Mendocino County Today: Saturday 7/26/2025

THUNDERSTORM chances drop off for the weekend. Near normal to slightly below normal temperatures expected into early next week. Temperatures trend slightly upward towards the later parts of next week. (NWS)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): The fog bank is looking a bit thinner & broken up so maybe we'll see increased amounts of sun soon after all? The NWS keeps pushing it back a day or so but some clearing is still mentioned. A foggy 53F this Saturday morning to get started.

View near the pass of Ukiah–Boonville Road (Elaine Kalantarian)

CHASE OVER MENDOCINO-HUMBOLDT LINE ENDS IN NARCAN SAVE AND STOLEN GOODS

by Matt LaFever

A high-speed chase through towering redwoods ended Thursday with two men in jail, a trunk full of stolen clothes, and a passenger nearly dead from a suspected overdose.

According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol’s Garberville office, the pursuit started the morning of July 24 when an officer tried to pull over a silver Toyota Camry for speeding near Standish-Hickey State Park in northern Mendocino County. Instead of stopping, the driver—29-year-old Jose Gonzalez—hit the gas and took off northbound on Highway 101.

As Gonzalez approached a construction zone, officers backed off to avoid a dangerous situation. But once the road cleared, they picked the chase back up. Gonzalez wound his way toward Confusion Hill, repeatedly veering into the opposite lane as he sped through the narrow, winding stretch of highway.

Officers called off the pursuit again through Richardson Grove due to the risk to public safety. But the Camry was spotted a short time later near Big Foot Burl, a kitschy roadside shop just south of the Humboldt County line. This time, officers stuck with it, eventually using a spike strip near Dean Creek to bring the car to a stop.

Inside the Camry, they found more than just a reckless driver. The passenger — 35-year-old Josh Madison — was unconscious in the front seat. Officers used Narcan to revive him and waited for paramedics to arrive, according to the press release.

A search of the vehicle turned up piles of new clothing with price tags and anti-theft sensors still attached. Officers believe the items were stolen, though the release didn’t specify from where.

Both men were taken to a hospital before being booked into the Humboldt County Jail. Gonzalez was arrested on suspicion of felony evasion, driving under the influence of drugs, and drug possession. Madison was booked for being under the influence. Investigators say more charges may be coming, including for possession of stolen property.

(MendoFever.com)

SALLY ANN TEEGARDEN spent decades helping others find clarity, healing, and sobriety. On Monday afternoon, her life was cut short by the very thing she worked to prevent: a drunk driver.

According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol Garberville Office, the crash occurred on July 21 around 2:40 p.m. on U.S. Highway 101 near milepost 76 in northern Mendocino County. Forty-three-year-old Justino William Faenzi-Glass was driving a Porsche Macan northbound with two juveniles in the car when he crossed the double yellow lines and collided head-on with Teegarden’s white Honda CRV. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Faenzi-Glass was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)), felony DUI causing injury (VC 23153(f)), and child endangerment (PC 273a(a)).

The juveniles in the car were unharmed and released to a relative. Faenzi-Glass was booked into the Mendocino County Jail.

Teegarden, age 74, was well known throughout Southern Humboldt and Northern Mendocino for her decades as a counselor, where she specialized in helping others overcome substance abuse but she was also well known for marriage counseling and more. She called herself a “personal growth counselor,” and was a recovering alcoholic who had been sober for nearly 37 years her partner Mitch Peirson told us.

“She was like the wisest person I’ve ever met,” said Emily Brady, a former client. “She was just incredibly calm and patient and an incredible mentor and asked great questions. One of the things she said when I first met her is she’s gonna teach me listen to my own voice and be the guide to…my own wisdom. … She really did help lead me to the answers within myself when I was struggling with things. She also had a fantastic humor…We would laugh at like, you know, ludicrous things in life…There was both this incredible depth and incredible… joy and levity.”

The loss feels especially personal here at Redheaded Blackbelt. Staff reporter Lisa Music was a longtime client of Sally Teegarden and credits her with helping save her marriage. “Sally is the reason why my husband and I are about to celebrate 25 years together,” Lisa said. “We walked into her office barely speaking, on the edge of divorce, struggling to navigate everything life was throwing at us.”

