Letters 7/16/2024

• Time For CEO Antle To Resign Or Be Fired
• No More Charlie Browns
• Unfounded Patriotism
• PG&E Gets Another Handout
• End Fort Bragg Fireworks
• Oligopoly
• Intervention Party
• Dream Ticket?
• Buyer Beware
• The Editor Direct!
• MAGA's Unreality
• Time To Go
• We The People v. Trump

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TIME FOR CEO ANTLE TO RESIGN OR BE FIRED

This is an open letter to the Board of Supervisors, the CEO, Darcie Antle and the public:

I call upon the BOS to demand Ms. Antle step down from her position as CEO.

Ms. Antle was hired as CEO for her alleged financial experience. The current State audit is an indictment of gross County mis-management. I have personally heard from multiple Board members that she is not responding to their requests for information, or keeping the BOS informed of her decisions. The many poor decisions her office is making are costing the County millions of dollars in litigation, wasted man-hours un-doing bad decisions, uncollected taxes, and inefficient unresponsive public services. The Veteran’s Office fiasco; the allegations against the elected Auditor; the on-going inability of the Cannabis Department to function as it was intended; the combining Public Health and Behavioral Health with no independent study to determine whether it was a good idea; and most troubling, there has been NO response to the very serious findings of the Grand Jury report about the under-staffing and too large case-loads at Family and Children’s Services and Adult Protective Services. Her office has taken over running almost all the County departments, including Human Resources, which seems like an obvious conflict of interest. Department heads are hired because they are subject matter experts, but the Deputy CEO’s now running almost all County departments lack this expertise. The County complains that they can’t hire department heads. Duh – no one wants to take a job that they could be marched out of at a moment’s notice and jeopardize their future careers. Our track record on how we treat our employees is horrible.

Ms. Antle has shown she is not up to the task of Chief Executive Officer and I call upon the BOS to remove her as CEO.

Respectfully,

Julie Beardsley

Former Mendocino County Senior Public Health Analyst

Past President of SEIU 1021

Concerned citizen

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NO MORE CHARLIE BROWNS

Editor,

If the Board Of Supervisors doesn't implement all the recommendations provided in this document from the State Controller's Office Division of Audits they should all be recalled except Norvell and Cline. It's not rocket science. Show some leadership, stop talking Charlie Brown because Mendocino County deserves better.

Redemeyer Red

Ukiah

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UNFOUNDED PATRIOTISM

Dear Editor,

Patriotism? True patriotism? You must be kidding me. How can there be any of that left in the Disunited and Imploding States of America?

We have no common values left at all. Not politics, not religion, not culture, not education, not the American Dream, not even the value of work.

The only folks who are keeping alive the concept of patriotism are folks who stand to make money off the lie that we have something to celebrate in this country. Personal and family things, thankfully yes. But community, state, and nation? Who are we trying to kid?

Diminished gun violence? Nope. Harmony between the political parties? Yeah, over our dead bodies. High character candidates up and down on the ballot? You can’t even find character in church these days. Kids graduating high school who actually know something about history, law, science, and civics? Not in my city. Not in yours either.

Is this just a grumpy, negative point of view? No, this comes from someone who has eyes to see, and ears to hear.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah

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PG&E GETS ANOTHER HANDOUT

Editor:

I’m disgusted that Gov. Gavin Newsom and California lawmakers approved a $400 million loan to PG&E to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant running. Nuclear power is extremely dangerous.

Nuclear power is already subsidized by the federal government by the Price Anderson Act, which covers liability for operators of nuclear power plants. Price Anderson socializes the cost of insuring nuclear energy.

One of the worst problems of nuclear power is the lack of adequate storage for the highly radioactive waste created in each power plant. All nuclear waste is stored temporarily and unsafely at each reactor site.

One in three people in the United States lives within 50 miles of a nuclear waste storage site. As of 2017, more than 88,000 tons of nuclear waste were being stored in this country in pools or dry steel and concrete casks just outside the power plants where they were generated.

