Letters 10/28/2024

• Le Shack
• Save Lake Pillsbury
• Re-Elect Lindy Peters
• Prop 36: False Promises
• Raise The Bar, Stop Making Excuses
• No On Albion's Measure S
• Zonk Queries
• Not To Mention All The Juicers
• Fill Council Spaces With New Faces
• Zip It
• Chiefs
• Mike's The Guy
• Physical Therapy At Coast Hospital
• End Funding For Gaza War
• The Bane Of Curiousity
• Bums Hassle Fairfax Little Leaguers

---

LE SHACK

Editor:

Residents and visitors to Boonville may wonder what the shed adjacent to Boont Berry is and why it's in such a sorry state.

It started life as a tourist information booth complete with shelving that contained brochures and rack cards from Mendocino County businesses and a handy map on the exterior, now faded to near obliteration. Following its inception, the booth was regularly serviced by Visit Mendocino County personnel. However, judging by the state of things, Visit Mendocino has apparently forgotten it ever existed (despite the fact that VMC's Executive Director lived just a few hundred yards to the west of it).

"Le Shack" now appears to be the place to drop off old clothes and garbage. The picture here is from a couple of weeks ago. Today, as we passed through the valley on a glorious autumn day, it contained a much larger selection of used clothing and assorted detritus. With their push for a $2.3 million budget and plenty of staff on hand, one might think that VMC could get someone out to clean it up and restore it to its former purpose.

Signed,

Wrankled (or should that be Wrinkled?)

Philo

---

SAVE LAKE PILLSBURY

To the Editor:

If you don’t think that fresh drinkable water for people, animals, fish and wildlife is not the most important resource in California and beyond, stop reading and throw this letter in the trash.

The next time you fly over the soon to be built Sites reservoir project at a price tag of 3 billion dollars, fly a few minutes west to the Mendocino-Lake counties boundary and you will see a large reservoir called Lake Pillsbury. One of the most pristine lakes in California. This lake was built in 1920 by a small cement dam called Scott Dam. There is right now a very serious proposal to remove this dam and wipe out Lake Pillsbury.

Lake Pillsbury releases water 12 months of the year which supplies drinking water via a tunnel diverting water from the upper main stem of the Eel river into the very headwaters of the Russian river starting with Potter Valley down to Coyote Valley, then into all inland Mendocino County on down to Sonoma County and into north Marin County via the Wholer pumps. It benefits many thousands of your folks plus wildlife, agriculture, fisheries and recreation. It was told to me that our Congressman that lives in Marin County receives benefits from this water. He is on record as supporting the removal of Scott Dam which will make this over 100 year old project disappear. Tragic! This removal project although stupid and in violation of common sense is moving forward. As I am sure you are aware of the 4 dam removal project on the Klamath in the name of saving fish.

This disaster almost completed is creating an environmental disaster with sediment, agriculture losses and a large loss of water for people. Right now they are planting millions of hatchery salmon from a hatchery 7 miles away. (Fall Creek hatchery on the Klamath river). If salmon is the reason CDFW wants more salmon in our rivers than plant them! This is not a new concept. The Eel River had 3 hatcheries, 2 on the lower reaches of the river in the late 1800’s and one on the south fork above Leggett valley up until the great flood (either 1955 or 1964) check the Press Democrat on April 21, 2024 for facts. Don’t believe just me. I am 73 years old and have lived on the Eel River my whole life.

I am not an expert on fish or water, but I am pretty good on Common Sense. It takes water to sustain our citizens, agriculture and wildlife. Don’t let a few stupid guide us into a mudhole. If you would like to talk to me, my number is 707-216-1482 between 4 and 7 pm, as I only have phone and electricity here three hours per day.

John Pinches, Bigfoot Region on the Eel

Laytonville

---

RE-ELECT LINDY PETERS

To the People of Fort Bragg:

I am writing to endorse Lindy Peters for the City Council of Fort Bragg, California. Having had the honor of serving alongside Lindy as Vice Mayor, Mayor, and Council member, I can attest to his unwavering integrity, hard work, and ethical standards.

