Mendocino County Today: Thursday 1/16/2025

Sunny | Jim Brink | Jake Wake | Board Education | Cliff Fall | Fog Bank | Deputy Arrested | Board Supervisors | Immigration Q&A | Got Woodchips | Building Amnesty | Cowboy Willy | El Rebozo | Recognizing Marmon | Evaluation Day | Ed Notes | Older Brother | Yesterday's Catch | Fire Insurance | Jimmy Warned | Rex Block | Diebenkorn Brushwork | Outfield Shower | Goose Rescue | Bernstein's Grotto | House Me | Border Patrol | Latest Doomsday | Lead Stories | Articulation | Biden Farewell | Pill Price | Ceasefire Thoughts | El Train

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DRY WEATHER is expected to continue for the next 7 days. Chilly mornings are also expected to continue under mostly clear skies. Gusty northerly and northeasterly breezes are expected to return for the coastal headlands and exposed ridges this weekend. (NWS)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): Fog tomorrow morning? Maybe, we'll see. On the coast this Thursday morning I have 37F under clear skies. Morning temps this weekend are looking even colder still.

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JIM BRINK

It is with great sadness that I share this news with you. Jim Brink passed away at his home in Stockton California on December 29, he was born on July 12, 1946.

He is survived by his wife, Mary, two sons, Kevin and Michael, their spouses and several grandchildren. He was a graduate of AV High class of ‘65 and a very close friend of my husband, Gary, and many others in that class. He was a Vietnam Vet, Loved fast cars, especially Corvettes, was a good cook, and devoted to his parents, Walter and Wilma Brink. He worked for Suburban Propane for many years, retiring as a district manager. Private burial has taken place at Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville California. If any further services are planned, I will let you know here. Gary and I will sure miss you, Jimmy.

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NORCAL JESS: There will be a small celebration of life with Jake's closest friends at Camp Navarro on Feb 1st. There won't be any private services for family as I believe he wouldn't have wanted that. Too much fuss for him. Feel free to message me with any questions and if you can't attend, that's totally fine. Instead, you could enjoy a milkshake in his honor. He would approve. (Facebook post)

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MENDOCINO RESIDENT DIES IN APPARENT FALL FROM COASTAL CLIFFS

On January 14, 2025 at approximately 3:38 P.M., the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a possible water rescue in the area of Portuguese Beach, in Mendocino.

A citizen in the area of Main Street in Mendocino called emergency services to report a subject along the coastline who may have fallen from the cliffs above. The reporting party informed emergency responders the subject on the beach below was not moving and called to request assistance.

Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Deputies arrived to assist, along with Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Ambulance Paramedics. The victim, later identified as 65-year-old Douglas Craig Shapiro of Mendocino, was located on the beach below the steep cliff south of Kasten Street. The Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department water-rescue team deployed a pair of their jet-skis from the Big River Boat Launch and quickly arrived in the area where Shapiro was located and packaged for transport.

Shapiro was transported via jet-ski from the beach to the north boat launch at Big River Beach in Mendocino. An off-duty Emergency Room Physician happened to be near the boat launch and immediately conducted an assessment of Shapiro upon arrival to Big River Beach. The Physician pronounced Shapiro deceased at 1632 hours on 01-14-2025.

Deputies observed injuries on the decedent consistent with a great fall and began a coroner's investigation into Shapiro's death. Deputies determined foul play was not suspected and Shapiro's cause and manner of death will be later determined by a Forensic Pathologist. It can take multiple months to receive all associated reports to finalize the coroner's investigation and determine the official manner and cause of death.

Shapiro's next of kin was contacted and notified of his death.

Anyone with information regarding this coroner’s investigation is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086.

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MCSO DEPUTY ARRESTED IN UKIAH - UKIAH POLICE RESPOND TO REPORT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

by Justine Frederiksen

A Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested Sunday evening on suspicion of domestic violence after a neighbor called the Ukiah Police Department, Chief Cedric Crook confirmed.

According to the UPD press logs, an officer responded to the 900 block of North Pine Street around 9:40 p.m. on Jan. 12 when a caller reported a domestic disturbance at the residence of Alexander S. Thong, 36, who is employed as an MCSO deputy.

“It was determined that there was probable cause to arrest (the suspect for alleged domestic violence),” said Crook, explaining that Thong was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence due to there being a “visible, traumatic injury” to the victim, whom he described only as a woman Thong was romantically involved with.

Crook added that his officers had responded to previous incidents recently involving Thong, but could not disclose further details.

Thong was booked into Mendocino County Jail Jan. 12 on suspicion of felony domestic battery and held on $25,000 bail before being released the next day.

MCSO spokesman Capt. Quincy Cromer confirmed that Thong is still employed as a deputy, though he was previously placed on administrative leave Jan. 2, more than a week before his arrest. When asked why Thong was already on leave, Cromer said he was prohibited from discussing personnel matters.

When asked about prior arrests of Thong, or if there had been any misconduct allegations against him, Cromer said he could not disclose further details, citing both the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and two state laws (SB 1421 and SB 2) that limit the amount of information agencies can release regarding peace officers’ records.

Cromer could disclose that Thong was hired by the MCSO in June of 2017 as an animal control officer, then hired as a deputy sheriff in December of 2017. In terms of his current employment status, Cromer said that the MCSO will conduct an “investigation into the circumstances leading up to his being placed on leave,” and will release whatever information it can once the investigation is concluded.