PG&E, which built Diablo Canyon not far from four earthquake faults, should not be rewarded by more government subsidies after putting citizens at such risk. It has raised electricity rates approximately 12.8% this year while reporting $2.2 billion in profits for 2023.

Ed Oberweiser

Fort Bragg

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END FORT BRAGG FIREWORKS

Editor:

Happy July 5. It is my intention that last night’s 4th of July fireworks here in Fort Bragg be the last one. To me it is unconscionable that we traumatize our wild animal relatives for a “celebration.”

I’ve lived in a couple of different places above the Noyo Harbor the last few years; and one of the side benefits from my  stroke is that I have the time, So I often go to the coastal trail, or the river , and just sit and watch. It is a real gift to have this sort of time, and I get to know the various animals well. So these last few years as the explosions flash and the booms boom, I imagine the animal  parents trying to keep their family calm. There are numerous studies that document the trauma inflicted and numerous cities have already stopped the practice. One can also imagine war veterans, victims of gun violence, etc, having their PTSD triggered.

So it is my intention to assemble a coalition of concerned citizens, wildlife advocates, etc to lobby the Fort Bragg City Council to end it.

If you'd like to be part of that effort or just kept in the loop, email me at hawkwork@mcn.org. We have a year to make this happen. Thank you!

Chris Skyhawk

Fort Bragg

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OLIGOPOLY

Editor:

Joseph Robinette Biden is too old and impaired to be President;  Donald John Trump is not qualified in any way for the Presidency.

Let us remember that Democratic party controllers gave us Genocide Joe after The Donald because they were desperate to return to "stability." Hillary Rodham Clinton controlled the Democratic Party during her egotistic run for office.  Her party is still in control and still blind to reality. But for Hillary Clinton's sabotage, we could have had Bernie Sanders. .Mr. Trump rose at a time of great disenchantment in America.  He was/is popular because people are unhappy with the status quo, not because he is a good leader.  Things are not good in America.  Our middle class is shrinking, homeless line the streets, children go hungry, education is substandard, the minimum wage is a joke.  Tax decreases hurt society as a whole by reducing funds for services, as does spending on foreign wars, while enriching a small, powerful elite.  President Biden passed some good legislation.  He has also enabled a genocide in a Israel, promises another in Lebanon, facilitated a slaughter in Ukraine and Russia, and brought us closer to WW3.

Where is our Pacifist candidate? Where is our (gasp) Democratic Socialist candidate?  Let us demand a competent leader who will serve all Americans, not continue the rabid capitalist imperialism of our oligarchy. 

We have a senile mass murderer leading our country now.  If the Dems want to lose to Trump again, stay the course.

Joan Vivaldo

Novato

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INTERVENTION PARTY

Editor,

I figured out what to do about my birthday, I’m going to have an Intervention Party, which makes sense as I like to judge people, encourage them to change, and tell them what they should do. As you come in you put your name in the hat and if yours is drawn then time to get intervened upon! (Crazy Mati was the inspiration for this as I always wanted to tie her to the wall of the barn, slap her around, and say, “Why do you lie all the time, Mati?”)

Actually I was thinking of rigging it, put only one name on every slip of paper and intervene into someone I know who has a drinking problem, wouldn’t that be interesting for them? But really, is it a problem if you’re just maybe hurting yourself, and not others? Can we really fault anyone for taking up whatever substances they’ve decided eases the boredom of life, or whichever reasons we use them? At least he might like the attention, right? (Will anyone want to come if they have to randomly face their demons, with cake? And what to do if someone has a boring issue, horrors!)  

The money shot for this type of pondering is usually a confession of my own addictions and issues, which I could lay out here except my name hasn’t been drawn yet, and which brings us to the question: Who will lead the interventions? The booze-lover mentioned above would be a good one, with his wit and humor he’d be perfect to preside over the ceremonies, as we explore and resolve your problems. (Goal: reduce you to a blubbering pile of tears.) 

So who will be brave enough to let this opportunity of life-enhancing personal growth grab you by the ass? Are you ready to confront your issues with cake and ice cream? (We could have an intervention every night for a week for The Problem Child, who has multiple issues and is one of those people about whom we’re always wondering, “Are they just lying to me…or lying to themselves as well?”)

