Mendocino County Today: June 27, 2013

JUST IN FROM THE GUV'S OFFICE:

Press release from the governor’s office below:

After years of struggle, the US Supreme Court today has made same-sex marriage a reality in California. In light of the decision, I have directed the California Department of Public Health to advise the state’s counties that they must begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in California as soon as the Ninth Circuit confirms the stay is lifted,” said Governor Brown.

The effect of today’s US Supreme Court ruling is that the 2010 federal district court’s decision that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional is left intact and the law cannot be enforced.

In response, the Governor has directed the California Department of Public Health to advise county officials today that the district court’s injunction against Proposition 8 applies statewide and that all county clerks and county registrar/recorders must comply with it. However, same-sex Californians will not be able to marry until the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirms the stay of the injunction, which has been in place throughout the appeals process, is lifted.

In preparation for this outcome, Governor Brown sought an opinion from California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris on whether the state, through the California Department of Public Health, can advise county clerks and registrar/recorders that they are bound by the federal district court’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

The Attorney General concluded that the California Department of Public Health “can and should” instruct county officials that they “must resume issuing marriage licenses to and recording the marriages of same-sex” couples. The Department will issue another letter to county officials as soon as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirms the stay is lifted.

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CALTRANS will soon commence pile driving along the route of the viaduct stretch of the six mile bypass. Will Parrish, aka Red Tail Hawk, remains locked down half way up the device known as a “wick drain stitcher,” a kind of mini-pile driver. Hawk has not been re-supplied in a week.

IT OCCURS to us here at the mothership that our star young enviro-reporter, the handsome lad presently locked down in protest at the Willits Bypass, might become a male version of Julia Butterfly. Of course Will would have to stay locked down and figure out re-supply, but…

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THE ARMADA OF THE .0001% — If Google represents the global menace of Silicon Valley, and Zuckerberg represents its amorality, then Oracle CEO Larry Ellison might best represent its crassness. The fifth richest man in the world, he spent hundreds of millions of dollars to win the America's Cup yacht race a few years back. The winner gets to choose the next venue for the race and the type of boat to be used. So for this summer’s races, Ellison chose San Francisco Bay and a giant catamaran that appears to be exceptionally unstable. Last month, an Olympic-medal-winning sailor drowned when a boat he was training on capsized in San Francisco Bay, pinning him under its sail.

Part of Ellison’s strategy for winning again evidently involves making the boats so expensive that almost no one can compete. A race that once had seven to 15 competitors now has four, and one may drop out. Business Insider headlined a piece, “Larry Ellison Has Completely Screwed Up The America's Cup.” It went on to say, “Each team, with the exception of New Zealand's, is backed by an individual billionaire, and each has spent between $65 million and $100 million so far.” In typical Silicon Valley-fashion, Ellison also figured out how to stick San Francisco for a significant part of the tab and in the process even caused the eviction of a few dozen small businesses, though in the end the city did not give him a valuable stretch of waterfront he wanted. Here’s what San Francisco is now: a front row seat on the most powerful corporations on Earth and the people who run them. So we know what you may not yet: they are not your friends and their vision is not your vision, but your data is their data, and your communications are in their hands, and they seem to be rising to become an arm of or a part-owner of the government or a law unto themselves, and no one has yet figured out what we can do about it. (— Rebecca Solnit)

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ARCATA MEN ARRESTED for Destruction of Forest Lands, Cultivation, etc.