(Ukiah Daily Journal)

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CITY OF FORT BRAGG INVITES PUBLIC TO Q&A SESSION WITH IMMIGRATION LAWYER GRADY G. GAUTHIER

January 15, 2025; Fort Bragg, CA - The City of Fort Bragg is announcing a community Question and Answer (Q&A) session featuring immigration lawyer Grady G. Gauthier. This special event will be held at Town Hall, located at 363 N. Main Street, on Monday, January 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM.

This session offers a valuable opportunity for residents to gain insights into immigration laws, processes, and available resources. Whether you have specific questions, are seeking general information, or want to better understand how immigration policies impact our community, this is a chance to engage directly with a knowledgeable legal expert.

Grady G. Gauthier has extensive experience in immigration law and has assisted numerous individuals and families in navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. His commitment to empowering communities through education and advocacy makes him an invaluable resource for the residents of Fort Bragg.

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and take part in this informative discussion. Spanish translation services will be provided for those in need.

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FRANK'S FIREWOOD

We now have another 24 yards of woodchips available, great for weed control, ground cover, livestock bedding. $210 + tax which is less than $9.50 / yard delivered price. Includes free delivery in Anderson Valley. Call 707 895 2133

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CHRIS SKYHAWK

Amnesty Petition for Unpermitted Buildings in Mendocino County; keep elders in their homes.

The full text is in the link, but elders are being pushed out of their homes: https://www.change.org/p/amnesty-petition-for-unpermitted-buildings-in-mendocino-county

We request an immediate expanded amnesty program to halt code enforcement that: 1) shuts down and/or dismantles unpermitted buildings that currently provide a large portion of our County’s housing, and 2) creates severe financial hardship and/or unnecessary homelessness for our single parents, elders, disabled, and low-income working families.

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HOW A 20-FOOT COWBOY BECAME THE SYMBOL OF A NORCAL MOUNTAIN TOWN

'Cowboy Willy is just part of the community'

by Matt LaFever

On a quiet street in Willits, a mountain town of Mendocino County, a towering 20-foot figure commands attention with a square jaw, a Seabiscuit belt buckle, and a branding iron in hand. Meet Cowboy Willy, the quirky mascot of the town just off Highway 101. Since 1967, this former Route 66 “Muffler Man” has been reimagined as the face of Willits Frontier Days, the annual rodeo that reflects the town’s Western pride. With a history as colorful as his paint job, Willy is more than a roadside oddity — he’s a beloved slice of Americana, welcoming visitors to one of California’s most charming traditions.

Willits Frontier Days, touted as California’s longest-running rodeo, has been a Willits tradition since 1927. Every year, thousands flood the small town to catch the parade and cheer on bull riders, barrel racers and ropers, and of course see who will be crowned Willits Frontier Days Sweetheart. Cowboy Willy towers over attendees as they enter the rodeo grounds, a symbol of the event that has brought the community together for nearly a century.

How did Cowboy Willy become a Willits icon?

The story begins in 1967, when local businessman Lee Persico spotted a damaged Muffler Man statue at a Phillips 66 station in Eureka, he told SFGate in a recent phone call. The iconic “Muffler Men” were the brainchild of manufacturers Bob Prewitt and Stanley Dashew, who crafted these fiberglass giants from 1962 to 1976 to, well, sell mufflers and other roadside wares. From Paul Bunyan to a grinning Alfred E. Neuman lookalike called the “Half-Wit,” these towering figures were designed to stop traffic — literally — outside roadside businesses nationwide. Of the thousands produced, about 200 still stand today, keeping their quirky, Americana charm alive.

Willits’ Muffler Man had no cowboy hat, boots or the flair it would later acquire when Persico first spotted it in 1967. After negotiating with the Phillips 66 station, Persico snatched it up for a steal: “I don’t believe we paid more than $150 for him,” he recalls. He and a colleague drove to Garberville to get a boat trailer, which they then used to haul the statue back to Eureka, using pins to keep it upright during transport.

Once the statue was in Persico’s hands, it underwent a dramatic makeover. Persico turned to his good friend and skilled fabricator Jack Tharp, who “built the first hat out of fiberglass” and swapped the original boots for a pair of cowboy boots. The transformation didn’t stop there: Tharp revamped the buckle and branding, giving the statue a fresh, unique identity. Local artist Daniel McBride topped things off with a custom paint job, and Cowboy Willy was born.

Daniel McBride couldn’t speak with SFGate due to health issues, but his wife, Laura, shared the story. She explained that when Cowboy Willy needed a fresh coat of paint, Daniel answered the call and became the first town resident to give the iconic statue a makeover. Laura McBride fondly remembered how Daniel would paint Cowboy Willy from a cherry picker, with their grandkids tagging along and riding up in the bucket with him.

To make the statue even more memorable, Persico added one more twist: “We put a speaker up there and a microphone, and people would come in. They’d start talking, and we had somebody hidden, and they’d try to answer the questions.” It made it feel as though Cowboy Willy could talk, though over time, the speakers and microphone were lost to history.

“I don’t even know what happened to that equipment, whatever,” Persico laughs today.

In 2013, Cowboy Willy got a major facelift after nearly 50 years of wear and tear. Longtime car paint tech Randy Spears, a local legend in automotive work, stepped up to restore the iconic statue.

“I don’t know how I got wrangled into it,” Spears told SFGATE, but when he saw Willy in rough shape — arms broken and peeling paint — he couldn’t say no.