No, this probably won’t work, but why not? People are too defensive to admit they have issues and addictions? I have multiples and wouldn’t mind confronting them with the “group mind” offering suggestions and advice, at least as a way of getting attention.     

What a great idea, now I won’t have to deal with any pesky guests, because no one will want to come to my Intervention Party.  

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Naked Massage: Whenever I'm driving to a big Gulch gathering, memories of scenes out there over the years come flooding back in a pleasant wave of nostalgia. When heading to Beginnings for Nancy Peregrine’s big 70th birthday party I remembered a massage class that Joan Shirle lead back in the seventies: Upon arriving at the Tower House I was surprised to walk in and see about ten people sitting around naked, hmm interesting, and what could I do but strip down to my birthday suit as well? (Ah, the old hippie daze.)   

We paired off and first I was massaging the beautiful Star, who was lying on her back, although I was having trouble focusing on her neck, necks can throw me. Next I was massaging Don Edwards, and after a while he said, “Will you stop dripping sweat on me?!” (Oh damn, I thought I was doing pretty well just avoiding the large bullet hole in his side, and that is a story for another day.) 

(Rest In Peace: Nancy, Star, Joan, and Don.)

Paul Modic

Redway

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DREAM TICKET?

Dear Editor,

US President…

Jamie Raskin or Gretchen Whitmer, either one would make short work of Donald Trump. The two of them on the same ticket (in any order) would be unbeatable.

Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin has established himself as a luminary in opposition to Trump via his role in the Jan. 6th investigation while Michigan governor Whitmer has demonstrated star quality as one of the country's leading  politicians.

Let's hope Joe Biden comes to his senses and opens the election up to a

new generation of powerful and talented newcomers.

Douglas George

Eureka

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BUYER BEWARE

Editor,

This is a follow-up to a New York Times report with the headline, “Obesity drugs expose gaps in access.”

The obesity rate in the U.S. is 33.5%. Thus, 114 million Americans are obese. Obesity drugs cost around $1,000 a month or more. So, the yearly cost of treating U.S. obesity could be as high as $1.4 trillion. That represents one third of total U.S. health care spending at $4.5 trillion (17% of the Gross Domestic Product). The $1.4 trillion to treat obesity is over 40% greater than the cost of Medicare ($944 billion). Given that, obesity treatment is clearly unaffordable at scale. “Gaps in access” are inevitable.

So, what are the solutions to this issue? There are probably many. One of them is better U.S. drug price controls through regulation and/or negotiation. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a monthly dose of Ozempic costs $936 in the U.S., $169 in Japan, $147 in Canada, $103 in Germany, $93 in the UK, $87 in Australia and $83 in France. There is no reason why Americans should pay over six times as much as Canadians and around 10 times as much as Europeans or Australians.

The leading producer of these drugs is Novo Nordisk, a Danish company with a market capitalization of $646 billion. And this huge market cap is very much subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. It does not make any sense for Americans to overpay that much for a drug that profits a foreign Big Pharma.

Gaetan Lion

Mill Valley

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THE EDITOR DIRECT!

Editor,

Good Gawd! I thought you were wearing a CHOKER! Turquoise! And that stare: I could pick it out of a Lineup! USMC.

Ukiah, 117F. That’s about the record temperature they’re afearing in Las Vegas tomorrow, where my sibling lives. Oy, what have we wrought? Don’t answer that.

Speaking of Ukiah, and you were. Should we call it the Oakland of Mendocino County?

Let it be said that the AVA has long been generously threaded with the collective mind of the USA. That is, now as always: Move to Wyoming/Montana.

Even RuPaul and his “Husband” (?) are hip to that. And are building some kind of bunker in the blocky inland NW States? He doesn’t like European-American Men, gay or straight. He may have to depend on them as wilderness is wilderness no matter how autonomous they view themselves.

Strength, love, and JOY! to you Sir!