Sally’s guidance extended far beyond relationship advice. “She counseled us through the death of parents, the loss of a child—through some of the hardest moments of our lives. Sally may have known us better than anyone.” Lisa recalled joking that she’d start making house calls to Sally’s Mendocino home after her retirement, unwilling to give up the insight and care that had become a cornerstone of her life. “Her gift,” she said, “was in seeing you clearly, meeting you exactly where you were, and gently walking with you toward the person you wanted to become.”

Teegarden’s partner of nearly 40 years, Mitch Peirson, said she had been on her way to an appointment in Laytonville when the collision happened. He hadn’t been able to hug her goodbye that morning—he was covered in poison oak and didn’t want to give it to her. “I didn’t get to hug her, which was…terrible,” he said. “Sally was the love of my life.”

Peirson said he learned of the crash in a harrowing way. He, too, was headed south on Highway 101 later that day. “I had gotten in that line [of backed-up traffic]… turned around, came back home, and waited till I knew the highway was really moving.” He finally drove by the scene and saw the white Honda but not its license plate, he feared the worst. “I pulled off the highway and started walking back down… A CHP [officer] came over. I said, ‘I’m really worried that that’s my wife’s car.’ He asked my name, and he said, ‘She didn’t make it.’”

For years, Sally kept a small counseling office in Garberville—first near the cemetery and later in Redway—meeting with clients three days a week. “People come up to me and say, ‘Your wife helped me so much,’ and I don’t even know who they are,” Peirson said. “She was really kind. Really, really fucking kind. Always willing to help anybody.”

She was also intensely private and spiritual, he said, with a deep connection to her land near Grapevine Creek, and an affinity for animals—once keeping 13 cats and a black lab named Coltrane, who followed her up the hill with the feline entourage trailing behind. Now she leaves a dog and one cat to navigate their quiet home without her.

In her younger years, she studied at Antioch College in Ohio, where she earned a degree in natural science and psychology. Later, she became a certified drug and alcohol counselor, working at the Laytonville clinic and on local radio with a brief stint on a show called Recovery on the Radio.

“She always tried to help people,” Peirson said. “She loved her family… loved her animals. We had a good life.” Then he added, “She had the best smile on the planet…And she snored. I can’t sleep now. It is too fucking quiet.”

Plans are underway for a memorial gathering. “We will have a service,” Peirson said. “Not a service—that sounds too religious…a memorial…So the people she helped can come.”

(Redheaded Blackbelt/Kymkemp.com)

PROPOSED SUPERVISORS SALARY REDUCTION AND BUDGET CUTS

by Jim Shields

During the June budget hearings, Board Chair John Haschak attempted to persuade his colleagues to implement very modest, one could say nearly insignificant, reductions to the Board’s annual budget of approximately $20,000.

Truth be told, $20K dematerializes on a daily basis in this county routinely.

Haschak’s argument was given the dire straits of a deficit budget, balanced only by $6 million of one-time funds, coupled with the unknown fiscal effects of a so-called “strategic hiring freeze”, the Supes needed to get onboard and do their part sharing the pain of these tough economic times.

His colleagues response was no response. Not a single vote to support Haschak’s proposed action. Just the late summer night serenade of crickets.

Anyway, at this Tuesday’s upcoming BOS meeting, Haschak is sponsoring two agenda items aimed at cuts in the Supervisors budget.

He’s seeking cuts in the amount of $20,500 from line items in the Board of Supervisors' budget.

Specifically, the proposed cuts would be:

$4,500 from Special Department Expense
$3,500 from Education/Training
$1,500 from Transportation In-County
$6,000 from Travel Out-of-County
$4,000 from Communications
$1,000 from Office Expense Additionally, Haschak is recommending that the annual salary of the Board of Supervisors be reduced from $110,715.00 to $103,008.

Last year in June, the BOS increased their base salary from $95,302 to $110,715 through a two-step process. First in the Summer of 2024, Supe salaries were bumped to $103,008. Then this July, Supes’ pay was increased to $110,715.

It might be instructive to look back at how the Board’s salaries were increased last year.

By the way, Supervisor Ted Williams cast the sole opposing vote to 2024 salary increase, although he offered no explanation for doing so. The Board was comprised at the time of Ted Williams, Haschak, Mo Mulheren, Dan Gjerde, and Glenn McGourty.

