KATE COLEMAN
“…She made a new set of antagonists in 2005 with her book “The Secret Wars of Judi Bari: A Car Bomb, the Fight for the Redwoods, and the End of Earth First!”
Judi Bari, until her death from cancer in 1997, had been one of the most revered figures in the radical wing of the environmental movement. But in Ms. Coleman’s telling, she was a “tyrannical diva,” paranoid and obsessed with her own martyrdom.
The book drew protests from Ms. Bari’s defenders, some of whom would interrupt Ms. Coleman during stops on her book tour. At least one store canceled her appearance. “Is the Biographer of Activist Judi Bari a Tool of the Right — or Just a Skeptical Liberal?” asked a headline in The San Francisco Chronicle.
“Why not focus her energies on problems of the right?” the author of the article, Edward Guthmann, wrote.
Ms. Coleman responded: “The right has too many problems for me to even begin to start covering. I don’t want to research that. It’s not what I knew intimately. It’s what I know from afar.”
(from the NY Times obit, via Steve Heilig)
DONALD CRUSER:
I tell people to drive east on Talmage Road and give yourself a tour of the old state mental hospital grounds so you can see first-hand how the state of California used to care for the mentally ill. The grounds and dormitories are strikingly beautiful. Easily enough rooms to house all the homeless in several northern counties. The beautiful environment with expansive lawns and huge, magnificent oak trees exudes serenity and healing. Only one of a number of state mental hospitals that Reagan shut down, putting those in need out on the street. A heartless action taken by man who insisted on a new gigantic abode of a governor’s mansion looking down on the American River, and lived like a king in a palace on the Pacific Ocean shore. There is a special place in hell for him.
A SOUTH COAST RESIDENT WRITES:
Need some help? We are ready to supply some discontent.
What was Richard Shoemaker’s other half’s name? You know, the woman who used to be up in Fort Bragg? Funny thing, for some reason, I have been at the right place at the right time here on the coast from the Sea Ranch to Point Arena, and anything I reminisce about must be under a pseudonym, but there is a story to tell, and as I see it the town of Pint Arena with Shoemaker at the ethereal helm as well as SHN engineering have flown the coop. Sadly, the folks of PA are paying for it. Oh yeah, now I remember, it was Linda Ruffing, who somehow after losing her City Manager position in Fort Bragg mysteriously appeared in Pint Arena without question or review of a CV to relegate a movement for housing. WTF? And sorry, but as a listener to many meetings I witnessed with the Pint Arena mayor (an innocent party), and good old Shoemaker. I determined there was a rat in the woodpile there. This whole thing is wrong, but a story by me in anonymous fashion is necessary as to the waste of funds in the tiny “City.” My personal opinion is that Shoemaker orchestrated the whole tap dance deal with Granite Construction, got paid, and left town followed by his Shoemaker hired assistant, Paul Anderson as City Manager, who conveniently is now out on medical leave. I witnessed a lot of shit there, and the Mayor and I could never figure out how Mill Street would pencil out without being a financial burden to the City. $500,000 over budget on a street repair with a screwed up engineering company like SHN? I wouldn’t have those a-holes carry out my trash!
IS GEORGE ROSE still with us?
A cherubic little fellow whose devotion to the wine industry occasionally caused him to go all the way off on the people and forces George regarded as hostile to the grape. George was also a gifted photographer of serene local vistas. Years ago, he got off a splenetic masterpiece that still makes me laugh.
GEORGE THUNDERED that if the hippies and the rednecks would get out of the way, or at least out of the viewsheds of high-end tourists, Mendocino County's wine industry could achieve the grand eminence that George claimed Napa's wine industry enjoys.
AS HE RHETORICALLY sent the hippies, rednecks and other undesirables scurrying for cover, George said he also wanted the Boonville Hotel to take it up a radicchio or two, too, bringing it up to whatever culinary standards he imagined existed in Napa and Sonoma County.