For over 20 years, Lindy has dedicated himself to serving the people of Fort Bragg. His commitment to our community is evident in the countless hours he has devoted to ensuring that the needs and concerns of residents are heard and addressed. Lindy believes in transparent governance and has consistently prioritized the welfare of our city and its inhabitants.

Currently, Lindy is facing undue attacks from Jacob Patterson and the owners of the Skunk Train amid ongoing litigation with the City. It is vital to recognize that Lindy’s actions are not personal but rather a necessary effort to ensure compliance with city, state, and federal laws and zoning regulations. He is standing firm to protect our community’s interests, and this is a testament to his character and dedication.

Lindy Peters embodies the qualities we seek in our leaders: integrity, perseverance, and a strong sense of ethics. He deserves our support as he continues to work diligently for the betterment of Fort Bragg. I wholeheartedly endorse his candidacy and encourage everyone to stand with him in this important election. Sincerely, Will Lee Former Mayor and Former City Council Member

---

PROP 36: FALSE PROMISES

Dear Editor,

In his op ed piece of October 6, 2024 Adam Gaska explained his support for California ballot proposition 36 and his criticism of the Ukiah City Council for failing to endorse it. Since Mr. Gaska cited only one of the several reasons I offered at the meeting in support of my “No” vote, I would like to take this opportunity to more fully explain my position on Proposition 36.

I admire Mr. Gaska’s dedication to cleaning up homeless encampments and his sincere attempts to address this enormous problem. Unfortunately, in my view, he has been lured into believing the false promises touted by Proposition 36.

Dubbed the “Homeless, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act,” Proposition 36 is the wrong solution to all of these problems. It does nothing to alleviate homelessness and Mr. Gaska does not suggest that it does. Surely, here in Ukiah, we have a profound problem with retail theft, drug addiction and homelessness but 36 plays on the deep concerns and anger of well-intentioned voters without offering real solutions.

Prop 36 increases prison time for those who use drugs despite evidence that imprisonment for drug possession does not reduce drug use. Charging people with serious crimes that could result in imprisonment or jail is not going to lead to treatment. While it imposes mandated drug treatment in some cases, it will reduce funding and availability of such treatment. Moreover, eighteen California counties have no drug treatment programs.

Prop 36 includes no plan to increase services for drug addiction or getting those who need it most, i.e., the people on the street into treatment or wraparound services. Charging people with serious crimes that could result in imprisonment or jail will not lead to the treatment Prop 36 purports to mandate. And under the provisions of 36, someone who enters rehab and relapses as is common would be subject to incarceration for failing to complete a treatment program.

And what happens when the increased numbers of those incarcerated are released? It is well-documented that homelessness often follows release from jail or prison. In fact, according to a recent statewide study of homelessness, 19% of people experiencing homelessness or nearly 35,000 people on any given night enter homelessness from a prison or prolonged jail stay.

Prop 36 would return California to our worst days of ineffective mass incarceration while stripping approximately $100 million annually in funding for drug treatment, housing, re-entry services and school truancy prevention, the very things proven to prevent crime in the first place. The effect of 36 will be to cause more Californians to languish in jail or prison on low-level offenses while it will cost taxpayers an additional $5 billion a year on top of the $27 billion all ready devoted to jails, prisons and courts.

Moreover, in light of recent legislative reforms, the need for Prop 36 is questionable. The legislature passed and Governor Newsom recently signed comprehensive enhancements to criminal law for both retail theft and drug sales, particularly fentanyl for which there is now a three-year sentence enhancement for anyone selling more than a kilogram. District attorneys can add together thefts that are related, i.e., multiple thefts from the same store in the same week if they are less than $950 (the current ceiling for a misdemeanor charge) in value and charge them as a felony while police can arrest even if they do not witness a crime. Additionally, residential burglary, robbery and grand theft are all already felonies.