The restoration began with hours of sanding, fiberglass fixes and a coat of primer that gave Willy a “Ghost Willy” look, Spears said. Local paint supplies were donated, and Spears, with over 30 years of experience, dove in, spending 150 hours on the job by the end. The hat got an extra luxe makeover: A local auto body shop let Spears use their paint room to paint the hat with automotive-grade paint, while the rest of the statue got house paint.

Spears added some custom touches to Willy, too, like the hand-painted medallions on his belt and a peace sign on the back of his cowboy hat. “I hand-picked every medallion,” he says proudly. “The back left side has a peace sign … that’s my little mark.” He also changed the lettering on his jeans to read “Willy” instead of “Wrangler,” adding his personal flair.

It’s clear the project was a labor of love. “He looked pretty good, down to the gray hairs I gave him,” Spears said.

The latest twist in Cowboy Willy’s story is the grassroots campaign to get him a companion. As Willits Frontier Days prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, the goal is to raise funds for a 16-foot fiberglass “Uniroyal Girl” named Wilma to stand alongside Willy from a plastic fabrication company in Hayward. An article in the Willits Weekly from last July noted that the company, Bell Plastics, could customize the statue virtually from head to toe and advertised sponsorship opportunities for members of the community to contribute to her design.

There’s a hefty price tag of around $20,500 for the base model, plus additional costs for custom details. The hope is to bring this vision to life by 2026, giving Willy the perfect cowgirl partner for Willits’ centennial celebration.

As longtime Willits resident Laura McBride puts it, “Cowboy Willy is just part of the community. He is part of the draw to the rodeo. You’ll hear, ‘Come see Big Willy!’ Everybody comes in and looks up at him.”

To make the statue even more memorable, Persico added one more twist: “We put a speaker up there and a microphone, and people would come in. They’d start talking, and we had somebody hidden, and they’d try to answer the questions.” It made it feel as though Cowboy Willy could talk, though over time, the speakers and microphone were lost to history.

“I don’t even know what happened to that equipment, whatever,” Persico laughs today.

In 2013, Cowboy Willy got a major facelift after nearly 50 years of wear and tear. Longtime car paint tech Randy Spears, a local legend in automotive work, stepped up to restore the iconic statue.

“I don’t know how I got wrangled into it,” Spears told SFGATE, but when he saw Willy in rough shape — arms broken and peeling paint — he couldn’t say no.

The restoration began with hours of sanding, fiberglass fixes and a coat of primer that gave Willy a “Ghost Willy” look, Spears said. Local paint supplies were donated, and Spears, with over 30 years of experience, dove in, spending 150 hours on the job by the end. The hat got an extra luxe makeover: A local auto body shop let Spears use their paint room to paint the hat with automotive-grade paint, while the rest of the statue got house paint.

Spears added some custom touches to Willy, too, like the hand-painted medallions on his belt and a peace sign on the back of his cowboy hat. “I hand-picked every medallion,” he says proudly. “The back left side has a peace sign … that’s my little mark.” He also changed the lettering on his jeans to read “Willy” instead of “Wrangler,” adding his personal flair.

It’s clear the project was a labor of love. “He looked pretty good, down to the gray hairs I gave him,” Spears said.

The latest twist in Cowboy Willy’s story is the grassroots campaign to get him a companion. As Willits Frontier Days prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, the goal is to raise funds for a 16-foot fiberglass “Uniroyal Girl” named Wilma to stand alongside Willy from a plastic fabrication company in Hayward. An article in the Willits Weekly from last July noted that the company, Bell Plastics, could customize the statue virtually from head to toe and advertised sponsorship opportunities for members of the community to contribute to her design.

There’s a hefty price tag of around $20,500 for the base model, plus additional costs for custom details. The hope is to bring this vision to life by 2026, giving Willy the perfect cowgirl partner for Willits’ centennial celebration.

As longtime Willits resident Laura McBride puts it, “Cowboy Willy is just part of the community. He is part of the draw to the rodeo. You’ll hear, ‘Come see Big Willy!’ Everybody comes in and looks up at him.”

(SFGate.com)

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THE IRRELEVANCE OF THE CALIFORNIA GRAND JURY ASSOCIATION

From: John Sakowicz sako4@comcast.net

Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 1:58 PM

To: California Jurors editor@cgja.org

Subject: letter to the California Grand Jury Association

To the California Grand Jury Association:

I was sad to hear of the passing of James M. Marmon of Clearlake. Although he was controversial, and his style was a bit brash, Mr. Marmon was a former social worker for Mendocino County who was also a whistleblower. He triggered numerous grand jury investigations into mismanagement in county government, particularly as they related to child protective services and foster child programs.

In 2012, a five-month-old girl, Emerald Herriet, died from skull fractures after being beaten by her foster father, Wilson L. “Josh” Tubbs III, 38.

The murder occurred in Fort Bragg and attracted national criticism of Mendocino County Social Services.

A forensic pathologist who examined baby Herriet at Oakland Children's Hospital testified at Tubbs's preliminary hearing that she found at least 49 bruises on the baby's head and face, two skull fractures, multiple hemorrhages in her retinas and severe subdural hematoma — the accumulation of blood between the brain's surface and inside of the skull — all indicating the baby girl was likely abused over a period of time.

Following a settlement for his wrongful termination from Mendocino County, James Marmon remained a tireless advocate for children and helping foster youth.

James Marmon was my friend, and we worked on youth protection issues together, including protecting kids at local troops of the Boy Scouts of America and kids in local parishes of the Catholic Church who we strongly believe remain at risk. I will be starting a charitable trust in Mr. Marmon's name.

