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.
UKIAH HIGH GRAD ONCE PLAYED FOR THE METS, HIT GRAND SLAM AGAINST THE GIANTS
by Justine Frederiksen
Before he became a professional baseball player, Kelvin Chapman was a Ukiah High School athlete who loved all sports.
“Football, basketball, baseball — anything with a ball, I loved playing,” said Chapman, admitting that while it was eventually baseball who came courting, “basketball was actually my favorite sport.”
After graduating from Ukiah High in 1974, Chapman was playing baseball at Santa Rosa Junior College when he impressed a visiting Major League Baseball scout, because by the end of 1975 the Ukiah native had been drafted by the New York Mets.
Nearly four years of minor league play later, Chapman had his Major League Debut at Chicago’s Wrigley Field in April of 1979, a night he recalls fondly.
“My parents were there, and I got two hits,” recalled Chapman, adding that he was given the game ball afterward. “That was a great night.”
According to Wikipedia, Chapman had “two hits in five at-bats in his debut” as the Mets starting second baseman that season, but then returned to the minors the next month. A few years later, Chapman returned to “The Show” in May of 1984, and that August he had another of his favorite baseball moments: hitting “a Grand Slam against the Giants” at Shea Stadium, a feat that helped the Mets win 11-6.
The next year, which would be Chapman’s last in professional baseball, Wikipedia has him returning to the Tidewater Tides after “playing his last Major League game in July of 1985,” and reports that while he could have remained with the organization, “Chapman, who had injured his knee during the 1985 season, opted to retire and return home to California.”
Once back in Mendocino County, Chapman said he stayed as close to baseball as he could, first operating batting cages in Ukiah for many years that he said were very popular but were “too seasonal” to offer steady income, so he moved on to coaching women’s softball for several years, “which I very much enjoyed.”
Now living in Redwood Valley with “30 acres of vineyards” while working part-time at Mendocino College and enthusiastically supporting local sports teams of all kinds, Chapman returned to the world of baseball last Saturday at Anton Stadium in Ukiah, where he signed baseballs and greeted fans of all ages for the “Small Town, Big Dreams” event presented by Ukiah High School Baseball and Ukiah Young Bucks Baseball Program.
When asked what he would tell all young people interested in playing professional sports, Chapman said to just play your best and give it everything you have, no matter the odds against you.
Though Chapman also warned that much of his time as a professional baseball player was far from glamorous, recalling “traveling everywhere in buses and sleeping eight guys to a hotel room. Also, when I was playing, the minimum salary was like $21,000.”
And since very few of those who try for “The Show” will actually make it there, Chapman advised all athletes to have a back-up plan, urging them to “go to school, either a college or trade school, and learn a skill, maybe get a teaching degree.”
As for his own kids, Chapman noted proudly that both of his sons, Jason and Brett, “were very good baseball players,” and while Brett was sidelined early due to an injury, Jason was “drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, though he was never signed.”
When asked about his brush with a professional baseball career, Jason Chapman, who now works for the Ukiah Police Department along with his brother Brett, said he was glad for the experience, describing it as “not a disappointment at all, and something cool I can tell my kids.”
Also attending Saturday’s event in Ukiah were Devin Kirby of the Minnesota Twins, who was born in Ukiah, and Michael Petersen of the Toronto Blue Jays, whom organizer Shaun Hoben said “played college ball with Antonio Lopez, who is our Ukiah High JV coach.”
AV UNIFIED NEWS
Dear Anderson Valley Community,
As you know, Anderson Valley Unified School District was thrilled to receive a $4.7 million Clean California Grant, awarded by Caltrans. The purpose of these funds is to create an all weather track as well as soccer and football field for the school and community. In the interest of transparency, I want to send out this community update.
School districts follow a required bidding process when awarding contracts for construction. Unfortunately, the bids we received in December came in higher than expected, resulting in a project cost that would exceed the grant awarded funds by approximately $2.7 million. Therefore, at the Tuesday, January 14, 2025 AVUSD school board meeting, the board rejected all bids.
This does not necessarily mean that the track and field project will not go forward. At this time, the district is working closely with our architect, facilities advisors, and Caltrans Clean California personnel to consider adjustments to the project. The district hopes to go out to bid a second time with a scaled back project that will meet the requirements of the grant as well as staying within the funding awarded.