The misguided “solutions” offered by the proponents of Prop 36 will not address the frustrations of California residents regarding housing, substance abuse and retail theft. If passed, we will see more people cycling in and out of prisons and jails without a chance to get better. Prop 36 also fails to address the root causes of homelessness that are often due to the high costs of housing rather than solely because of addiction and substance abuse.

As a Ukiah City Council member, I refused to endorse Prop 36 because this measure exploits public anger and frustration without effectively addressing the issues it purports to resolve.

Susan Sher

Member, Ukiah City Council

---

RAISE THE BAR, STOP MAKING EXCUSES

Dear Editor-

I read the letter from Susan Sher, a member of Ukiah City Council.

This was titled “False Promises regarding proposition 36.” Prop 36 is basically a fix to Proposition 47. Prop 47 was clearly false promises and cleverly marketed by our legislators. Prop 47 in its most simplistic view was legislation aimed at draining our prison populations, however it was sold to the voters as a way to make us safer. Those two goals simply didn’t coincide with one another.

There are a couple of glaring omissions from this editorial, which sadly seem to be a sign of the times. Standard values that were once normal aren’t represented here. Values such as stealing anything from someone else are wrong. Also, I saw no mention of our victims of crime. Outside of the District Attorney and Law enforcement it doesn’t seem like anyone is thinking about our victims, no one is talking about our victims. In this editorial, no one is representing our victims. We see our leaders making excuses for some extremely bad behaviors and that is also an example of lowering the bar. When you argue for mistakes, you get to own them forever. It's time for the excuses to stop and accountability to begin.

When a person commits a crime, and that crime is investigated by a peace officer it begins a process of vindication and justice for the victims. The investigation is provided to the District Attorney who has the role of representing the victim and society, the defense represents the suspect. Throughout the prosecution, their work is overseen by our magistrates. Ultimately if found guilty, the duty of representing our victims and society is handed to our judges when they hand down a sentence. These judges are standing in for the victim because we need someone fair and impartial to represent the victims and society. It wouldn’t be fair if the victim was left to decide the punishment against someone who had victimized them. I see nowhere in this opinion any mention of justice for our victims.

I have written before about this strange new direction our state has gone. This is a case where the architects and engineers of the law (our legislators) are no longer speaking with the carpenters (Peace Officers and District Attorneys) who are tasked with enforcing the law. I see no mention of Council Member Sher speaking with leaders in law enforcement including our District Attorney, the Ukiah Chief of Police or myself. When confronted with issues that require one to be educated in, why not reach out to those who are educated in the field of study? That didn’t happen here and is another example of the architects not speaking with the carpenters.

The statements that Prop 36 would incarcerate drug dealers and users. There has been a push to move away from punishment for crimes as if a stay in jail is a horrific event, it isn’t. When I see addicts dying in the brush surrounded by trash and human feces, and compare it to the folks I see in our classrooms at the jail, learning, growing, and becoming more, even if it is just for the time they are incarcerated I absolutely see what is humane and what is not. The Mendocino County Jail isn’t “Shawshank State Pen”. Also, people have forgotten when someone is in custody they aren’t victimizing folks in neighborhoods.

Currently, a prison sentence in the State of California has become a lifetime achievement award for the most persistent criminal who has refused several levels of supervision and have continued forward on a life of crime.

Let’s face it, narcotics are killing people. Lots of folks are getting rich on the addictions of others and poison is being marketed, distributed, and paid for with the lives of our residents including our children. I don’t think any of us should be arguing for more of the same. It isn’t working and we can all see it. Our state legislators have stated time and time again the dealer didn’t know he was going to kill someone when he sold them drugs so they shouldn’t face incarceration. I’ve seen a lot of folks not intending to kill someone in an accident when they were drinking and driving, they still face the consequences.