At the time, I explained the supervisor salary raise had two main components, plus a special provision that, take my word for it as a licensed Labor-Management Relations practitioner, will prove to be extremely problematical and fraught with all sorts of legal thorniness.

The first component is a two-step pay increase. Step one will occur in late September-early October when Supe pay increases to $103,008 from its current $85,500. The second step occurs in July 2025 when pay gets bumped to $110,715.
Following the July 2025 raise, Supe salaries will be automatically determined by what us labor relations practitioners call a “Me Too” clause or agreement.

Here’s the County’s version of its “Me Too” provision: “The Board of Supervisors compensation for services shall be increased or decreased commensurate with the terms and conditions in any future Department Head Association's Memorandum of Understanding that are applied to all positions represented by the Department Head Association. Such applicable terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, cost of living adjustments (COLA’s), and provisions for compensation changes based on compensation surveys conducted on all positions, as identified in any future Department Head Association’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).”

Of course, the Supes still will be determining their compensation since they have to approve the Department Head Association’s MOU on compensation. So that’s how this “Me Too” agreement works. It’s an indirect method for compensation benefits to flow to the Supes without appearing on the surface that they have control over all compensation-related matters.

One of the things that’s not clear with the proposal at next Tuesday’s meeting is the issue of what will be the status of the “Me Too” agreement if the Board approves Haschak’s salary cut proposal.

Absent specific language to eliminate or rescind that provision from the existing BOS salary ordinance, it remains in effect. That means, in accordance with the “Me Too” provision, ““The Board of Supervisors compensation for services shall be increased or decreased commensurate with the terms and conditions in any future Department Head Association's Memorandum of Understanding …”

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board needs to address that issue and provide the public with a detailed clarification/explanation over the process that will determine future salary increases.

(Jim Shields is the Mendocino County Observer’s editor and publisher, [email protected], the long-time district manager of the Laytonville County Water District, and is also chairman of the Laytonville Area Municipal Advisory Council. Listen to his radio program “This and That” every Saturday at 12 noon on KPFN 105.1 FM, also streamed live: http://www.kpfn.org)

Great Redwood Trail sneak preview…Can you picture it? (Andrew Lutsky)

MENDO KEEPS CHASING THE HIPCAMP TAIL, but can’t seem to catch up.

by Mark Scaramella

Item 3h on next Tuesday’s consent calendar is a draft letter in support of the State’s latest attempt to permit “hipcamps” in rural areas. Mendo has been behind the curve on regulating hipcamps for several years. Typically “hipcamps” (a term invented on the internet where campsites are treated like AirBnB vacation rentals) are rented campsites on ag parcels with minimal facilities. A few years ago the Planning Commission was unable to get three votes for their first attempt at a permitting/regulation system, so they punted it to the Supervisors who dithered as usual. Meanwhile, several dozen official Mendo hipcampsites are registered on the “hipcamp” website but without any regulation. Nobody knows how many more may be out there that are unregistered.

The last official action the Supervisors took was to endorse a loosey-goosey state proposal a couple of years ago that basically just said hipcamps are fine with us, with minimal permits and regulation. It would have let the counties figure out how to manage them.

When the Board discussed hipcamps last year the only locals in support of them were people who wanted the hipcamp rental revenue. Everybody else was either opposed or supported them with strict regulation, especially regarding fire risk.

This year Assembly Bill 518 has popped up (sic) with a somewhat more restrictive set of rules for hipcamps. So, of course, Supervisor John Haschak put a letter of support for SB518 on Tuesday’s board agenda.

According to Haschak’s draft letter of support:

AB 518 establishes specific criteria for designating areas as LICAs [Low Intensity Camping Areas], allowing them to operate without a state permit, provided they meet local permit requirements. To qualify as a LICA, a camping area must have no more than nine campsites on a minimum of two acres, ensuring a maximum density of one campsite per acre. [?] All parking must be off-street, and the property should not be located within an urban or suburban environment. Importantly, a property manager or operator must be present and available 24/7. Additionally, the site must comply with local health and safety regulations regarding trash disposal, human waste management, fire safety, and noise control. The rental terms are capped at 14 consecutive nights per camper, with a maximum of 28 nights per calendar year for each camper. If a property owner meets all these guidelines, they will still need to obtain all necessary local permits to operate a low-impact camping area but will be exempt from additional state permitting. AB 518 creates an opportunity for interested local governments to develop a simpler permitting pathway for LICAs in their jurisdiction if they so choose.”