It is my hope that the California Grand Jury Association will also recognize James Marmon in some way.

James Marmon was 70 years old.

John Sakowicz

Ukiah CA

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Barbara Sommer basommer@ucdavis.edu wrote:

Dear Mr. Sakowicz,

Thank you for your message. It certainly is the case that Mr. Marmon made a very real contribution to making it a better world. I appreciate your wanting to recognize that.

It appears that much of his activity involved the criminal grand jury. Our organization represents the civil grand jury. As the topic is somewhat different from our mission and as neither Mr. Marmon nor you have been or are members of our organization, I don’t see our publishing your letter as appropriate.

I wish you well with your charitable trust.

Barbara Sommer, Editor

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Dear Ms. Sommer,

For the record, James Marmom's whistleblower complaints triggered several county civil grand jury investigations and reports.

Those reports focused on the failure of Mendocino County's social services system, especially its child protective services and foster care program.

These county civil grand jury efforts followed the murder of a five-month-old baby by the baby's foster father.

These grand juries were separate and distinct from the murder conviction in criminal court.

Also, for the record, the above referenced county civil grand jury investigations and reports resulted in Mendocino County privatizing its entire mental health department.

Redwood Community Health has now been contracted to deliver those services.

Finally, for the record, I served on four different Mendocino County Grand Juries following my medical retirement from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office (Badge No.2526)

I'm appalled that you wouldn't "see publishing my letter [about Mr. Mormom] as appropriate."

Also, membership in your association should not be a condition for acknowledging the sweeping change that resulted from county civil grand jury investigations and reports triggered by a whistleblower.

CGJA Journal

Mr. Marmon's complaints were first secret, as are all county civil grand jury work, then Mr. Marmom went public after the county civil grand jury reports were issued.

Simply stated, James Marmom's courage and conviction resulted in protecting children. It resulted in the dissolution of a negligent and mismanaged county department that failed to serve and protect those children.

Mr. Marmon's life and work goes to the very essence of California's civil grand jury purpose.

I am copying Governor's Newsom office on our correspondence, and through my state senator and state representative I will be asking to meet with the Governor about the relevance of the California Grand Jury Association.

John Sakowicz

Ukiah CA

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POMO HISTORY - Evaluation Day

The Witherell family lived in Boonville dating back to the 1870s. Evaluation Day has been described as a “mini-Antiques Road Show.” Witherell Auctions in Sacramento partnered with the Museum on this public “Evaluation Day,” January 10, 2025. Visitors were allowed to bring up to three items to learn about their history and get an idea of how much they might be worth.

The professional appraisers from Witherell provided a 3-minute assessments for each item. Ticket proceeds went to the Grace Hudson Museum. For more information call the Museum at (707) 467-2836. Or Witherell Auctions at witherell.com.

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ED NOTES

HERE'S HOW IT LOOKED to the Magas: “Democrats set the tone early in Tuesday's highly anticipated confirmation hearing for President-elect Trump's embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth: Double, triple, and quadruple down on bogus allegations and discredited smears. He's an alcoholic! He's a rapist! He's a misogynist! Oh, and he also ran a veteran's charity into the ground! Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed, the top Dem on the Armed Services Committee, led the Banzai charge and his colleagues followed: the hysterical Kirsten Gillibrand, the dim-witted Mazie Hirono, the self-righteous Tim Kaine and the shrieking Elizabeth Warren, numbering among the legislative lightweights.” (DM)

LOOKED that way to me, too, and I don't think he or any other Maga should be Secretary of Anything, let alone our lunatic arsenal and the global muscle about to be at the disposal of the Orange Absurdity.

AS I SAT there watching these dim hysterics pound on this guy it was another lesson in how repulsive the big time Democrats are, how unaware that the screechingly pious (and hypocritical) behavior they displayed in the Hegseth hearing has undoubtedly created whole new posses of Magas.

IN MY RECENT SCREED lamenting the cost of the apparently unending Eyster vs. Cubbison matter, I should also have said that I think Eyster has otherwise been an excellent DA. He's made rational charging decisions and has often appeared in court himself rather than function simply as an administrator. And he's saved (and made) the County many thousands of dollars by allowing dope defendants to plead out to fines and misdemeanors rather than clog up the courts, as his predecessor did, with all-out prosecutions and expensive jury trials. Eyster isn't stupid and he isn't nuts; I bet he regrets his pursuit of two honest women simply doing their authorized jobs.

JD VANCE, nihilist changeling, going from “Trump is America's Hitler” to Trump's slavish VP, has disagreed with Trump on pardoning January 6 rioters, arguing against clemency for the violent yobbos but pardons for the non-violent members of the mob.

TRUMP, natch, has said the Jan 6 mob he incited are “great patriots,” but watch him back off blanket pardons as per Vance's advice. Trump, limited as he is, has got to know that even most of his Magas don't want pardons for the most vicious members of his invading force.

I WISH Pence would have confronted the mob instead of hauling ass outta there. Would he have been lynched? Yes, but only if the event had been an insurrection and not a mere riot, the diff being, for the millionth time, insurrectionists have a plan to take and hold, rioters don't.

I SHOULD know better but I bit on a headline that screamed outrage about an ICU nurse doing something so awful at the bedside of a comatose patient that she should be… pick your sanction. I bit and read the story. Turned out she was flossing her teeth, not exactly “appropriate” as Mendolib's favorite pejorative would likely declare but, as a recent ICU patient myself, I wouldn't care, comatose or fully awake.