Many parts of Prop 47 simply didn’t work and we can all see it. So why was Prop 36 being fought with such vigor in Sacramento? The real issue was a little deeper and darker than most folks realize. Prop 47 created a lot of savings by closing prisons, and these savings provided a lot of programs in which a lot of people began getting paychecks. I am all for these programs if they work, however they haven’t. In a recent CalMatters report, we see the state simply misplaced about one billion dollars which they couldn’t account for. This money had been funneled through grants to various groups to help solve homelessness. Obviously, this isn’t working and it’s not working to the point no one seems to know where a billion dollars went. So, when we ask about the price of Prop 36 who is asking about the funding spent on Prop 47 and the funding which had no effect and simply can’t be found? To the contrary statistics show homelessness and drug usage is up 53% since the passage of Prop 47. Who is asking about that? Recently Senator Ernst from Iowa brought forward reporting which shows our federal food stamp program is losing roughly 1 billion dollars a month to fraud and errors. No one is talking about that either.

There is a way to reduce prison populations, they would require work our legislators simply don’t have the backbone for. This work must begin with education, opportunities and accountability. Sadly, these are three things that California seems to be struggling with constantly. Draining prison populations in the correct fashion would have taken a long time and it would have placed the focus on these societal issues. People would have had to ask themselves how many failures in a system occurred prior to 911 ever being dialed. It was simply easier to blame the legal system. So, the easy way out was to simply decriminalize a whole lot of crime. That was lowering the bar, and we can see it didn’t work.

When we fall on hard times, the only solution is to raise the bar, not to lower it. If we ever want to see this change, it is time to raise the bar and stop making excuses for bad behaviors. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” This makes me wonder if perhaps many leaders simply want us to wait until the entire nation is equally outraged and victimized before real changes can be made. We need to get back to basics, if you’re in a hole, perhaps you should stop digging.

Thank you

Sheriff Matt Kendall

---

NO ON ALBION'S MEASURE S

Sydelle:

Hi neighbors,

"This is not an easy email for me to post, but the subject has been weighing heavily on me.

Measure S and why I’m voting no.

I have been an active supporter of the Albion Little River Fire Department.

Measure S is asking for an increase in our current property tax assessment - raising if from the current $75/parcel + $75/each dwelling on the parcel to $300/parcel + $300/each dwelling + an annual compounded assessment of 2% increase each year. This means that instead of paying $150/yr for the fire department, the tax would rise to $600/yr and get bigger every year as the 2% is cumulatively added on.

.Our fire chief told us that he is paid at $90,000 year. The additional proposed increased is to fund 4 more paid firefighters + help in maintenance of equipment and further purchases.

We would then no longer have a volunteer fire department. We would have a mixture of paid and volunteers. This creates an uncomfortable imbalance - some paid, some not. I wonder about the impact of that when the department is asking for volunteers, but they wouldn’t be salaried.

I believe that the only other local fire department that has a paid chief is Ft. Bragg. Mendocino fire chief is not salaried.

I feel that there has been very little opportunity for a community discussion about this, before it was even put on the ballot.

There were two meetings locally about this, only within the last few weeks. I have attended one of the meetings, and it raised more questions for me than answers.

I think we need more time to consider what to do about supporting the fire department and that the current proposal feels to me to be premature and insufficiently explored by us.

Well, that’s my thinking and why I am in opposition to this ballot proposal.

---

Wendy Meyer:

Sydelle: I respect your right to vote your conscience. Please provide correct facts to other voters however.

The ALRFPD chief IS paid $90,000 per year. Compared to rural fire districts across the country, he is underpaid by about $30,000 per year. He receives no benefits - zero. The Fort Bragg chief is salaried because Fort Bragg is a city, and as such, is a paid city employee. however the pay for their chief is $146,305.00, and the chief there receives pretty good benefits. Other local fire district chiefs who are paid are Hopland whos chief receives $125,126 plus benefits, and South Coast Fire Chief who gets $83,692. Other districts that pay their chiefs include Anderson Valley, South Coast Fire, Redwood Coast Fire and Little Lake Fire. Mendocino will eventually need to pay a chief - it is just a matter of time, and even then, they are in a substantially better financial position than most other departments to do so.

