture rainfall for future droughts. Why not?

Do we need more dams and reservoirs? In the past 30 years, 100 small dams have been removed around the state. Water is being diverted away from Central Valley farmers. No water, no food. Do we care more for the delta smelt or for people? Can salmon and dams coexist? Environmentalists have plenty of opinions on this topic.

While we conserve water during the drought, perhaps we should prepare for the next flood. We could build another dam and reservoir, despite controversy. Residents and business could install rain harvesting systems. Municipalities could construct rain catchment basins. Companies could design rain gardens on their rooftops. All it takes is determination and dollars.

Jennifer Delany

Santa Rosa

I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO

The loveliness of Paris seems somehow sadly grey
The glory that was Rome is of another day
I've been terribly alone and forgotten in Manhattan
I'm going home to my city by the Bay
I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me
To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care
My love waits there in San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea
When I come home to you, San Francisco
Your golden sun will shine for me

When I come home to you, San Francisco
Your golden sun will shine for me

— Composed by George Cory; sung by Tony Bennett

LEAVES MUST BE CANCELED. ALL HANDS ON THE CONGRESSIONAL DECK

by Ralph Nader

Open letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Leader Senator Chuck Schumer:

Readers of the Washington Post this past Sunday, many of whom work at least a 40-hour week with short vacations, were informed by reporter Paul Kane about the large number of recess days the Senate and the House are taking this summer. In the midst of a huge backlog of critical legislation – as with the multi-trillion-dollar public and human infrastructure bills and other responsibilities deferred under prior periods of Republican control – these recess periods constitute reckless abandon and endangerment to the country.

Here are Mr. Kane’s words:

“When the Senate finishes up Thursday [June 24th, 2021], the chamber will shut down until July 12 for an unusually long Independence Day recess. After returning for four weeks, the Senate is supposed to break by Aug. 6 for more than four weeks of the beloved August recess. That’s a nearly 75-day run from late June through Labor Day in which current planning would have senators here voting about 16 days.”

“The original House schedule is even more impractical. When members of the House leave town July 1, they are slated to be in session just two of the next 11 weeks.”

“Yes, you read that right. From July 2 through Sept. 19, the House is only in session for nine days.”

It gets worse. As with other long absences throughout the year, all these recesses come with full pay and with bipartisan concurrence. But there is no agreement on Biden’s big-ticket legislative initiatives that should be dealt with, with meticulous detail to assure that whatever passes comes with rigorous oversight by adequate overseers for preventing waste, fraud, and abuse in the Executive Branch departments and agencies. That takes Congressional work.

Even when Congress is in session, Senators and Representatives usually work a three-day week – Tuesdays to Thursdays – with time to rush to nearby campaign offices and dial for campaign dollars.

Committee Chairs could hold hearings during these long recesses. But there are few legislators today like the workhorse Democratic Senator from Wisconsin, William Proxmire, who logged day after day of oversight hearings while his colleagues were on junkets overseas or at rich watering holes, compliments of business lobbyists.

The recklessly limited work time explains, in part, why the Democratic leadership in the Senate doesn’t force the Republicans to actually filibuster for all to see on national television their venomous, avaricious opposition to the pro-people, worker, consumer, patient, and children programs they have been blocking. All Senator “NO” Mitch McConnell, the Republicans self-styled “Grim Reaper,” does is communicate filibuster threats through the media to Schumer. The Democrats then cave into defeat because of few working days to push for an actual filibuster on the Senate floor.

These luxurious schedules are not set in stone. They were developed last December by the Democratic leadership; those same leaders can put all the 535 members of the Senate and the House to work. They also should deal with appropriations bills, and long-delayed nominees or forthcoming nominees by Biden to head agencies, and the lifting of the federal debt limit to avert a government shutdown, and more.

I think more of the 500 reporters covering Congress full time should do what Paul Kane has done and report these absurdly long AWOLs to the people back home. Editorials can urge people to collar their members of Congress and say:

Go back to work – five, six, or seven days if necessary to do your duties. Get serious lawmakers! You hold in trust the sovereign power of the American people. We have given you handsome pay, benefits, perks, services, staff, and a powerfully air-conditioned Capitol to perform your constitutional duties with due deliberation. You must not end up in frantic deadlines legislating with all the sloppy drafting, unintended consequences, and loopholes for greedy commercial interests.

There is a neglected aspect of all this absenteeism for the Democrats agenda. Staying on the job could let Democrats draw vivid kitchen-table distinctions between them and the corporatist Wall Street over Main Street Republicans with their penchant for grossly under-taxing the super-rich and giant corporations at the expense of (1) middle-class taxpayers, and (2) programs of public services and the private necessity for the impoverished and other families in need through no fault of their own.

So, let’s get going Americans. Call your Senators and Representatives. The switchboard number (open 24/7) for Congress is 202-224-3121. The operators, who have to stay on the job, will steer you to your named Senators and Representatives. Tell your members of Congress to camp out on Capitol Hill. Tell them to earn their pay and respect the power given to them by the people.