SELDOM do I read a story about Marin County that doesn't contain the adjective, “privileged.” There are indeed lots of wealthy people in Marin but most residents are no more privileged than citizens of Mendocino County. On my street in San Anselmo, for instance, most of my neighbors leave for work early every morning, and their dwellings are, on average, more modest than Ukiah's Westside. And like Ukiah where the town’s poorest residents are clustered in the dreary neighborhoods of South State Street, Marin's working poor, almost all immigrants, are clustered east of 101 in crowded, sub-standard apartment buildings much like those of South State in Ukiah.

MARIN'S fire danger? Constant. Imminent. Clustered, bushy neighborhoods in the hills, thousands of people resident along long roads in and out with no exit options. In a catastrophe, people will die in their vehicles trying to get out.

"I am hopeful that Zuckerberg and the tech bros aren't just sucking up to Trump. I hope that their eyes have been opened to the danger to democracy that comes from allowing government censorship and control on their platforms. Perhaps their convictions are changing and strengthening. Maybe they are just going back to protecting First Amendment rights for ALL of us, not just one side. Perhaps I'm being naive! Time will tell.”

THE ABOVE is an anonymous on-line observation, but count me among the free speechers. The thought that Zuckerberg and the Appropriate Police were deciding what people could read and see had me stomping my ancient feet. Boiled down, people believe what they need to believe, what jibes with their world views, wacky as those views may be, and often dangerously wacky they are, too, as the rise of Trump proves for all time. But censorship is a two-way street. It’s healthier in the long run to let ‘er rip and hope sanity prevails. Orwell famously declared that so long as you can tell truth from untruth you're not nuts, but the internet has made truth more difficult to see, fer shure, fer shure. Overall though, people ought to be trusted to make their own judgements. Right?

THE ATTEMPTED lib lab lynching of Hegseth from the NYT, lib lab media of record: “Some of the toughest questioning was over Mr. Hegseth’s previous statements that women should not serve in combat roles. Democratic senators accused him of modulating those views purely in hopes of winning a cabinet post.” Hegseth replied, “Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given that standards remain high, and we will have a review to ensure the standards have not been eroded.”

THE ARGUMENT by, ahem, inexperienced men, that women are too weak to fight is, well, weak, as any number of women fighting effectively in any number of guerrilla wars should prove beyond all doubt. But in contexts of weak leadership and undisciplined male soldiers, women would be as imperiled by their fellow soldiers as the enemy, but relative physical strength? On the average about even.

I READ SOMEWHERE that women trying out for elite American military units have to do a minimum of 9 pull-ups and hump 80-pound packs. In Marine boot camp way, way back, the standard was three pull-ups, twenty push-ups, a bunch of sit-ups, and kindred lay-up physical standards which, even then, even in the supposedly elite Marine Corps, lots of recruits couldn’t manage. The hard part for me, as it was for my fellow “maggots, syphilitic misfucks and California queers” were the constant physical beatings, not beatings exactly, but sudden punches and other assaults from the drill instructors, three psychopaths overseeing my platoon. And the assaults were constant. Young and dumb as I was, I thought, “If these bastards are on my side, how bad can the Russians be?”

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CATCH OF THE DAY, Wednesday, January 15, 2025

IVAN AGUILAR, 19, Ukiah. Minor with handgun, minor with ammunition, loaded handgun-not registered owner, marijuana for sale, controlled substance for sale, contributing, conspiracy.

DELBERT ALFORD, 37, Covelo. Under influence, parole violation.

SHANNAH GRIFFITH, 33, Ukiah. Resisting.

ERIC KOTILA, 49, Probation revocation.

SHELLY LEGGETT, 42, Covelo. DUI, probation revocation.

SCOTT MCALLESTER, 36, Eureka/Ukiah. DUI.

ROBERTO MORALES, 24, Ukiah. Concealed loaded weapon, probation revocation.

ANTONIO THOMAS, 44, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, probation revocation.

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A READER WRITES: I think this topic is important and of interest because the cost and availability of fire insurance affects everyone, homeowners and renters alike.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/climate/californias-insurance-fair-plan-fires.html?

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CALIFORNIA WEATHER REMAINS DRY DUE TO ‘REX BLOCK’

by Anthony Edwards

A stubborn atmospheric blocking pattern, known as a rex block, is keeping California locked into a long dry spell, shunting storms away while periods of Santa Ana winds continue.

Rex blocks are defined by high-pressure systems located north of a low-pressure system. On Wednesday, a large area of high pressure will continue to build over the Pacific Northwest while a dry low-pressure system pinches off over Southern California, a classic rex block. This is a favorable pattern for Santa Ana winds.

Wednesday is expected to be the final push of the current Santa Ana wind event, with gusts of 40-60 mph mainly in Ventura County, strongest in the morning.

While rex blocks are frequent in spring, they are unusual in winter. Winds blowing west-to-east in the upper atmosphere, known as the jet stream, are typically strong enough to prevent blocking patterns from persisting for long periods of time.

In a rex block, the upper-level winds reverse direction between the clockwise-spinning high-pressure system and counterclockwise-spinning low-pressure system. This week, winds are moving east-to-west in the upper atmosphere over much of California. High cirrus clouds may be seen drifting over the Sierra Nevada toward the coast.

Aside from the unusual name, rex blocks have negligible sensible weather impacts. Calm winds and clear skies will continue across the Bay Area with slightly above-normal high temperatures and seasonably cool nights. Highs will be in the 60s region-wide while lows fall to the mid-30s to mid-40s.