There were two public meetings locally about this, but the board of directors had been discussing this since last year at their board meetings - all of which are open to the public and have an agenda item specifically for input from the public. Unfortunately. no one comes to those meetings, even though these meetings provide ample opportunity for participation in the district. Quite frankly, no one was paying attention until this situation became dire and was put on the ballot. As a matter of fact, before the measure was put on the ballot the district was required to publish it in the newspaper. No one paid attention there either.

The fact that no one was given opportunity to think about, explore, suggest or participate is poppycock. Pure and simple.

The fact of the matter is that if we do not, as a community, support the fire district it may not go away, but it also may not be able to respond quickly due to lack of staffing in the event that there is a wildfire, or medical emergency. We have no one in the district trained or experienced enough right now to take over the position of chief other than the current chief. In the future, those who are qualified will look to areas that pay more and provide benefits. People are not volunteering like they used to, and new OSHA requirements for physicals will eliminate a good portion of those who may want to volunteer, but don't meet the standard. Right now, with a paid chief, we are guaranteed that at least ONE person will respond to emergencies in our district, and many times, that is the case. We live in an age of global warming and out of control wildfires and I, for one, don't want to leave protection of my family and my home to the possibility that someone may or may not be available to respond.

I ask you Sydelle - would you show up to an emergency knowing that just to be able to respond you would need a minimum of 240 hours of training (every Thursday night for three hours), be woken up in the middle of the night to get in your car and drive to the scene of an emergency, and then have to pass an intense physical in order to do all this? For nothing. No compensation. Perhaps back in the days when we filled buckets with water and passed them along a line to put out a fire every now and then it was ok, but the investment of time required today is invasive to a volunteer who also works full time perhaps one or two jobs just to live here and then has to train three hours a week, and then respond to emergencies in the middle of the night. That's a lot to ask of anyone.

Then we need to think about how all of this relates to our decreasing ability to obtain or keep insurance, which is totally based on our ability to get water flowing and fight fires. That's another hole we can climb down.

And I'm sorry it isn't worth paying $50 a month for this help. That's it. That's what the average homeowner would pay. Or even better, $1.69 per day. That's less than a cup of coffee. To have a strong fire department.

I hope you will reconsider your position, but again, we all need to vote our conscience.

---

RIXANNE WEHREN:

Thanks for speaking out. I too, feel that this is a bit excessive and has not been discussed. Adding $600+ to my current property tax is about a 20% jump., while my social security got only a 2% jump. More info needed.

---

SCOTT ROAT:

My response to Sydelle on Measure S (Albion Little River Fire Depaartmnt): -

I was a district firefighter for nearly 12 years, a board member for 4, local real estate broker for 19, a now a resident of this Community for 25 years. Of the time I served with fire I wasn’t paid (except I received small compensation for the Lightning Complex fires).

The primary problem for us at the end of the day is insurance. No fire department means a reduced ISO rating, or more likely, they’ll drop us altogether, which is what I think will happen. They want emergency response within 5 miles. If we don’t have companies ready to insure us, then we’ll have to go to the California Fair Plan, which is very expensive.

If Albion-Little River has this built into the costs of real estate, my estimation is that home values within our district will plummet. Just a theory at this point. Though expensive, and I also don’t much want to pay it, it’s very likely that voting YES is by far in the way the least expensive of options.

---

ZONK QUERIES

To the Editor:

I’m curious to know, is there any correlation between cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and the type of weed or way it’s consumed? I myself am a daily smoker, and am aware that my own personal experience is anecdotal and may not relate to everyone. However, I am very cautious not to smoke vapes or extracts often, and most days only smoke real flower that doesn’t contain a very high concentration of THC.

Since the market is now flooded with new ways to consume weed — extracts, edibles, a range of disposable vapes, etc. — could differing methods (especially ones where the THC concentration is quite high) be more likely to induce C.H.S. and other disorders?