On June 18th, 2013 at approximately 0800 hours officers with [Trinity County Narcotics Task Force, United States Forest Service, and the California Highways Patrol] walked into a marijuana cultivation site on the Six Rivers National Forest. Officers had received information that unknown subjects had been stealing water from the water source that feeds the town of Salyer. Upon entry of the marijuana cultivation site officers observed an area of the National Forest that had been clearcut. On one edge of the clearcut, officers observed growing marijuana in pots that were being prepped to be planted in raised planter boxes that were being constructed. The planter boxes were being constructed using the trees that had been cut down. As the officers cleared the clearcut, a tent was located on one edge of the clear cut. Officers approached the tent and as they did they heard a dog barking from within the tent. Officers then announced their presence and demanded that anyone in the tent show themselves. A few seconds later the dog (pitbull mix) was let out of the tent… [T]he dog was aggressive and quickly approached the officers… [T]he dog then engaged the K9 officer’s K9 by biting the 
officer’s K9 in the face. After the two dogs were separated, the dog then went after other officers. Due to the immediate threat to the officers, the dog was dispatched by an officer with a rifle. At no time did the suspects in the tent attempt to restrain the dog. After repeated requests from the officers for the suspects in the tent to show themselves officers cut holes in the sides of the tent. Two male subjects were located inside the tent along with a loaded pistol which was in reach of both suspects. Both subjects were then handcuffed. After processing the site, officers then walked both subjects out of the site and they were transported to the Trinity County Jail where they were booked on various charges. [I]t was determined that one of the suspects that was arrested [Eric Brown] was on supervised release out of Shasta County, courtesy of AB-109 (The prisoner realignment program putting former state prisoners in County jails to relieve overcrowding). 182 growing marijuana plants were eradicated and the damage to the national forest was significant. The investigation into the amount of resource damage is still being conducted and 
will be concluded at a later date. As of June 26, 2013 both Eric Brown [of Redding] and Samuel Barton [of Arcata] are still in Trinity County Jail. Brown is being held on $350,000 bail. Barton is being held on $265,000 bail. (— Trinity Co. Sheriff’s Dept. Press Release)

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WE'RE REALLY SORRY TO SEE MULLIGAN BOOKS CLOSE. We always stopped in to chat with Dave Smith at Mulligan's, an oasis of civilization in mostly savage Ukiah. Fortunately, Dave himself is not leaving town. He “will be transferring the downtown “Mini Post Office” only to inside Mendocino Book Company, and reopening it in late June…” We hope a conversation booth will be part of Dave's post office ops.

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AS EXHIBIT A of how far organized labor has fallen, look no further than the mastermind “organizers” for SEIU representing County workers. They've declared Tuesdays “Purple Day,” and have announced a bulletin board decorating contest for the membership. What's next, pep rallies and pom pom girls? If I were a County worker I'd be turning an apoplectic purple to be funding the feebs who dream this stuff up.

WE HEAR, THOUGH, that the new SEIU guy doing the actual contract negotiating for County employees is smart and sensible; he may be able to dial down the bad feeling left by the SEIU reps who managed to lead County workers from a 10% pay cut to a 12% cut during the last round of negotiations.

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A HUSBAND AND WIFE were shopping in their local Wal-Mart. The husband picked up a case of Miller Lite and put it in their cart. “What do you think you're doing?” asked the wife. “They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans,” he replied. “Put them back; it's a waste of money,” demanded the wife. So he did and they carried on shopping. A few aisles further along, the woman picked up a $20 jar of face cream and put it in the basket. “What do you think you're doing?” asked the husband. “It's my face cream. It makes me look beautiful,” replied the wife. Her husband retorted: “So does 24 cans of Miller Lite and it's half the price.” Store Loudspeaker: “MAN DOWN, AISLE 7!”

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WHAT DO OLD SPORTS STARS DO?

There’s an old cliché about high school football heroes and their prom-queen/cheerleader counterparts: that this is the high point of their lives, and it’s a long downhill slide from there, into the drab mediocrity of everyday life in the U.S.A.

Of course we know that a few of them go on to play in college, and that a tiny elite minority make it to the big-time professional level. But it still seems that post-sports-stardom, the long downhill slide is waiting. When I saw Joe Montana selling suits on TV in San Francisco, my thought was, is that it? Is that all? Did high school glory just stay with such guys longer, but they still have to turn back into pumpkins?