We know that this project is important to the community and it is also very important to our school. We are committed to doing everything we can to successfully complete this project and we will keep the community posted as we move forward.
With respect,
Kristin Larson Balliet
Superintendent
Anderson Valley Unified School District
THIS SPRING TERM, KEEP LEARNING WITH US AT ANDERSON VALLEY ADULT SCHOOL!
It's the perfect time to continue your education!
We invite you to join our classes in English, Computer, Child Development and more. There's something for everyone! Classes begin with Early Childhood Development starting January 21, followed by all other classes the week of February 2.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity?
You will not regret it!
We cordially invite you to our Open House, which will be held on January 26, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Come get all the details, resolve your doubts, and discover how these classes can help you advance in your future.
This Spring, continue learning with us at Anderson Valley Adult School!
Now is the perfect time to keep advancing your education!
We invite you to join our classes in English, Computer Skills, Child Development, and more. There’s something for everyone! Classes begin with Child Development starting January 21, followed by all other classes starting in the week of February 2.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity?
You won’t regret it!
You are warmly invited to our Open House on January 26, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Come learn all the details, ask your questions, and discover how our courses can help you move forward in your future.
Location | Location
12300 Anderson Valley Way, Boonville, CA 95415
More Information | More Information
Call in | Call: 707-895-2953
Or register online | You can register online: www.avadultschool.org
AV UNIFIED NEWS
Dear Anderson Valley Community,
I hope that you enjoyed the three-day weekend and were able to spend time with loved ones!
On this national holiday, we honor the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King to our country and to the world. Dr. King was a leader in the civil rights movement, who advocated for nonviolent resistance to end segregation and racism. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1964 and was assassinated in 1968 at the young age of 39. In his short lifetime, this man made a big impact.
In his most famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King said,
“…So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
Dr. Martin Luther King remains a symbol of optimism, freedom, and hope for all Americans. I hope that every family will take a moment to talk with their children about Dr. Martin Luther King’s incredible contributions to our country and its people.
District Updates…
Back to the Drawing Board with our Clean California Track and Field Project
Last week, I sent out an update to the community regarding the challenge of our track project bids coming in significantly over budget. Our school board voted to reject all bids last week, and we are currently working with advisors to consider changing the scope of the project and going out to bid again. We very much want to make this project happen! It is important to our school and our community. I will continue to keep the community posted while we work through the challenges, in hopes of finding a successful resolution that allows us to bring this incredible project to fruition. My original message about this is attached. Stay tuned!
Adult School classes will start the first week of February
Please see the attached information for class information, including teachers, cost, and meeting days and times. If you wish to register, you can attend the open house registration event on Sunday, February 26th from 1- 3 p.m., visit the Adult School website at www.avadultschool.org, email adultschool@avpanthers.org, or call 895-2953. Thanks!
The Anderson Valley Education Foundation does wonderful things for our community!
Please take a look at their webpage occasionally to learn about programs and services for children! Some important information regarding Internships can be found on this page. Here are some upcoming events and deadlines:
The deadline to submit the “job description” is March 3, 2025
“Job descriptions” will be posted on the website on March 17, 2025
The deadline to submit applications to the school librarian is April 18, 2025
Internship interviews will be scheduled May 5-May 16, 2025
This Just In…
Mr. Ramalia and Mr. McNerney, our awesome principals, are now sending out weekly updates to their school communities. I will be paring down the information in my Superintendent Updates to keep communications streamlined and to avoid overwhelming parents with things to read! Therefore, I will keep most of my updates to district-wide information. Please feel free to reach out to me, still, with any questions or concerns. Mr. Ramalia and Mr. McNerney are also available to address anything that is specific to their school sites!
We love to see parents at our events, supporting their kids. If you would like to be more involved, please contact your school’s principal, Mr. Ramalia at AVES or Mr. McNerney at AV Jr/Sr High, or our district superintendent, Kristin Larson Balliet.
We remain deeply grateful for our AVUSD families.
With respect,
Kristin Larson Balliet, Superintendent
Anderson Valley Unified School District
klarson@avpanthers.org
Rest easy, Jim Brink.