Weed is not new, but all of these new products with high levels of THC are. I wish we had more information about these new cases of C.H.S. being linked, or not, to these new products. I get a lot of great benefits from my smoking and would hate to lose them if these worries around C.H.S. and psychosis inhibit future sales and legality.

Kelsey Rose

Brooklyn

---

NOT TO MENTION ALL THE JUICERS

Editor:

On Oct. 1, the front page read: “Legendary slugger Pete Rose dies.” The sports page used “Disgraced” in its headline. Rose did gamble. But baseball, like politics, chooses to either embrace or destroy those whom they target.

Rule 21, regarding gambling, was enacted in 1921 after the White Sox World Series scandal. Do you think players like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth never bet on baseball? Cobb bragged about killing someone.

The Houston Astros blatantly cheated and got a slap on the wrist. Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn banned Willie Mays from baseball for being a greeter at a casino. The irony is that all sports are relentlessly involved in promoting gambling. The hypocrisy in baseball is astounding.

People aren’t perfect and neither is baseball. It took years to get reviews on close plays. Balls and strike calls are still obviously missed.

Tiger Woods is still embraced despite his tawdry past; Pete Rose is disgraced. Really?

Choose your words carefully. Rose will be in the Hall of Fame someday. Common sense often takes a long time. The Olympics took 70 years to give Jim Thorpe back the gold medals he so deserved.

Ozzie Osswald

Santa Rosa

---

FILL COUNCIL SPACES WITH NEW FACES

Editor,

Fort Bragg’s existing Council has for several years ignored Downtown Merchant pleas for essential things like proper directional signage, decorative lighting, landscaping, more public rest rooms, legal and safety attention to abandoned buildings, and grants that should be pointed towards things that need doing now (instead of funding pet projects earmarked for ten years into the future).

The present sitting Council has failed to even formally declare Downtown to be an “Improvement District.” This shameless refusal to assist our core small business economy comes with a corresponding black eye. Tax Revenue collected from these same businesses is being funneled by the millions into a detrimental lawsuit with the Skunk Train, while legally gag ordering us local citizens thirty five times over the last two years from learning the facts about the case. Not the democracy we were taught!

This is why the two available City Council seats should be filled with new faces, not the same old status quo. More than ever Registering and Voting is not only a right, but a necessity.

Bill Mann, Sue Rogers

Fort Bragg

---

ZIP IT

Editor:

Political Silence…

A couple weeks from now the game will be over. They'll tear down the goalposts and pin the tail on either the donkey or the elephant. Take your pick.Who knows? Who cares? In the meantime I have personally taken a vow of political SILENCE. I've promised myself to create a media blackout until and beyond when the Fat lady/Fat guy/Fat transgender person etc.etc. sings. I invite my friends and neighbors to join me: Mail in your ballot, buy a t-shirt with your favorite candidate's picture on the chest and just CHILL.

My vow of political SILENCE has just three rules:

1. No Facebook,No Instagram,No network talking heads.

2 If the wife has the TV on and is watching Rachael Maddow--walk thru the room with your hands over your ears singing “La La La I can't hear you.”

3. Take a big breath and repeat this mantra over and over:

“Politics is not the highest form of consciousness.”

At some point when the election is over someone will probably let slip the results and then I'll know if I wasted my money on that t-shIrt…

Steve Derwinski, aka JoeBlow

Boonville

---

CHIEFS

Est. Ed.,

Thanks for the painting of Falstaff hugging his hug jug of vino blissfully. I was in some consternation after watching the new version of him in The King, wherein he was portrayed as a sage, sober soldier whereas in the original King Henry dumps and distances his Royal person from the old sot. And Falstaff was left in a Cheapside taproom, not the king’s master tactician and most trusted advisor.

This flagrant denial of history, human nature and the genius of Shakespeare represents the epitome of politically correct deconstructionist rewriting as a palliative analgesic for the troubled soul of post-modern man.

And the immortal speech the Baird gave Hal at Agincourt was right up there with Mark Anthony’s elegy for Caesar — but that too had to be revised into a platitudinous pander to nationalist patriotism.