That sounds like an improvement over previous proposals. But questions remain.

How will these more restrictive regulations be enforced?, for example. Mendo is in no position to assign code enforcement officers to monitor hipcamps so their “complaint driven system” will have to suffice. Meaning that neighbors will end up having to complain about hipcamps — after they become a problem.

We have been unable to find any other rural counties rushing to support AB518. Santa Cruz County has written a letter of opposition and Humboldt County said they’d only support it if additional restrictions were included, such as:

Establishment of a specific complaint program to support code enforcement related to low-impact camping areas.
Require all low-impact camping owners or operators to post, in a conspicuous location, any permit or registration required by the county to operate the low-impact camping area, and providing contact information for the county for complaints or information related to low-impact camping areas.
Impose “quiet hours,” or in the absence of applicable local requirements, enforce quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Comply with applicable local requirements for disposal of human waste, or in the absence of applicable local requirements, maintain sanitation facilities that are fully self-contained or connected to a permitted sewage disposal system serving the property.
Comply with applicable state and local tax requirements, including, but not limited to, the payment of local transient occupancy taxes.

HumCo also complained about lack of adequate water quality protection, public safety impacts and unintended conflicts with existing rural and working land uses and neighbors.

Humboldt Supervisors also said that AB518 would “contribute to neighbor conflicts, habitat fragmentation and threats to local drinking water sources from inadequate wastewater and garbage management,” … would be “difficult to verify compliance with local ordinances,” … would not provide local governments with adequate tools to compel platforms to remove illegally operating campsites,” … adding, “many of our rural properties also lack adequate fire access roads and/or are not within fire districts, making emergency response very challenging.” Humco’s opposition concluded that AB518 “lacks adequate safeguards for wastewater, garbage, and emergency access, and could encourage the conversion of productive agricultural and timber lands into commercial camping operations. Unhosted sites in remote areas pose unacceptable safety risks, especially in high fire-severity zones.”

The California Farm Bureau told the Assembly that AB518 “would help farmers and ranchers diversify their income through low-impact agrotourism [sic] opportunities.”

Santa Cruz County opposed AB518 because there’s simply not enough fire hazard mitigation, no rules on use and overuse of rural roads and because it could lead to increases in neighboring property owner insurance costs.

Even with these unaddressed issues, most of which have been brought up before in various Mendo deliberations, Haschak thinks AB518 is so straightforward that sending a letter of unrestricted support is so routine that it can be approved on the consent calendar without discussion.

Even with the opposition to date, it looks like AB518 will pass sometime this year. Has anyone considered what Mendo will do when it passes and how a permit and code enforcement system would work and be funded? Or will they dither again as usual, unable to arrange for an enforceable hipcamp permitting system while the unregulated camps themselves continue to grow?

LOCAL EVENTS (this weekend)

CITY OF UKIAH TO REDUCE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE OF PROPOSED REORGANIZATION

Earlier this month, teams from the City and the County met for the second time per the terms of the Master Tax Sharing Agreement. At that meeting, the City told the County it was revisiting the scope of the proposed reorganization and that the City intends to reduce the amount of land included in any future proposal. The City also told the County that it will not have an application ready for submittal to LAFCo this summer as originally planned.

Councilmember Mari Rodin confirmed this change in direction to the City Council at a recent council meeting. The City looks forward to continuing to engage with stakeholders to understand their concerns and priorities. The City is developing a process for public engagement that examines potential impacts and benefits in developing alternatives for annexation.

“The City is committed to pulling back and re-evaluating our next steps as we work to identify areas for annexation that position our entire Valley to thrive in the long-term,” said Councilmember Rodin. The Council directed staff to remove the previously proposed annexation boundary map from the Ukiah website.

“We recognize the need for deeper discussion about how and where services will be responsibly delivered to the community, which is really what this is all about,” said Councilmember Rodin. “We’ll then use the feedback and information we get to develop alternatives for further consideration.”

“Strong cities make strong counties, and strong counties make strong cities,” observed Sage Sangiacomo, the Ukiah City Manager. “Ukiah is committed to working with the County in good faith under the terms of the Master Tax Sharing Agreement signed last year. A well-considered annexation will result in improved quality of life and a stronger economy.”