Here in Denver, John Elway has remained a constant presence. This morning at a traffic light, a bus turned the corner, exposing a huge blow-up of the former Broncos star quarterback’s face, his ultra-white, blond, horse-faced, toothy rich-kid features reminding us what a Real American looks like, and exhorting us to patronize his auto dealerships and restaurants. The only thing missing is a TV commercial with a jingle sung by Carly Simon. Mickey and Judy again: “Gosh, let’s start a business. Why not several? We just need to think of what crap to sell.”

“I bought a car from John Elway.”

“Gee whiz, can I touch it?”

Why do people who know nothing of food start restaurants?

Why do old, large muscle-bound men look so ridiculous in suits?

Why can’t these guys think of anything to do besides sell something?

Does John Elway fear being forgotten? Because he sure does remind the people of Denver that he’s still around and doesn’t have enough money yet. — Jeff Costello

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FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK, Ukiah, California

July 5th from 5-8pm. Enjoy one or all of the First Friday venues-- art, music and refreshments.

ART CENTER UKIAH — “Veterans’ Art Juried Show “American Freedoms” - July 2013.” Celebrate American veterans who are artists and admire their work. 201 S. State Street Ukiah, 707 462-1400.

CORNER GALLERY — Willow Yielding and Alexis Greenburg, recent paintings 201 S. State Street, Ukiah, 707 462-1400 www.artcenterukiah.org.

GRACE HUDSON MUSEUM AND SUN HOUSE  — “Points of Encounter” Catherine Woskow and Larry Thomas Catherine Woskow, in a dialogue with the head, which she sees as the source of “chaotic thought, most often directed from violent contradiction.” Larry Thomas, dramatic landscapes of sea, wind, fog, and forest inform paintings that pulse with a quiet delight. 431 South Main, Ukiah, 707 467-283 www.gracehudsonmuseum.org.

KIT ELLIOTT GALLERY — “In Praise of all Things” Janet Denninger Janet Denninger, a collection of landscapes, still lifes, abstracts, and a few tasteful nudes. Please come and share her visions -and maybe take one home -- now at bargain prices.” 116 South State, Ukiah, 707 468-1600.

MANZANITA & FRIENDS — “Here Comes the Sun.” Join Manzanita for a Fourth of July weekend, a Summer time display of local talent. 270 N. Pine Street, Ukiah, 707-972-9040.

MENDOCINO COUNTY LIBRARY — “Shared Visions: The Mendocino Quilt Artists 14th Annual Ukiah Library Quilt Show with special guest quilters from the Rag Tag Quilters” The show is will be available for viewing June 3rd through August 26th  during regular library hours. This annual event is made possible by the generous support of the Ukiah Library staff. 105 N. Main St, Ukiah, 707 463-4491.

THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON CLUBHOUSE — Mamma Grace Records & SAC Present Jen & her Lady Friends Light Up The Stage @ SAC Join host Jenna Mammina for a night of songs, friendship, fundraising and food! Featuring: Maureen Catalina-singer/songwriter with a country folk flair Jewels & Johnny Nation-our answer to a nouveau hippy June & Johnny Cash Jenna Mammina-song stylist/songwriter melding jazz/pop and a little bluegrass too. The night starts out with community/conversation with an appetizer potluck Followed by Open Mic/Poetry reading and then Jenna, Maureen, Jewels and Johnny will light up the stage! Proceeds of the night’s event will help support The De Waal Animal Welfare Fund at Mendocino Animal Hospital 107 South Oak, Ukiah, 707 467-8229.

UKIAH VALLEY ARTIST COOPERATIVE GALLERY —  “California Landscapes” Adelle Pruitt Adelle Pruitt’s work is in many corporate and private collections. She also restores paintings and teaches classes in her studio. 518 E. Perkins, (next to Rod’s Shoes), in the Pear Tree Center, 463-0610 Open Thursday-Saturday 11am to 5pm.