Mendocino County Today: April 4, 2013

THIS PARAGRAPH from the Wednesday edition of the Press Democrat manages to misstate the case: “The Willits protest, in comparison, is much more tightly focused. Environmentalists contend the 6-mile Highway 101 bypass around Willits will destroy sensitive grassland, wetlands and second-growth tree stands. Some merchants and residents of Willits also oppose the bypass, but in large part out of fear of economic losses to the community.”

MANY MORE PEOPLE oppose the Bypass because it isn't a bypass, only a partial bypass that doesn't serve the huge daily traffic flow headed to and from the Mendocino Coast on Highway 20. For a total expenditure of $300 million (or more) this massive project doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

IT'S CLEAR that Caltrans decided to proceed with the Willits Bypass on a hurry-up basis because Big Orange feared that State Senator Noreen Evans and the pending lawsuit just might bring the whole show to a halt. (Note here that Northcoast's eternal Assemblyman, Wes Chesbro, has been invisible throughout the controversy.) The more public attention is focused on the ineffectiveness of the project in relation to its cost and stated goal of relieving traffic congestion, the more frantic the anonymous drones at Caltrans become to get it underway.

THE TREESITTER who threw his waste at the CHP officer has done a huge disservice to the overall effort to stop this boondoggle. (A roving demonstrator named Katz whose wife was also up a tree.) Ditto for the screeching fools shouting obscenities. It's what happens when there's no demo discipline — nutballs do their thing, public attention is diverted on to them, the greater public is estranged, the issues get lost.

THE WARBLER, in contrast to the feces thrower, conducted herself with aplomb as she was plucked from her pine tree, and stayed on message for the more than two months she was nesting.

ACCORDING TO THE CHP the “roving demonstrators” (i.e., not from Willits) were Travis C. Jochimsen, 30, of Lancaster who was arrested for trespassing and obstructing a peace officer; Martin R. Katz, 23, of Rancho Palos Verdes, arrested for trespassing and assaulting a peace officer; and Scott E. Tenney, 65, of Weott, arrested for trespassing and obstructing a peace officer.

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SEVEN PEOPLE camping in trees to protest construction of a Highway 101 bypass in Mendocino County were arrested Tuesday by dozens of California Highway Patrol officers who were lifted into the trees on cherry-pickers.

The officers — specially trained and experienced in using climbing equipment — arrested two women and five men, bringing the nine-week demonstration to an end and clearing the way for crews to cut down the trees so that the project could go forward, said CHP Officer Steve Krul, an area spokesman for the agency.

“Today there were trees that were scheduled to be removed. This meant that the trespassers could no longer remain in the trees,” Krul said.

“We asked them to move, again they refused,” he said.

Most of the protesters — some camped about 70 feet above the ground — were taken into custody on suspicion of trespassing, though one protester was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a peace officer and assault with a deadly weapon when an officer was grabbed and the protester swung a rope with a metal object tied to the end of it, Krul said.

Other officers at the scene opened fire with what Krul described as “nonlethal beanbag rounds,” allowing officers to take the protester into custody and be lowered to the ground.

Protesters and people on the ground screamed and swore at the officers, while at least one protester in the trees dropped feces on the CHP officers. None of the officers were hurt, Krul said.

Protesters and a state senator who represents the area criticized the arrests, claiming the officers fired rubber bullets at the protesters, though the CHP says only the beanbag rounds were used.

Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, said in a statement that she was “shocked and dismayed” at what she termed “an excessive use of force.”

“I met today with Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty to express my dismay at today's events. I have additionally requested an immediate meeting with CHP Commissioner Joseph Farrow,” Evans said in the statement.

Among those arrested was Amanda “Warbler” Senseman, 28, who took to the trees more than two months ago, said Naomi Wagner, a spokeswoman for an organization called Redwood Nation Earth First, one of the groups protesting construction of the bypass.

Wagner and the protesters oppose the highway bypass, which would reroute drivers out of downtown Willits, though city leaders have come out in favor of it.

“This bypass is an expensive and unnecessary boondoggle,” Wagner said. “The data underlying the need (for the bypass) is faulty.”

Hillsides for the project were being used to fill wetlands and the work was also threatening nesting birds, Wagner said.