As you have neither the time nor the inclination to address this issue and advise me on it, I ask only whether I should put my money on the Niners or the Chiefs for today’s game?

The McEwen,

Walnut Creek

---

MIKE'S THE GUY

Editor:

In the interest of transparency, I would like to clarify a few statements that you printed about me. The voters I speak with constantly bring up the laws the state Legislature has imposed on our citizens. Prices for everything are through the roof. Housing and food insecurity are real issues. The rising cost of housing is combined with taxes and building permits that are passed on to everyone.

Two-thirds of our children cannot read at grade level. Violence at schools is on the rise. As a 25-year special education specialist and 20-year school board member I know the changes that need to take place to raise educational standards and ensure safety in the schools. Having my experience at that table when the education budget is considered is a win for our children. I understand that the priorities of our education system must be to increase children’s reading and math proficiency.

Every election, we have an opportunity to try something new and break this pattern of failure. Please take this opportunity for a change and vote for Mike Greer for state Assembly.

Mike Greer

Crescent City

---

PHYSICAL THERAPY AT COAST HOSPITAL

Editor,

I am hoping the hospital board will discuss the issue of physical therapy at the PCT 24 meeting. I was glad to read that the board is feeling positive about the solutions to Adventist requiring more money to stay here.

But want to suggest that there may be more ways than turning over tax money or other adjustments. Additional services are needed and could add income .

While I recognize there are many issues to discuss at the October 24meeting of the hospital board, I am writing to suggest that a discussion of increasing the Physical Therapy capacity on the coast is essential to the service changes on the coast and as well as a likely income generator.

Last week I contacted the Physical Therapy to set up appointment for post cervical surgery appointment and was told the first available appointment is in December. It was a shock and —how had this fundamental department reached this state of being completely unable to meet the needs of the community.

I am aware that there were once two local private physical therapy providers (and had used both over the years) are no longer in business. The owners retired, the first one closed about two years ago and the most recent in the last year. To my knowledge the number of clients remained high at these practices, the decision to close was based on the owners personally wanting to retire after many years of service. A couple of years ago In a conversation with one former owner, she talked of the ever increasing burden of billing requirements for insurances meant increased business office staff making the running of the business harder and significantly cut into profitability.

It Is unfathomable that Adventist did not see the need and opportunity to expand the physical therapy department on the coast beginning 2 years ago when the first practice closed.

It should be clear to anyone living or doing business on the coast that our aging population has a high need for physical therapy help. The fact that as a post surgery patient I would be expected to wait three months to get help regaining movement in my neck is beyond comprehension. I am unclear where the responsibility for deciding what medical practices Adventist should be providing on the coast- is it the hospital board? is it Adventist? Ultimately it seems like the local board should be working with Adventist to try to insure local needs are being covered. It seems also that meeting local needs for physical therapy locally would increase the percentage income Adventist is looking for.

Note: I called Willits Physical Therapy to see about appointment and the person I scheduling spoke with was shocked that a post op person would be expected to,wait 3 months. Willits holds open spaces for post op patients. I was given an appointment for next week.

Elizabeth Swenson

Fort Bragg

---

END FUNDING FOR GAZA WAR

Editor:

Oct. 7 was the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians in which 1,200 people were killed. It was a horrific attack, but it does not justify the past year of war against the Palestinian people. More children (16,900) have been killed than Hamas operatives (13,000). This is not a war waged against Hamas; it is a war waged against the Palestinian people. Schools, hospitals and aid workers are bombed. The Israeli government tells people to go to safe zones and then bombs the safe zones. People who want to leave are not allowed out. This is not defense, this is an ongoing massacre, and it needs to stop. There is no excuse, and the U.S. is complicit in our unwavering support for the Israeli government. The U.S. needs to stop giving lip service to a cease-fire while providing military support. The U.S. has an opportunity to show our leadership and humanity by stopping funding for war and providing humanitarian relief.