SUMMING UP, George wrote: "The real world image of Mendocino County is that of simmering timber and pot wars, populated by a handful of noisy environmentalists, a grab bag of slightly-to-the-left hill people (hippies), a few leftover rednecks from the cow and horse glory days, many grateful Southern California refugees, numerous thrift shops, a raft of humdrum eateries and fast-food joints, a nice selection of homespun quality wines, majestic redwoods, rolling oak studded hills and overpriced coastal lodging and real estate. Does anyone really want to change this image?"
NO. I've always wanted more rednecks, more hippies, more thrift shops, fewer urban refugees with their demands for pavement and services they've allegedly fled, more drum-humming in restaurants, and oaks on the hills instead of metal grape stakes.
WE LOST, grape stakes won, and the last hippie disappeared years ago. A few rednecks hang on. Bless them. Without the residual 'necks the Anderson Valley would have even less of a discernible personality than it now does.
RE: THE PALACE HOTEL.
A reader writes:
What bothers me the most (but doesn't surprise me) is the lack of any discussion of the future of the downtown core of Ukiah. Here they are spending millions and millions on central streets (while ignoring the side streets which need serious work), saying nothing about the upcoming new Courthouse and abandonment of the old courthouse, and yet they seem to prefer a vacant lot to a decent multi-use rehabbed Palace Hotel building. Do they want downtown Ukiah to just wither and die, along with the Palace, but with fancy new streets? Who's making these decisions? What's the next phase, not to mention the long term?
* * *
Another reader responds:
I never kept a close eye on Ukiah until recently. What I have learned leaves a lot to be desired. For example, replacing sidewalks and putting in planters etc. as part of an expensive program to get to aging, century-old sewer and water lines makes sense in some regard. But the total disregard for the declining core of town, the vacant stores, the certain exodus in a few years when the lawyers etc. follow the courthouse out of the core, the fate of the white elephant of the old courthouse etc. seems to warrant little attention. I keep asking, and I keep getting, “Oh, we're meeting on that.” With Mo, I guess.
When an experienced investor/contractor comes knocking on the door, wouldn't you think City Hall would twist the arm of a low rent Palace owner, and tell them to get serious? Especially a guy who is a former president of the “Greater Ukiah Chamber of Commerce”? Why would the city sit back while he and a rag-tag tribal group, known for scheming for an ill-fated casino on San Francisco Bay and described by federal prosecutors back east as a prime example of “rent a tribe” skirting of banking regulations, try to foist a Palace deal on the public? I just don't effing get it.
AMY GOODMAN, of Democracy Now! leaving the stage after talking to a packed house at SPACE Theater on Friday evening for a KZYX fundraiser.
Marty Durlin, General Manager, Executive Director of KZYZ, is in the background. Goodman presented stories of those who have been personally affected by the horror of the Israeli bombing of innocent civilians in Gaza since the Hamas kidnappings on October 7th. The death toll in Gaza now tops more than 33,000 including 14,000 children. The Biden administration has recently authorized the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and fighter jets to Israel including more than 1,800 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs which can be used to level entire city blocks.
BETSY CAWN:
Ah, Clayton. Just seeing the name of that town (in the on-line Catch of the Day bookings) brought back a flood of sensory memories from the late eighties, when my meanderings into the countryside from once bucolic Livermore would find me on Morgan Territory Road’s miles of pasture sprinkled with grazing livestock, to Marsh Creek Road, Mount Diablo looming to the west and the balmy delta to the east. From Highway 4 (turn right on Morgan Territory), the afternoon could leisurely pass with a return trip via Byron or all the way to Tracy and the Altamont Pass heading home, or a charming repast at Skipolini’s Pizza and Italian Food (turn left) — still a happiness hangout, although the town of Clayton — incorporated in 1964 and boasting a population of 11,070 huddled in its 3.84 square miles — endured a major wildfire in 2013 that began in its defunct mercury mine, and a drought from 2011-2017.
In those days, spent enclosed in a pressure-cooker corporate cave in Hayward, “self care” consisted of a long dawdling drive to stops along the way where just lolling in the warmth flowing through my open windows and murmuring moos replenished my soul’s ease as I sat transfixed alongside the hushed oak woodlands, a landscape that is echoed in our outbacks where escapees from metro madness take their ease and defy society’s insistence on conformity. Long live the AVA… and all the fine folk who dare to speak their minds, whatever your political persuasion.