The City will continue to engage with the community throughout this process and will share updates on meetings and opportunities for public involvement as they are scheduled.

For updates and more information, visit www.cityofukiah.com/annexation

Shannon Riley, Deputy City Manager, City of Ukiah

PG&E SUBMITS PLAN TO TEAR DOWN POTTER VALLEY PROJECT

by Matt LaFever

For over a century, the Potter Valley Project has been funneling water from the wild Eel River to the Russian River Valley’s thirsty vineyards, towns and farms. But that engineered connection, sustained by a pair of aging PG&E dams in the hills of Mendocino and Lake counties, may soon become history.

On July 24, PG&E formally submitted its Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan for the Potter Valley Project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, marking a pivotal step in the utility’s plan to walk away from the century-old water diversion system. The long-anticipated move follows years of public debate, environmental review and bitter divides between water users, conservationists and tribal leaders over the project’s future.

The filing triggers a formal federal review process, during which public comment and environmental scrutiny will shape the final terms of the dam removals. At the heart of it all: the dismantling of Scott and Cape Horn dams — a decision PG&E says is driven by seismic risks, aging infrastructure, and economic loss, but which critics have called an “irresponsible gamble” with Northern California’s water supply and fire protection systems.

Below is the full press release from PG&E announcing the official filing of its surrender application:

On July 24, PG&E filed its Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan for the Potter Valley Project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). PG&E previously made available two drafts for public comment. FERC will now review the application and in the process will seek input from all interested parties through its open and transparent public comment period. In addition, the public will have opportunities to participate in FERC’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and the California State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review through their public comment processes.

Furthermore, with the application filed, PG&E will begin the process of developing management and construction plans that will further detail the decommissioning process and aspects of the project.

"Today’s filing marks the next step of a thoughtful and transparent decommissioning journey for the Potter Valley Project—but it does not change our operational responsibilities or obligations,” said Dave Gabbard, vice president of power generation for PG&E. “We remain fully committed to meeting all current FERC requirements as we work through the decommissioning up until the license is terminated by FERC. As stewards of public resources and partners to the communities we serve, our priority is clear: to move forward responsibly, collaboratively, and with the continued reliability our stakeholders expect."

The FERC submittal includes a request to allow the Eel-Russian Project Authority (ERPA) to construct the New Eel-Russian Facility (NERF) at the current location of Cape Horn Dam. The NERF will provide diversion flows from the Eel River to the Russian River watershed after PG&E’s removal of Cape Horn Dam and Scott Dam. The removal of the two PG&E dams will allow fish to access habitat in the Upper Eel River watershed.

“Decommissioning the Potter Valley Project and removing the dams is in the best interest of our customers,” said Dave Canny, vice president of PG&E’s North Coast Region. “We recognize that change of this magnitude is significant, and we are proud of our work with ERPA. We believe that the NERF proposal provides a good path forward for all communities. We are committed to serving customers in the North Coast for many years to come.”

The Potter Valley Project in Mendocino and Lake counties has a long history of generating renewable power and providing water from the main stem of the Eel River to Potter Valley and the Russian River, which has extensively benefited agriculture and communities along the Russian River. The Potter Valley Project consists of Cape Horn Dam and Van Arsdale Reservoir (built in 1908), Scott Dam and Pillsbury Reservoir (built in 1922), and other facilities such as the powerhouse and water conveyance tunnels. A fish passage structure and salmon and steelhead counting station was also constructed at the Cape Horn Dam site.

While salmon and steelhead are able to use a fish passage structure to navigate around Cape Horn Dam, the migratory fish are currently unable to move above Scott Dam.

As its infrastructure continued to age, and after years of internal analysis, it was determined the Potter Valley Project was uneconomical for PG&E’s customers. In 2019, PG&E informed FERC it would not pursue a renewed operating license. However, understanding that many communities rely upon the facility’s water supply and diversion benefits, the company devoted years working with various external entities on a potential alternative to transfer the project to new ownership.

Ultimately, no new prospective owner filed an application to license the project with FERC, which led FERC to direct PG&E to submit a surrender application and decommissioning plan.

The Potter Valley Project has been important to local communities, tribes, agricultural interests, and environmental interests for over 100 years. PG&E has publicly committed to an open, respectful process that strives to balance the needs of many interested entities.