The rex block is expected to give way to an omega block next week, with two low-pressure systems to the west and east of a high-pressure system, resembling the Greek letter omega. This pattern will be conducive to even stronger Santa Ana winds. Moderate to strong north-northeast winds may return Monday night into Tuesday, creating more extreme fire weather conditions in the Los Angeles areas.

San Francisco: Rinse and repeat forecast for the city Wednesday, with clear skies and light winds. San Francisco averages just eight days of 60 degrees or warmer in January, but Wednesday is forecast to reach the low 60s, which would make it the ninth straight day with a high temperature in the 60s. Overnight lows will drop to the low to mid-40s under a waning gibbous moon.

North Bay: Tranquil weather will continue across the North Bay as clear skies and calm winds continue. Highs will range from 3-7 degrees above normal, in the low to mid-60s in the valleys and the 50s in the mountains. It will be great weather for outdoor recreational activities. Overnight lows will be chilly, in the mid-30s to low 40s.

East Bay: Clear skies and spectacular visibility is expected across the East Bay on Wednesday as the long spell of pleasant January weather continues. Highs are forecast to be in the low to mid-60s with lows in the upper 30s to low 40s, coolest in the interior valleys and warmest near the bay. Winds will remain light and variable.

Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Another beautiful January day is in store for the Peninsula. Highs will be in the upper 50s to low 60s under cloudless skies. San Francisco International Airport has not registered a day of overcast skies yet this January, defined as at least 80% of the sky obscured by skies. January 2024 had eight overcast days, while January 2023 had 12 such days. The clear skies will make for nice stargazing, with lows dropping to the low to mid-40s.

South Bay and Santa Cruz: Fans of sunshine and winter warmth will enjoy Wednesday’s weather. Highs should crack the mid-60s in the South Bay and across Santa Cruz County. Gilroy and Morgan Hill may even push toward 70 degrees. Winds will be light. Starry skies are expected overnight with lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.

(SF Chronicle)

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This painting, titled "Girl Smoking" by Richard Diebenkorn, portrays a woman seated in a contemplative pose, with her hand raised to her face, suggesting she is holding a cigarette. The composition is characterized by loose, expressive brushwork and a harmonious blend of colors, with deep blues and earthy tones that create a moody, introspective atmosphere. Her posture conveys a sense of introspection and calm. Diebenkorn was part of the Bay Area Figurative Movement, known for blending elements of Abstract Expressionism with figurative painting, creating works that are both abstract and representational. His art often explored the balance between abstraction and realism.

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This photograph was taken during the 1959 World Series in Chicago and is one of the most famous baseball photographs in history. Al Smith, the player in front of the wall, played for the Chicago White Sox. The guy who dropped the beer on him was Melvin Piehl, an oil company executive, who was trying to catch a ball and accidentally dropped his cup on Smith.

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MOUNT SHASTA RANGERS RESCUE 'PARTICULARLY UNPREPARED' CLIMBER — A GOOSE

by Matt LaFever

Every year, thousands of climbers test their skills on Mount Shasta, California’s fifth-highest peak and the second-highest volcano in the Cascade Range. In 2023, around 5,000 to 6,000 people attempted the roughly 14,180-foot climb to the summit, with about half reaching the top.

In December, rangers from the U.S. Forest Service encountered an unexpected climber: a goose attempting to summit Mount Shasta. According to a Jan. 12 post on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest’s Facebook page, Forest Service rangers Nick Meyers and Eric Falconer of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center were on routine patrol when they came upon “their first attempted ascent of Mount Shasta by a goose.” Found at around 10,000 feet in the Old Ski Bowl area, the goose appeared to have flown off course and was described in a social media post as a “particularly unprepared Mount Shasta climber.”

“Upon our rangers’ arrival, the climber (flyer?) had on only one layer of down and was neither prepared for the temperature nor overnight camping,” the post elaborated.

Meyers, the lead climbing ranger and director of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, described the rescue as a rare and memorable experience.

“From the very first moment we identified the situation, we acted on instinct: to help out,” Meyers told SFGATE. “The first step was to catch it. I didn’t think I’d actually catch the goose, but as boys being boys, we tried.”

The rescue proved more challenging than expected, with the goose initially trying to escape. “At first, the goose tried to fly away but couldn’t. Its head and eyes were crusted in ice, wings battered. It flopped its way down the slope. We chased after it without success. Eric and I were about to give up, but I said, ‘I’m going to try one more time,’” Meyers recounted.

“I ran up from behind and dove on top of it and caught it. Honestly, I was surprised I caught it, and my next thought was, ‘S—t, what do we do with it now?’ That’s when we were like, ‘Well, I guess we try to take it down the mountain?’”

Meyers described how he carefully handled the goose for its safety during the descent. “I tucked its wings and stuck it under my arm like a football. I expected a big fuss and fight as I started the snowmobile and began riding down the mountain. This is when I began to feel a real connection of spirit with the goose as its demeanor relaxed and tucked its head into my jacket. The goose most certainly understood we were helping it. As it warmed up in the truck, it got a little feisty but nothing crazy.”

A video posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest’s Facebook page showed Meyers riding a snowmobile down the mountain while cradling the goose. “Saving lives, Shasta Mountain Rangers,” someone quips off-screen as Meyers rides by.

The day concluded with the rangers transporting the goose via snowmobile to a lower-elevation pond before returning to their regular duties.