Caltrans representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment after hours about the arrests, but in awarding the contract for the $210 million project last year, the agency said it would relieve congestion, reduce delays, and improve safety for traffic and pedestrians. (Courtesy, the San Francisco Chronicle.)

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TREE-SITTERS at the #2 tree-sit site were “extracted” Tuesday morning with the aid of two 100-foot cranes -- and rubber bullets. Both tree-sitters climbed above the reach of the crane buckets, and CHP climbers went up after them. CHP officers remaining in the buckets trained a gun on the tree-sitters as they moved back and forth between trees on traverse lines and up and down trees. Videos and photos taken this morning show one tree-sitter wrapping his legs around branches as he resists efforts of two CHP officers to pull him into the bucket. A third CHP officer below appears to be holding on to a harness secured around the tree-sitter. The officer on the second crane then shot the tree-sitter with at least three rubber bullets, from about six feet away, before the tree-sitter was subdued. The second tree-sitter got into the crane bucket after that, reportedly voluntarily. Below a line of up to 30 CHP officers in riot helmets were deployed along the fenceline separating the state-owned bypass route and private property where supporters of the tree-sitters gathered with permission. Reports of a couple of CHP officers in the line holding rifles have not been confirmed. Other CHP officers were on the hill to the right and under the trees. Up to 50 CHP officers were estimated to be present at the #2 tree-sit extraction operation. The crowd of at least 50 people rushed the fence as shots rang out, screaming at and pleading with the CHP. One older protester went under the fence and was arrested, along with the two tree-sitters. Willits Weekly has a call in to CHP Public Information Officer Steve Krul, but was told not to expect an immediate call-back as he is currently very busy dealing with media inquiries. — Jennifer Poole (Courtesy, Willits Weekly)

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SOMEONE on the Coast Listserve, curious about the ongoing filming for the “Need for Speed” high-speed chase movie production, asked Supervisor Hamburg, “How much did the film company pay the county for this? And the Highway Patrol? And the citizenry who are being inconvenienced and probably losing money as well?”

SUPERVISOR HAMBURG REPLIED: “Need for Speed is bringing approximately $3m into the county including a significant revenue boost for the county fair which is being used as the “staging area.” The fair has been cut off from state funding and badly needs the revenue! All law enforcement agencies (county, CHP) and Caltrans are being paid for their time on the roadways of the county. It's the policy of the BOS to promote the film industry in Mendocino County. That's why we have a Mendocino Film Office. This doesn't mean that we would take welcome any film but the fact that Need for Speed is being produced by a reputable company (Dreamworks) and that it's a PG-13 film (as opposed to a “slasher” movie, for example) were in its favor. Mendocino County competed successfully with Humboldt and Sonoma to host this film. The County will get significant mention in the film credits.”

NOTICE that Supervisor Hamburg didn’t answer any of the questions that were asked. How much did the film company pay the County? No answer. (Obviously they’re paying for some Sheriff’s deputies, and maybe a low-priced permit, so there should be an answer to that somewhere.)

HAMBURG casually says that NFS “is bringing approximately $3m into the county.” This number was tossed out by the NFS location manager at their meeting at the Fairgrounds a few weeks ago. Nobody challenged it at the time. But it’s a ridiculous number on its face, which Hamburg, to whom the taxpayers pay upwards of $100k a year to represent them and evaluate permit applications, buys it without the slightest thought.

ACCORDING to NFS’s County film permit, the cast and crew number 150 people. NFS reps (and several locals) seemed to believe that they’d spend a big chunk of their generous expense accounts for food and accommodations in Mendocino County.

THEY’RE NOT THOUGH, because there’s a big catering truck at the Fairgrounds that says “Tony’s Catering, Chatsworth, California.” And at least one local innkeeper told us that when asked for rooms for some of the crew, the NFS rep said they wanted the innkeeper to cancel existing reservations which he obviously could not do, so most of them are staying at a corporate chain motel in Ukiah.

BUT, for the sake of argument let’s assume they might spend $200 per day per person — way too high, but let’s use that for a moment. (Everything else NFS is spending is on their own big film production costs – cast and crew, trucks, cars, vans, helicopter operations, transportation, their own welding shop and associated equipment, etc. That certainly can add up to big bucks — but none for Mendo.)

SO we have 14 days in Mendocino County (11 days of filming). $200 per day. For 150 people at the very, VERY most.

14 days times $200 per day times 150 people.