As PG&E moves forward with plans to decommission and eventually remove Cape Horn and Scott dams, PG&E continues to coordinate closely with parties to support a new water diversion facility, including Sonoma County Water Agency, Inland Water & Power Commission of Mendocino County, Round Valley Tribes, Humboldt County, Cal Trout, Trout Unlimited and California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Throughout the decommissioning process, PG&E will continue to operate the Potter Valley Project in compliance with all existing FERC requirements, including recreation, minimum in-stream flows, water diversions, etc.

Included in the Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan (SADP) is a request for FERC to authorize PG&E to permit the “Non-Project Use of Project Lands” which will allow ERPA to construct the NERF, while utilizing some of the existing Potter Valley Project facilities.

While PG&E strongly believes this coordinated effort is the best path forward, ERPA will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the NERF. The close coordination between PG&E and ERPA is critical to ensure the construction of the NERF will not delay the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project and will allow for a smooth transition to ERPA operations. The timing will follow the FERC process for approval.

With the SADP now filed with FERC, the official FERC proceeding will begin. A public comment period of 30 days will be led by FERC, and the timing of that comment period will be determined by FERC and announced via their distribution list. To be added to the FERC distribution list for the Potter Valley Project visit FERC’s website and follow the steps outlined.: eSubscription | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

On Aug. 11, from 3 to 5 p.m., PG&E will host an online meeting to share information on the SADP, discuss the overall regulatory process, and public participation opportunities in the regulatory processes.

(MendoFever.com)

ED NOTES: EYSTER'S SLUSH FUND

George Hollister: “Auditor Chamise Cubbison for daring to do her job…” Correct me if I am partly, or totally wrong. My understanding is the money in question that was being spent was asset forfeiture money, and that the Board of Supervisors has no control over that. The auditor may not have any control of that either. Does that mean the DA has a lot of discretion regarding how that money is spent? I don’t know. Who decides what an “education” event is? The underlying issue here is asset forfeiture, and how it is handled. In my mind, allowing the law to confiscate money and hard assets from accused or convicted people opens the door to abuse.

Anon (Ukiah): Are you kidding? The underlying issue is DA Dave created false payment request calling it training. He committed fraud, which last time I checked is felony.

Anon (Willits): GH, I get your point. However, a young man who grew up with my kids eventually landed in the illegal marijuana business. During this so-called forfeiture process, before legalization, on two occasions, this guy walked $35,000 into the DA’s office, handed it off to somebody, and never even got a receipt… Oversight, what the fuck was that? There is no defensible argument that holds an ounce of credibility for what they did to Ms. Cubbinson and Ms. Kennedy. The point is, the party was a sham dressed up like an educational gig. And if legit, why were the spouses there? This county will likely lose millions due to an inside baseball hustle for a $2500.00 booze and food tab at the Broiler Steakhouse. Ask around.

Norm Thurston (retired Auditor’s Office senior staffer): Also, the county has written policy on when meals are reimbursable, and when they are not. It has historically been the Auditor-Controller’s duty to refuse payment on reimbursements that fall outside the policy, and that is what Cubbison did.

Anon (Ukiah): That’s why [Judge] Faulder called DA Dave out on his policy concerning mj growers. I believe Faulder at one point called it a form of extortion. I agree with your [Thurston’s] post, you’re right on the money.

Hollister: No argument from me. My primary point is if the money spent on the party-education gig was asset forfeiture money, then that fact needed to be part of the conversation from the beginning. It is also important to recognize that to a greater or lesser extent it is common to see government money spent for a stated purpose, while the primary or lesser purpose is to entertain. In the private world, company annual meetings are held in vacation venues, where a family vacation can be written off as a business expense. It’s a good way to make sure people show up. Expense accounts are another opportunity to abusively spend other people’s money. I am sure I could go on.

Thurston: Once asset forfeiture funds are received from the state or federal government, they become county funds. The Auditor-Controller’s Office reviews all claims against county funds, to determine if they are appropriate and in conformance with adopted county policy. To that extent, yes the Auditor-Controller has control over asset forfeiture funds. The county may add controls not provided for by the state or federal program, so long as it is not contrary to the state or federal rules. The A-C may also withhold payment, pending appropriate budgetary approvals. If one does not like the rules, one should put their efforts into changing the rules.