THE SUPERVISORS spent almost three hours last Tuesday afternoon talking about problems with the County’s permit process. The wonks defended the system as is, the rules are complicated, the state is inflexible, etc. Some members of the public pointed out various anecdotes and problems with seemingly simple fixes. In the end they took a few notes and turned the situation over to the General Government Committee (Supervisors Haschak and Mulheren at the moment) to see what can be worked on or improved. Here are a couple of examples:
THE SEWER SYTEM IS NOT ‘HISTORICAL.’
Long time Coast contractor Ishvi Aum always has interesting things to say when he is talking about construction related subjects on the Mendocino Coast. During the supervisors planning and permitting workshop on Tuesday afternoon Aum told the Board:
“I have been building homes in Mendocino County for more than 25 years. It used to be that the hard part of building a home was actually building the home, buying the rebar, framing, roofing etc. It’s to the point now where the hard part is the permit acquisition. The purpose of County Planning and Building is to interpret the various codes to whatever level of stringency they see fit for their local jurisdiction. I have seen the codes being interpreted much much much more stringently as time has gone on. Certain counties like Sonoma County and Mendocino County are more difficult to build in then Modoc for example, or Nevada or other states. I encourage Planning and Building who say constantly how understaffed and overworked they are to try to focus on the big picture and move projects through more quickly. Particularly when they are being presented with projects from professionals who have a long history in the field. I think everybody is trying to work together. It’s just very cumbersome the sheer amount of codes and rules and regulations.
“Here’s an example of something I’m dealing with now. I am speaking on my own behalf and not on behalf of the Mendocino Community Services District, the sewer district, on whose board I sit. Speaking on my own behalf. I went before the Mendocino Historical Review Board (MHRB) to try to get the sewer district exempted from going through historical review in the town of Mendocino for buildings that are not historical and need work. The sewer district is strapped for funds, has no money or staff time, and has a failing sewer plant. What I met with when I went before the MHRB is, Well we don’t think we can exempt you from that! So I reached out to Julia Krog [County Planning Director] and asked her can we be exempted? She has looked into it and she finally came back and said only the Board of Supervisors could exempt the sewer district from MHRB approval. This is simply to try to avoid fees and staff time delays to fix some garage doors in a sewer plant that is not visible anywhere in town on buildings that are not historical in any way. I bring this to your attention because common sense would dictate that this is all one community, Mendocino, and we don’t want to use County staff time and sewer district time and MHRB time to shuffle paperwork among ourselves rather than fixing the infrastructure that needs to be fixed. I would appreciate it if you could take this subject up and see if you could give the community sewer district some ability to repair itself without going through the MHRB process.”
Nobody on the board responded to Mr. Aum or asked the Planning Department to respond, or suggested a future agenda item, or asked that the Planning Department make note to fix this ridiculous problem.
‘NOT SIMILAR’
Sarah Bodner of Mendocino had another example:
“I am the owner of the Mendocino Tea Company. I bought the business two years ago. It is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. I wanted to continue the legacy of great organic tea on the coast. About a year in, I decided to start looking for a retail shop. I opened up across from Mendosa’s in Mendocino. It is a tiny little building. It is hard to see if you are not looking for it or even if you are. So I set out to hang a sign. If you live in Mendocino you know that hanging a sign is about as complicated as trying to adopt a child. The process is unbelievably confusing, expensive and risky for a business owner. If you apply for a sign, you get denied and then you are no longer allowed to hang a sign. The Historical Review Board set out to try to improve the process. It would be better for them to conserve the amount of agenda time they spend on hearing sign proposals to save staff time and money and facilitate businesses being able to hang their shingle and make it easier to open. Around the time I was looking at a retail space the new policy was in process. It took several months to apply for my sign under the new policy that was intended to streamline and make it more efficient. Then I went through all the hoops. I made sure it was the right size, the right material, the right paperwork. When I got to the planner’s desk he said, ‘Oh! I’m not going to be able to sign this because it’s not similar colors.’ The sign that hung in the same place before me was black and white and green and blue. My sign was black and white. ‘Not similar.’ I’m telling this story not to complain about my sign but to illuminate that we have a total disconnect between what is happening in the County offices and what the real story is of businesses trying to survive and thrive in this county. I think it highlights the need for leadership and vision.”