Or, 14 x $200 x 150 = $420,000. At the ABSOLUTE maximum.

NOWHERE near the “$3m” Supervisor Hamburg cites as if it’s a real number that Mendocino businesses might see. In fact, the $3m is mostly the NFS production expenses mentioned above, not the number they’re “bringing into the County.”

AND WE KNOW that the NFS crew is not spending anywhere near $200 a day in Mendo, so the number is much less than $420k. Presumably the County will get a little bed tax. But again, even if they spend $420k on lodging, that would be only $42k in bed tax. The actual number will be much less, at best.

THE COUNTY FAIR is getting something like $40k or more from NFS, a pittance, considering what they’d have to pay for such a huge operation anywhere else. But it’s true that the Fair can use the money.

THE COUNTY will certainly get a little money, but nothing like the “$3m” Hamburg blandly cites. We’ll take it, of course, even if it is a pittance. But it would be nice if somebody would do an honest assessment of this thing, not just toss out ridiculous film crew propaganda numbers as if they’re based on something.

SUPERVISOR HAMBURG can be excused for not knowing how much NFS is paying for CHP officers, probably quite a bit.

THEN WE GET “promote the film industry” and an unsubstantiated endorsement of Spielberg and a claim that the movie is OK because it’s PG-13. (Tell that to the local teenagers all over Anderson Valley who are fascinated with the speeding cars on local roads.)

HAMBURG defends this silly teenage movie that glorifies speed-racing for kids as not a slasher movie — which, apparently, Hamburg would also approve of based on the county policy to promote the film industry in all its teenage splendor.

THEN WE HAVE Hamburg’s reference to a “successful competition” with Humboldt and Sonoma County. There was a “competition”? What was the competition? Cheaper permit fees and cops? A promise to approve the permit without a public hearing? A complete rollover by County government so that residents can be inconvenienced based on inflated promises by Spielberg and Associates?

AND SO FAR (as of April 3) the traffic delays we’ve heard about (and experienced) which were supposed to be “not more than 20 minutes” are somewhere between 25 minutes and an hour. (And there’d be nobody to complain to if they get even longer.)

AS OF TWO WEEKS AGO, Ms. Debra De Graaf (Mendo’s one-person Film Office) told the Anderson Valley group who showed up for the NFS-organized meeting (assisted loudly by Supervisor Hamburg who was clearly very peeved that some of the people in attendance were insufficiently excited by Spielberg et al), that she was “working on” getting credit for Mendocino County in the movie. There were no credit promises made by the NFS people at the meeting. And there’s certainly nothing in the County permit that requires such credit.

SO THE PRECENDENT is now set. When George Romero “slasher movie” Hamburg refers to actually does come to Mendocino County, all they’ll have to do is promise Hamburg millions of dollars and tell Hamburg “no real blood will be spilled,” and Hamburg and the rest of Official Mendo will roll over for cheap for whatever inconvenience Romero might want to impose in the name of “movie industry promotion.”

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JEFF COSTELLO NOTES: Craig Stehr, an interesting case. Professional in-your-face poor person. Also, in-your-face “spiritual” person. Do real spiritual people brag about it?

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YOU ARE INVITED To Attend Community Meetings Throughout The County On The Feasibility Of An Exclusive Operating Area For Ambulance Services

April 2, 2013 — Dear Mendocino County EMS Stakeholders:

As announced in March, the County of Mendocino is exploring the option of establishing an exclusive operating area (EOA) for the sustainable provision of emergency ambulance services. We have contracted with Fitch & Associates to prepare a feasibility study based on information from and the needs of EMS responders, health providers, fire districts, and the community. As part of this, we are holding community meetings throughout the County in each supervisorial district. Many of you may have already been contacted and interviewed by Fitch & Associates. The first round of engagement consisted of focused, one-on-one discussions with the individuals and organizations most closely linked to the provision of EMS. This second round of engagement is for all stakeholders, interested parties, and community members to learn what our EMS issues are, what an EOA is, what an EOA could look like for our County, and to discuss what level and types of ambulance service we want and the pros and cons of an EOA. The County’s goals for EMS are to improve coordination, reliability, and flexibility, to have greater resources, a higher level of service for isolated areas, and standards that meet the medical and financial needs of the community. The County is committed to achieving these goals whether through an EOA or another system improvement process. We hope that your engagement will help us to creatively address the issues.