“I’ve worked on the mountain and been involved in search and rescue for 23 years. This is the first wildlife rescue of the sort,” Meyers said.

While Mount Shasta has tested countless climbers, this unexpected rescue proves that sometimes, even the least prepared deserve a helping hand.

(SFGate.com)

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R.D. BEACON: Every Time My Father and I Would Go to San Francisco, This Was His Favorite Place To Get a Good Fish Dinner,

Bernstein's Fish Grotto restaurant on Powell, Even Back in the 40s, My Father Would Go across the Street, From the Golden State Hotel, To This Fine Restaurant, You Would Go inside, And There Would Be a Large Fish Tank, With Fish Swimming around in, I Believe the Glass with Extra Thick, So, They Should Look Bigger Than They Really Were, All along the West Wall, Where Tables Places to Sit Waiters, And Black Pants on White Shirts, And Bow Ties, With Big White Aprons, Extremely Efficient, I Would Always Have, The Deviled Crab Au Gratin, Along with a Large Crab Cocktail With the Red Sauce, While My Father for His Appetizer, Would Be Eating Little Olympia Oysters, Which Were Extremely Small, About the Size of a Quarter, For His Main Meal, He Would Order Swordfish, Bread on the Table, with Sourdough, With Hard Butter In a Large Stick I Have Fond Memories, Later on in Life My Father Also Had Another Favorite Place, to Eat Seafood, Over at Berkeley, Spangler's, Was Another One of His Favorite Places to Go, Remembering That Had Also a Seafood Market Attached, And They Had Also Another Restaurant, Which Used to Be, A Ferry Boat, Over a Or, On the North Side Of the Sacramento River, Near Martinez, In Later Years, I Would Go down to the Wharf, And Go to Any Number, A Fine Restaurants In the Area.

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ROACH DAY AT CRAIG'S PLACE

Okay, What Can I Get and How Soon Can I Get It?

Woke up early in Washington, D. C., since today is the pest control and deep cleaning at the Adam’s Place Shelter where I’ve been housed free of charge since September. The District of Columbia is poised to properly celebrate the insanity of Donald Trump’s re-inauguration. Signs are wheat pasted announcing unspecified street protests beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday January 20th. “Fuck Trump!” is written in black paint all over the area by one determined individual, who is most visible. The Washington, D.C. Peace Vigil invites all to join in at the usual protest spot at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, below the statue of General Sherman, which is next to the treasury building, which is next to the White House. Otherwise, I am ready to leave Washington, D.C. because I have accomplished what I came here to do. I am accepting housing in postmodern America. What can I get and how soon can I get it? You can also send me money at Paypal.me/craiglouisstehr. Thank you very much for appreciating me. 😁

Craig Louis Stehr

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ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

The ever optimistic anti vaxxers. The religiosity of their beliefs. First they announced that the covid shot would kill people in a week. When there was no massive die off, then it was going to be three weeks. Then five months. Then a year. Then five years. Now how many years is the latest doomsday to arrive?

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LEAD STORIES, THURSDAY'S NYT

Negotiators Agree to Long-Awaited Cease-Fire and Hostage Deal for Gaza

Updates on the Cease-Fire Agreement

In Farewell Address, Biden Warns of an ‘Oligarchy’ Taking Shape in America

Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Rocket Lifts Off on First Flight

Drake Sues His Label, Calling Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Defamatory

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IN FAREWELL ADDRESS, BIDEN WARNS OF AN ‘OLIGARCHY’ TAKING SHAPE IN AMERICA

President Biden did not explicitly name President-elect Donald J. Trump, but his remarks went straight at the tension at the heart of the incoming White House.

by Erica L. Green

Speaking from the Oval Office, the president warned of a rising oligarchy, a potential tech-industrial complex and the threat of the climate crisis in his farewell address to the nation.

President Biden on Wednesday warned that an “oligarchy” of the ultrawealthy was emerging in America, sounding the alarm about unchecked power as he gave a farewell speech to the nation just days before he surrenders office to a man he disdains.

In an address from the Oval Office, Mr. Biden expressed concern about the “dangerous concentration of power” and issued a plea for the preservation of democratic ideals and institutions under the administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump.

“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Mr. Biden said.

While Mr. Biden did not explicitly name Mr. Trump, his remarks went straight at the tension at the heart of the incoming administration, in which billionaires like Elon Musk are positioned to wield enormous influence over the next four years. Are they really populists intent on shaking up the government to benefit working people who have been left behind by the establishment? Or are they just billionaire disrupters out to enrich themselves?

Mr. Biden’s warning of an unelected oligarchy taking shape echoed a similar one by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who spoke about the military-industrial complex in his farewell address. The Biden version referred to the “tech-industrial complex,” in which he warned of the erosion of truth itself, brought forth by unchecked social media platforms — a reference to Meta doing away with fact-checkers this week — and artificial intelligence.

“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power,” Mr. Biden said.

Mr. Biden, who has spent months promoting his record and accomplishments, did little of that on Wednesday. Instead, he spent more time urging Americans to stay engaged in the democratic process and to continue to fight for progress in areas like addressing climate change.

“The powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we’ve taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interest for power and profit,” he said. “We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren. We must keep pushing forward and push faster.”

The speech in many ways wrapped up not just four years in the White House but more than a half-century of public service for Mr. Biden, who came of age in an era of politics that he no longer sees around him. It also served as a plea for the country to remember its roots as he leaves the office he has coveted since he was a young man.