Amy B. Jolly

Santa Rosa

---

THE BANE OF CURIOSITY

Editor,

Human development occurs in stages. The physical part is the least demanding, but the cognitive part is the most. During some phases of our youth, various phenomena attracted our attention, and our egos tried to make sense of them. I remember the stove. When I was too far from it, it provided little relief from the morning chill, but its heat grew from ineffectual to pleasant and unbearable as I neared it. Even though I should have, I did not realize what touching its surface would be like. In that event, the first incident was the charm, but I have had some problems that took many lessons to understand. Those mishaps caused me to associate learning with sacrifice and pain. Not only physical but a variety of emotional traumas: embarrassment is my biggest fear. And that is why I would not say I enjoy second-guessing myself, but I do because I do not value making any mistake more than once.

Before you vote in this election, please do not let your emotions rule your decision. Make your choice based on reliable information, even if your heart would have you do otherwise. The road to Enlightenment has consequences; many are difficult to endure, but they give us factors that improve our chances of making better decisions.

Tom Fantulin

Fort Bragg

---

MEMO OF THE WEEK

BUMS HASSLE FAIRFAX LITTLE LEAGUERS

Dear West Marin Little League Community -

We write to provide an update on the League’s efforts to address the growing encampment next to Central Field.

First and foremost, the safety of our players, umpires, coaches, families and spectators is our League’s primary concern. For this reason, we have taken additional steps to help ensure safety at our games. As part of that effort, we have attempted to engage the Fairfax Town Council to address our concerns, including a presentation made by the League at the April 3, 2024 council meeting. Unfortunately, the Town Council failed to take action in response.

Since that time, the continued growth of the encampment against the outfield fence at Central Field has resulted in additional incidents at Fall Ball games and practices, with several disturbances resulting in police intervention.

At the most recent Fairfax Town Council meeting, West Marin’s own Ryder Edrington (age 10) and his classmate Vincent Maresca addressed the Town Council, sharing their own harrowing experiences at Central and at Peri Park. They asked the Town to make these spaces safe for children.

West Marin Little League sent the attached statement to the Town Manager, Town Council, and candidates for Town Council asking how they will help us ensure the safety of our children going into the Spring 2025 season, with prompt responses received from all four candidates. Two of the five council members responded that they have added the topic to their November 6, 2024 meeting for further discussion.

We therefore want to highlight a number of ways you can stay informed and participate in the public dialogue about this important issue, particularly if you are a Fairfax resident eligible to vote in the upcoming election. Please note that West Marin Little League is not affiliated with any of these events and makes no endorsements.

Wednesday 10/23 at 4:30pm, downtown Fairfax: There is a planned meetup / march at the Parkade Steps at Bolinas and Broadway in support of children’s safety at Peri Park & Central field. For more information see this link. This event is organized by a number of concerned citizens of Fairfax.

Saturday 10/26 at 10:00am, Central Field: Candidate for Town Council Mike Ghirenghelli has scheduled a pop-up session to discuss his approach to the encampment and how to ensure the safety of the community and its youth.

Wednesday 11/6 at 6:30pm: The Fairfax Town Council has agreed to add the topic of the encampment to their November agenda for discussion. Anyone from West Marin Little League can attend & support the presenters on November 6 at 6:30pm at the Fairfax Women’s Club. The agenda is to include a presentation by residents and discussion.

We are, of course, aware of and sensitive to the challenges many face in communities across California, including those who reside in the encampment. Whatever the solution may be - and it admittedly requires addressing many factors - surely it cannot permit the status quo. We are hopeful that the Town Council will act to relocate the encampment away from Central Field and Peri Park. In the unlikely event that does not occur before our Spring season, our League will continue to take all steps possible to ensure a positive and safe experience for our players.

As always, we are grateful to our volunteers, coaches and families who support our League with the common goal of teaching our players important life lessons through baseball. Thank you, and we are looking forward to a safe & fun Spring 2025 program right around the corner.

Sincerely,

West Marin Little League Board