We hope that you can attend one of the following meetings at 6:00PM:

• Fort Bragg Veterans Building, 360 Harrison Ave., Fort Bragg Monday, April 15

• Boonville Veterans Building, 14470 Highway 128, Boonville Monday, April 15

• Ukiah Veterans Building, 293 Seminary Ave., Ukiah Tuesday, April 16

• Gualala Community Center, 47950 Center St., Gualala Tuesday, April 16

• Willits Veterans Building, 189 North Main St., Willits Wednesday, April 17

• Redwood Valley Fire Department, 8481 East Road, Redwood Valley Wednesday, April 17

Information will be presented by Fitch & Associates and the Executive Office. We

look forward to seeing you there. For more information, please visit:

http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/administration/EMS.htm

Carmel J. Angelo, Chief Executive Officer County of Mendocino

Richard Keller, Partner Fitch & Associates, LLC

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GUILTY VERDICTS Entered For Christmas Crime Spree A Crescent City man accused of trying to rob two women at knifepoint in two local shopping centers five days before last Christmas was found guilty today at a non-jury trial held in Department B of the Mendocino County Superior Court in Ukiah. After hearing the available evidence, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge John Behnke entered guilty verdicts against Robert Lee White, age 50 (also known as Robert Stanley), for an attempted robbery in the second degree of Royleen Eriksen on December 20, 2012 outside of Lucky’s in the Pear Tree Shopping Center, and a separate attempted robbery in the second degree of Patricia DeLapo minutes later outside of J.C. Penney’s. The defendant was also found guilty of attempting to forcibly dissuade a witness, Steve Eriksen, from seeking White’s arrest. The Court found true that the defendant was armed with and used a knife in each of the above three crimes. The defendant was found not guilty of one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and one count of Elder Abuse. The prosecutor handling the case was District Attorney David Eyster. The defense of White was directed by Deputy Public Defender Dan Haehl. The Court also found true that the defendant had previously suffered four prior Strike convictions: Robbery, in 1999 in the Humboldt County Superior Court; Robbery, in 1999 in the Alameda County Superior Court; Criminal Threats, in 1996 in the Del Norte County Superior Court; and Residential Burglary with the personal use of a firearm, in 1982 in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Given the mandates of the Three Strikes law, District Attorney Eyster noted that the combination of all guilty verdicts and findings expose the defendant to a state prison commitment of 98 years to life. Eyster expressed his appreciation to the Ukiah Police Department for their quick response and thorough investigation in December. He also thanked the victims for their willingness to come to court to provide necessary testimony, testimony that, according to Eyster, “makes sure that this very dangerous man will no longer victimize Christmas shoppers – or anybody else for that matter – now and in the future.” A formal sentencing hearing has been set for May 17, 2013 at 8:30 in the morning before the same trial judge. (District Attorney Press Release)

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MEANWHILE, IN THE INTOXICANTS capital of the United States (Mendocino County Press Release):

Alcohol Outlet Density Study; Mendocino Ranks High Compared to State — Mendocino County Public Health Services’ Prevention and Planning Unit recently assessed alcohol outlets in the County and published a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of alcohol outlet density, and the effects on community health. In 1998 the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) amended Business & Professional Code Section 23817.5 to permanently establish a moratorium on the issuance of off-sale beer and wine licenses (Type 20) in cities and counties where the ratio of Type 20 licenses exceeds one for each 2,500 inhabitants. Mendocino County continues to be classified as a moratorium county due to the high number of outlets. Yet, new licenses are still granted. The number of alcohol outlets in Mendocino County per capita is over twice the average in the State of California. To conform to the ABC standards, there would be 35 off-sale outlets in the county. Currently there are 168 off-sale outlets. Off-sale outlets are where the alcohol is taken elsewhere to drink. The number of alcohol outlets per community (outlet density) is an indicator of readily available alcohol to the public and an indicator of overall alcohol consumption. While local governments may be inclined to grant approval to alcohol license applicants in attempts to bolster local business and the economy, the evidence shows that a high density of outlets corresponds with a proportional increase in alcohol related violence, underage drinking, unprotected sex and driving after drinking. The Public Health Prevention & Planning Unit looked at the relationship between the number of outlets and four measures of crime and harm in Mendocino County as well as 19 other counties with similar rural populations and the State of California as a whole.