“After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society,” he said.

“Our system of separation of powers, checks and balances — it may not be perfect," he said, “but it’s maintained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history that’s ever tried such a bold experiment.”

Mr. Biden called for term limits and ethics reform for the Supreme Court and banning members of Congress from trading stocks.

And he issued a call for changes that would safeguard against a recent Supreme Court decision that gave presidents broad immunity, which Mr. Trump has sought to use to blunt multiple criminal charges and could protect him as he vows retribution and other autocratic acts while in office.

“We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” Mr. Biden said.

In his final days and weeks in office, Mr. Biden has been trying to cement a legacy as a transformative president who stabilized domestic politics while bolstering America’s leadership abroad. Hours before Wednesday night’s address, Mr. Biden celebrated what would be a crowning accomplishment of his foreign policy record by announcing that Israel and Hamas had accepted a deal he proposed last spring for a cease-fire in Gaza.

But he is deeply unpopular. Even the location of the speech, behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, is a reminder that Mr. Biden is not departing as he may have wanted. His last prime-time address delivered there was his explanation in July of why he had dropped out of the presidential race under pressure from his own party as questions mounted about his age and fitness for another term.

Mr. Biden acknowledged that many of his policies had failed to resonate with Americans. “It will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together,” he said. “But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow, and they’ll bloom for decades to come.”

Still, as recently as last week, he has been defiant about the presidential race, saying that he believed that he could have beaten Mr. Trump and that his decision to drop out was motivated by his desire to unify the Democratic Party.

Mr. Biden has told donors that he intends to stay involved in the party. Last week, when asked what role he planned to take on post-presidency, he responded: “I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind.”

Mr. Biden spoke for about 17 minutes, keeping with a tradition of farewell speeches that goes back to George Washington. In 2021, Mr. Trump, politically isolated and facing an impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters, told those who had gathered to watch him take off from the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland: “Goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form.”

As he signed off on Wednesday night, Mr. Biden called out his family, including his son Hunter Biden, who was in the Oval Office along with his wife and their young son, as well as Finnegan Biden, one of the president’s granddaughters. “You are the loves of my life and the life of my love,” he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris and the second gentleman were also there as Mr. Biden closed out his speech. He called Ms. Harris an “incredible partner,” and said that she and her husband had become “like family.”

“Now it’s your turn to stand guard,” Mr. Biden said in his final words to the country. “May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. May God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.”

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Transcript:

“My fellow Americans, I am speaking to you tonight from the Oval Office. I have no doubt that America is in a position to continue to succeed. That’s why in my farewell address tonight I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy. I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. In the age of A.I., it’s more important than ever that the people must govern. The existential threat of climate change has never been clearer. Just look across the country, from California to North Carolina. That’s why I signed the most significant climate and clean energy law ever. It will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word. I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.”

(New York Times)

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THOUGHTS ON THE CEASEFIRE DEAL

by Caitlin Johnstone

Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, which is scheduled to take effect January 19. The deal as written is apparently virtually identical to the one Hamas agreed to last May, which Netanyahu then sabotaged with the complicity of the Biden administration.

As usual, Israel appears to be ramping up its aggressions to kill as many people as possible before the fighting comes to an end. These next few days will be an especially terrifying time to be living in Gaza.

The Times of Israel reports that according to two unnamed Arab officials, the middle east envoy for the incoming Trump administration did more to sway Netanyahu in one day than the Biden administration did all year. The Trump camp’s pivotal role in securing the deal has been acknowledged by pretty much everyone at this point, including Biden’s State Department.

So it looks like Trump winning ended up being the better result for the people of Gaza, as weird as that sounds. Not because he’s a fantastic peacemaker, but because he did something instead of doing nothing.

Which would mean that everyone who said a Trump win will make things worse for Gaza was objectively wrong, and that Biden-Harris were undeniably the greater evil.

Cool. Lesson learned.

Don’t get me wrong, Trump is going to be terrible for the Palestinians, terrible for the middle east, and terrible for the world. And it’s very possible that even this basic, bare-minimum end to an active holocaust won’t hold. I’m not praising Trump, I’m shitting on Biden.

Biden, who could have ended this all with a phone call at any time and chose not to, every day for 15 months. Whose unique combination of dementia, corruption and lifelong virulent Zionism made these genocidal atrocities possible in ways that couldn’t have happened to the same degree under any other administration. Whose Zionist handlers pushed through as many crimes against humanity as they could possibly cram into the remainder of their administration while stalling peace efforts by hiding their true intentions.

Yes, we can expect to see more cruelty inflicted upon the Palestinians in general and the people of Gaza in particular. Yes, we can expect Trump to shower Israel with gifts while ramping up tensions with Iran like he did in his previous term. None of this changes the clearly established fact that Joe Biden was a uniquely horrible president for this point in history, and that humanity would probably be better off if he’d lost in 2020.

This development comes as new polling shows us that Kamala Harris’ depraved position on Gaza probably cost her the election last November. A poll released on Wednesday by IMEU Policy Project and YouGov found that among people who voted for Biden in 2020 but didn’t vote for Harris in 2024, Gaza was their number one reason — surpassing even issues like the economy and healthcare.

So it turns out all those Muslims in Michigan that liberals have been screaming at for refusing to vote for Harris were right all along. Kamala Harris told them “I’m speaking” when they protested her genocidal atrocities at a political rally in Detroit. Well, who’s speaking now?…

https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2025/01/16/thoughts-on-the-ceasefire-deal/

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