Adam Gaska: The Auditor-Controller has the responsibility to track all expenses and to make sure that they are used correctly.

The state has very strict guidelines on how asset forfeiture money can be spent. All agencies under the law enforcement umbrella can spend the money but must follow the guidelines. The guidelines are such to avoid incentivizing law enforcement agencies from seizing property to support their own budgets. Taking it even beyond supporting your own budget and using it for personal ingratiation is taking it to another level of abuse.

Norm Thurston: There are also guidelines to prevent counties from supplanting general fund contributions to law enforcement with asset forfeiture funds.

Mark Scaramella: Remember, years ago, before the ever-careful Cubbison started asking questions about Eyster’s travel, conference and “training” reimbursement requests, Cubbison asked for a legal ruling about whether asset forfeiture spending was subject to the same rules as tax money. The outside attorney (who happened to be from the same outside attorney office as the outside attorney (mis)handling the Cubbison case for the County) said, basically, Yes. Eyster didn’t like that answer, so he got a special dispensation from his friend, then-CEO Carmel Angelo, declaring his asset forfeiture expenses exempt from needing Auditor approval. Cubbison, as an independent elected official, disagreed and asked Eyster to justify his expenses before she would approve them. That’s when Eyster went into blast mode and voiced his strenuous objection to Cubbison being appointed Acting Auditor-Controller at that now famous Board of Supervisors meeting in the fall of 2021. Cubbison stood her ground. The next thing we knew Cubbison was elected by the public to be Auditor-Controller/Treasurer Tax Collector to the chagrin of Eyster and the Supervisors. She was then wrongfully charged with misappropriation for allegedly approving an obscure time card code for the County’s payroll manager based on a bogus investigation. And the Board, colluding with Eyster as it was later demonstrated via incriminating emails, intentionally citing the wrong government code section on the recommendation of their outside attorney, immediately suspended Cubbison without pay without even offering her a chance to respond prior to the suspension. Almost two years later Judge Moorman laughed the misappropriation charge out of court saying that County officials knew about the pay code all along and did nothing about it. To this day Eyster, the CEO, and the colluding Supervisors have evaded criticism over their roles in the sordid affair. And Cubbison is still trying to recover her losses and her reputation while steadfastly trying to do the job she was elected to do in a County administration that refuses to do the right thing because they don’t like having their high-handed actions questioned or opposed. So they are stonewalling and dragging out any reasonable settlement for as long as possible with transparent diversionary and costly legal maneuvers. (A change of venue motion for a judge trial? Come on!) It is truly shameful. In a rational County, everyone involved would be recalled or fired, not just Eyster. But this is Mendocino County where accountability stops at the top and incompetence, self-protection and malfeasance are rewarded.

A READER WRITES: Let’s UNPACK. Programs exist in name only. Not seeing a lot of if ANY results. Oodles of cash dumped on an eternal flame of BS and lies to keep the higher ups well fed while the low lifes below wobble and fall. Never you mind, the divide is wider and wider. We are comfortable and will not rock our gravy train from its tracks. Many upper staff ripe for or very close to retirement. Sitting on 900 hours of sick time to be rolled out to add months to the retirement service date. Managers so busy micro managing they do nothing else. Short staffed, behind, management will not or are not equipped to lead or pick up when they need to. They will defend non action. We are managers, we manage, we don’t actually work, we talk about how to work. We will cook you some B Bar S hotdogs! Now that’s work. The cover albeit shiny is far from what the interior reality is. BOS can’t see through the haze to see the deception poured on them. Circle talk, fraud, scams, abuse of power. What’s not to love about our Mendocino County CEO, COO, CFO, BOS, MCSO? They are great examples of exactly what’s wrong in the world today. Cripe!

JUST IN…

A strike involving thousands of Safeway employees across the Bay Area on Saturday was averted after their union representatives agreed to extend the deadline to allow negotiations for a new labor contract to continue past midnight Friday.

The strike, however, could still happen if no progress is made in negotiations, the union said early Saturday morning.