The following results were noted:

1. In 2010 there were 793 arrests for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Mendocino County. The analysis of the data estimated that every off-sale outlet per 10,000 residents was associated with almost 7 DUI arrests per 10,000 residents. This finding suggests that decreasing the number of off-sale outlets will correspond with decreased DUIs.

2. In 2010 there were 46 arrests for underage drinking in Mendocino County. The analysis of data estimated that every off-sale outlet per 10,000 residents was associated with almost 3 arrests for underage drinking per 10,000 underage residents. This finding suggests that decreasing the number of off-sale outlets will correspond with decreased underage drinking arrests.

3. The most frequently reported consequence of high alcohol outlet density is alcohol-related collisions. Mendocino County has been consistently higher than the State of California over the past five years in percent of all collisions resulting in an injury or fatality that are alcohol-related. In Mendocino County the percent of collisions resulting in an injury or fatality that were alcohol- related was almost double that of the State of California in 2010 (20% versus 11%).

4. Compared to California, Mendocino County has had alarmingly higher rates of aggravated assaults. In 2009 and 2010, the rate in Mendocino County was nearly twice that of the State of California. There are many steps communities can take to reduce the harms associated with high alcohol outlet density. Success stories from other communities can help lead the way to implement tools and policies at the local level.

For instance:

• A Conditional Use Permit is a zoning tool that gives municipalities the authority to locally regulate the number, location and operational practices of new alcohol outlets by setting conditions the outlet must meet.

• Responsible Beverage Service training has been shown to lower the number of underage youth who are served alcohol as well as decrease the number of intoxicated patrons at bars, restaurants and liquor stores.

• Deemed Approved Ordinances (DAO) ensure that alcohol sales occur in a manner that protects the health, safety and welfare of communities. The DAO sets performance standards for existing alcoholic beverage outlets.

• Requests for Letters of Public Convenience or Necessity are filed with law enforcement when there is an application for an alcohol license in an over-concentrated area. Jurisdictions can adopt criteria that guide the decision regarding whether or not to approve the license, or under which conditions to approve it. For more information on this program or to obtain a copy of the HIA contact: Meredyth Reinhard, Senior Program Specialist, 472.2614 or reinharm@co.mendocino.ca.us

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MS. REINHARD doesn’t tell us what percentage of the alcohol outlets serve only wine.

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MICHAEL DARBY, Olympic Training Center wrestling athlete, will be performing an original anti-bullying program at Frank Zeek, Rivera and Kelseyville Elementary Schools on April 25 and 26th. The 6'6” 307 pound wrestler will be joined by ABC network dancer Ashley Miller and Cybelle Kaehler who sang for the President of the United States.

Michael says, “My love for wrestling and the arts started right here in Mendocino Country/Lake County. I first laced up my wrestling shoes at Terrace Middle School in Lakeport and later Graduated at Ukiah High School as the number one ranked wrestler in the Redwood Empire at 171 pounds. While at Ukiah High, I was coached and mentored by math teacher Gary Cavender. When it came to arts, I discovered the magic of music in Kelseyville with Vernise Pelzel who wrote and directed the children's play The Story of Orange. I was also taught by Rick Allen at Ukiah High where I was cast in the honor choir. From those musical platforms I've been able to work with people like Christiana Aguilera and multiple Grammy award winning producer Walter Afanasieff (Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli) I am incredibly excited to come back to the place where it all started and share my anti-bullying message and music with the youth of Mendocino and Lake Counties. Our goal is to help children discover the best part of who they are and who they can become. We try to accomplish this by sharing the message that no matter how different we may be be, if we treat each other with respect we can always be friends.” To Learn more about Michael's cause you can check out his organizations website at: www.michaeldarbyandsmile.tv — Humbly Yours, Ashley Miller, Michael Darby and Smile. (702) 271-9428. aimhighsmile@gmail.com. www.michaeldarbyandsmile.tv

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PERIPHERAL TUNNEL OPPONENTS WILL HOLD “DEATH OF DELTA” FUNERAL

Coffin will be delivered to Jerry Meral, tunnel point man

by Dan Bacher

I have a long and personal relationship with the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas.

I was first introduced to the Delta by my late father, Alfred, who first took me fishing in Miner Slough for catfish and striped bass when I was 10 years old in 1964. As a civil engineer for Cal Trans, he wanted to check up on some bridges in the Delta that he had designed. I caught three catfish, while he landed one striped bass in our first 30 minutes of fishing.