David Svehla

San Francisco

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MAGA'S UNREALITY

Editor,

Reggie Jackson’s memories of playing minor league baseball in Alabama in 1967, not long after Jim Crow laws enforcing segregation were banned, caught my attention.

Jackson gave an interview on the nationally televised pregame show. He said that there were times when he was called the n-word and turned away from restaurants, hotels and a team party at a country club.

In contrast, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) recently spoke at a Black voter outreach event for former President Donald Trump. He suggested that Black families were more unified and better off during the Jim Crow era. He implied that things had gotten worse for Black people after they embraced Democrats following the enactment of Great Society programs in the 1960s.

These contrasting stories show that some Trump supporters are divorced from reality. If reelected in November, his plan calls for rounding up and deporting 11 million undocumented residents. One previous attempt at this, Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070, aka the “show me your papers law” (struck down by the Supreme Court in 2012), appeared to use the color of a person’s skin as criteria for questioning.

Hearing Trump’s campaign surrogates speak about how great Jim Crow was for Black families and contrasting that with Jackson’s real experiences just after Jim Crow was abolished should clarify the stakes in this race for many people.

Greg Knell

San Rafael

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TIME TO GO

Editor:

I never thought I’d say these words about Joe Biden: stubborn, stupid, selfish. With Biden’s refusing to face reality and accept that his debate disaster has doomed any chance of defeating Donald Trump, we can only now hope that Democratic leaders will develop the spine to do what Barry Goldwater did with Richard Nixon in 1974: tell him “It’s hopeless — to save the country, it’s time to go.”

Rick Childs

Mendocino

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WE THE PEOPLE V. TRUMP

Editor,

Stealing Our Democracy

With the recent US Supreme Court ruling that granted presidents absolute immunity from prosecution for committing criminal acts while performing official presidential duties, the American experiment with democracy is now officially over.

We no longer live in a Constitutional Republic in which no one is above the law; we now live in a Constitutional Monarchy in which the president has absolute power to order the imprisonment or even the execution of political opponents simply by claiming the orders were given as official acts of the president to protect the American people from “enemies” of the state. Under this court ruling, presidents are now kings.

The consequences of this momentous Supreme Court decision cannot be overstated. This Supreme Court, (the most corrupt in American history with the lowest public approval rating of all time), tailor wrote this decision to absolve former president Donald Trump of his crimes of inciting the January 6, 2021insurrection against the United States of America and of stealing classified top secret government documents as he left the White House on January 20, 2021; crimes for which he is presently being prosecuted. The court also wrote this decision to pave the way for a future Trump regime in which he will be free to commit crimes with absolute impunity.

Trump has made vengeance and retribution against his political enemies the central theme of his campaign for president. He is on record calling for the execution of former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Mark Milley. He has called for former Republican Congresswoman and member of the House January 6 Committee, Liz Cheney, to be tried by a military tribunal. He has called for Congressional Republicans to investigate Congressional Democrats for having the gall to hold Trump accountable for his crimes. In his blueprint for a second term ominously titled “Project 2025”, Trump plans on firing tens of thousands of civil service employees and replacing them with his own henchman who will execute his illegal orders without hesitation. If Trump wins the presidency in November, America is in for a reign of terror the likes of which we have never seen.

This brings us to the scariest part of this horror story: in the upcoming presidential election, the malevolent psychopath is leading in the polls, especially in the critical swing states. How can this be? I suspect that many of the voters who consider Trump as a viable option are not ultra-MAGA, they are just people who aren’t paying close attention and don’t realize what an existential threat Trump represents to our free and democratic society. It doesn’t help that the presumptive Democratic nominee, 81 year old president Joe Biden, is physically and mentally deteriorating in real time right before our eyes.

In my opinion, the best chance the Democrats have to beat Trump is for president Biden to step down and for the Democrats to develop a democratic process to choose his successor at the Democratic National Convention. I believe a younger candidate without all of Biden’s baggage would provide voters with a fresh option that millions of Americans are yearning for.

Ultimately, it is up to we the people to stop this madman from stealing our democracy; clearly, the Supreme Court is in on the heist.

Jon Spitz

Laytonville