As with Mr. Aum, the supervisors did not respond or react to Ms. Bodner’s observations at all.
ON-LINE COMMENTS OF THE WEEK
[1] When I was told to vaccinate for a “disease” that has a 99.76% survival rate and kills the elderly and obese, I declined.
My now ex-wife told the divorce judge that one of the reasons she insisted on divorce was that I refused to wear a mask.
I was habitually the only guy in the grocery store without a mask, intentionally going against the arrows on the floor and giving them the finger when they came over the intercom with their “Remember shoppers, we’re all in this together so be sure to wear your masks!”
When threatened with the loss of my job if I didn’t vaccinate, I held firm and insisted they fire me. They didn’t – until a few days ago. The hospital for whom I worked purged all the non-vaxxers in a “cost cutting” measure.
I still have not caught the non-existent virus. I take vitamin C, zinc and quinine every day.
Commence slings and arrows.
[2] There are too many people. Can’t go anywhere now without having to fight other people for space. I am an avid back packer and even in the deep back country I always encounter other human beings. National parks are overrun. Cities are turning into “megalopolises” where it can no longer be determined where one city ends and another begins. Even out here in Utah, driving on a dirt road in the middle of an assumed nowhere, there is inevitably always someone tailgating me.
Honestly, I had hoped that covid would have culled more than it did.
I think the culling is coming in the form of a demographic winter. Many countries are losing population because their people have become too addicted to social media that they no longer want to have sex and create posterity. Men aren’t interested in women. Women aren’t interested in men. Men want to be women and sterilize themselves. Women want to be men and have their womb’s removed.
Humans are part of nature and humans are stupid, greedy and prideful. Nature is flexing her muscle in that humans are systematically destroying themselves.
[3] The US is like the stereotypical high school athlete who still thinks he’s all that 30 years later, long after his strength and agility has dwindled.
There he sits, in a bar, guzzling intoxicants, with his beer belly hanging low, thinking he’s hot stuff, trash talking the quiet guys in the corner, insulting their mothers, and threatening their daughters.
Like Biden trash talking Trump, “I’ll take him out back of the gym and kick his butt.”
But even the most stereotyped asshole beyond his prime doesn’t suddenly ask the quiet guys in the corner to buy him and his buddies a round of beer.
That takes a special kind of asshole, the kind who rises to the top in today’s USA.
It is downright embarrassing to be an American today, and have the world think that we actually elected these fools.
[4] CHOMOS, an on-line comment:
I once asked a doctor friend, now departed, who had been a family practitioner and was herself a survivor of horrendous sexual abuse as a very young child, why there was such an increase in pedophilia and sexual crimes against children. What were her thoughts, I wanted to know. She answered, “Because in the old days, the families of the victims just took those people out. The cops turned their heads while the fathers, brothers and uncles took matters into their own hands. They could never harm another child. Now they are allowed to live, and others like them no longer fear to act.”
[5] We raise chickens, layers and meat birds. The first ones give us eggs, the second ones give us meat. Layers live for 3-5 years before they lose productivity. Meat chickens are a cross breed (“Cornish-cross”) and you only have to raise them 8-10 weeks before they are butcher weight. They get huge, quick. Normally you can order them from a farm supply store as “vaccinated” or “unvaccinated.” They traditionally use an aerosol spray to prevent lung infections. We’ve always gone with unvaccinated chicks and non-medicated feed. Now they are only available vaccinated and they are now vaccinated with mRNA “vaccine” — which isn’t even really a vaccine. Isn’t that crazy!
So we are following our supplier's advice and switching from Cornish-cross to broilers. Our food supply is increasingly and intentionally toxic.
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