The Delta was a magical world that I hadn't known before existed. I was amazed by the winding sloughs, the wide variety of crops ranging from pears, to grapes to broccoli and the impeccable fishery. The striped bass fishery at that time was at its historical height, with the DFG estimating a population of around 3 million fish.

Since then I have fished many hundreds of hours on the Delta for stripers, catfish, black bass, crappie and sturgeon, having many memorable days while fishing from boat and bank on the estuary. The epic striper population of the mid-sixties is long gone, due to water exports to corporate agribusiness and southern California, although there was a rebound of stripers from 1995 to 2002, when the fishery reached over an estimated 1.5 million. At the same time, the same water exports that hammered the striped bass also resulted in precipitous declines of Chinook salmon, steelhead, Delta smelt, Sacramento splittail, green sturgeon and other fish speices.

Meanwhile, I became involved in the battle to save the fishery with United Anglers of California for over 20 years. I worked closely with Hal Bonslett, the late publisher of the Fish Sniffer magazine, on the board of that organization. When a brave group of state and federal fishery scientists revealed in 2005 that pelagic fish species - Delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad and striped bass - had declined to record low population levels - fishermen and environmentalists began organizing a campaign to stop the campaign.

Gary Adams of the California Striped Bass Association, West Delta Chapter, and I began a series of conversations about the need to form a coalition that would unite all of the people, including recreational anglers, commercial fishermen, family farmers, grassroots environmentalists, Indian Tribes and Delta residents, seeking to restore the Delta under one banner. Other folks began to agree with us. As a result, a group of people from diverse backgrounds ended up meeting in an office in Stockton in 2006 to form the group “Restore the Delta.”

Since then Restore the Delta has done a lot of great work, including producing a documentary movie, “Over Troubled Waters,” filling up legislative hearings with opponents of the peripheral tunnels, staging protests and rallies at the State Capitol and coordinating an intensive media campaign against the tunnels.

However, as one who has had a long history as a creative cultural activist and writer, one thing I have seen missing in the campaign against the tunnels by Restore the Delta and other organizations has been creative, fun events that other activists have used successfully in the environmental, anti-globalization and indigenous rights movements.

Today I'm very happy to say that Restore the Delta and other opponents of Gov. Jerry Brown's rush to build peripheral tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom salmon and other Pacific fisheries will do something different and present California Natural Resources Agency Deputy Director Jerry Meral, the Administration's point man for the project, with a coffin on Thursday at a public meeting on the tunnels plan.

Opponents will hold a news conference outside the meeting, and then deliver the coffin to the Brown Administration, which is now fast-tracking the construction of the tunnels through the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). I strongly urge everybody to attend this great event!

“The proposed Peripheral Tunnels will kill the Delta, the fisheries and the Delta farms,” said Delta water expert Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director of Restore the Delta. “The coffin will be painted with Delta place names and values that would be lost.”

“Restore the Delta opposes a project that would exterminate salmon runs, destroy sustainable family farms and saddle taxpayers with tens of billions in debt, mainly to benefit a small number of huge corporate agribusinesses on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley,” said Barrigan-Parrilla said.

The event will feature Restore the Delta Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla; Bill Jennings, Executive Director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance; Steve Heringer, Delta farmer and vintner; and other opponents of Jerry Brown's plan to drain the Delta.

The press conference will take place at 12:00 pm, Thursday, April 4, 2013, Red Lion Woodlake Conference Center, 500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento

Restore the Delta is a 10,000-member grassroots organization committed to making the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable to benefit all of California. Restore the Delta works to improve water quality so that fisheries and farming can thrive together again in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. http://www.restorethedelta.org

For more information, contact: Contact: Steve Hopcraft 916/457-5546; steve [at] hopcraft.comTwitter: @shopcraft; or Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla 209/479-2053 barbara [at] restorethedelta.org; Twitter: @RestoretheDelta

Stop Governor Jerry Brown, Natural Resources Secretary John Laird and Deputy Secretary Jerry Meral from overseeing the Death of the Delta. Attend the news conference outside the Bay Delta Conservation Plan meeting on Thursday, April 4, at noon in Sacramento at the Red Lion Woodlake Conference Center, 500 Leisure Lane.