KEN FOSTER: This is a rare photo of Jimmy Shelton (My Grandfather) He ran The Eden Valley Ranch from ‘35-‘45, along with my Grandmother (Delight Corbett Shelton ) … The Colt in the photo is a half brother to Sea Biscuit …

ART ON THE LAWN

This Saturday, July 26th, 11-5 Is Art on the Lawn at the Mendocino Art Center. Meet and support local artists and craftspeople, as well as listen to local musician Angie Heinmann from the Blushin Roulettes and try some delicious food from Primo's Food Truck. While you are at the Art Center, check out the exhibit curated by Art Explorers, a wonderful studio and program in Fort Bragg.

LATE REMINDER: Saturday, July 26th, is a celebration/memorial for Johnny Pinches. Johnny Pinches Memorial On July 26th. Please join the family and friends of John Pinches for a memorial celebrating his life and many accomplishments. John’s memorial will be held on Saturday, July 26 at the Laytonville Rodeo Grounds. Gates open at 1 p.m., memorial gets underway around 2 p.m. Please bring a potluck dish, photos, stories and memories of John to share. The Laytonville Rodeo Association will host a 21+ older bar, so if you plan to raise a glass of brew for John, bring some bucks to toss to the Rodeo, something John started. For more information, please call June at (707) 272-1260. John’s family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support-we hope to see you there! Vaya con Dios,

(Jim Shields)

RON PARKER, Mendocino County Way Back When:

Pasero Hotel also called the Toscano Hotel and Saloon, Pardini Hotel also called the Italia Hotel, Ashlie Áineslie Hotel, Joe Ainslie owner. This was known as Dago Town. August 1906 Navarro - Wendling Mendocino County.

CATCH OF THE DAY, Friday, July 25, 2025

CLAYTON BROWN, 45, Willits. Resisting.

STEVEN DAVIS, 31, Ukiah. Controlled substance, disobeying court order.

MATTHEW FAUST, 50, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol&drugs. (Frequent flyer.)

KATRINA FOWLES, 33, Ukiah. Failure to appear, probation revocation.

ROGER GORRIN JR., 47, Lakeport/Ukiah. Parole violation, resisting.

ERIC HAYDEN, 37, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

DANIEL HEATH, 44, Ukiah. Disobeying court order.

JARED KIDD, 33, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol&drugs, probation violation, resisting. (Frequent flyer.)

COURTNEY LUSCKO-HAMILTON, 41, Ukiah. Controlled substance, paraphernalia, probation revocation.

JASON LUSK, 42, San Jose/Ukiah. Failure to appear.

JORGE MARTINEZ, 29, Ukiah. County parole violation.

TIMOTHY MCCOSKER, 56, Ukiah. Petty theft with two or more priors.

RODOLFO PEREZ, 38, Ukiah. DUI.

CHERRI ROBERTS, 48, Ukiah. Failure to appear. (Frequent flyer.)

LEE RUPERT, 49, Fort Bragg. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

ALLOWING CHILDREN TO GO HUNGRY

Editor:

The most terrible thing that Donald Trump and the Republicans have done is to cut out the SNAP food program for kids. Perhaps the parents of kids using the program are going through hard times, or the state refused to allow the woman to have an abortion, or the parents originally made some bad choices, but that doesn’t mean the kid, who had no choice in the matter, should suffer. And if we don’t keep those kids well fed, then they will not develop physically and mentally, and it’s the equivalent of torturing those kids.

Then, look at the long-term economics and you realize that we will pay for it later in lost productivity or additional medical costs. By purposefully cutting out the SNAP program, the Trump administration has shown themselves to be just plain evil, and if you are going along with this and saying “not my problem,” then you have shown yourself to be evil as well, since you are refusing to counteract evil. Part of the solution is to at least contribute to the Sonoma County food bank.

Carl Merner

Holualoa, Hawaii

AMENDING THE PLEDGE FOR THE MAGA ERA

Editor:

The last change to the Pledge of Allegiance was made on Flag Day in 1954 when President Dwight Eisenhower oversaw the addition of the words “under God.” Now it appears it’s time to make an addendum after the final phrase, “with liberty and justice for all,” by adding “unless you are unhoused, poor, Hispanic, transgender or …”

Doug Yule

Sebastopol

TRUMP’S FORAY INTO NAMING SPORTS TEAMS

Editor:

While floods ravage the country and two wars he swore he could immediately end rage on, the president turned his attention to the burning issue of our time. No, not the Epstein files. Rather the former mascot name of Washington team football, or WTF for short. The commander-in-chief doesn’t want the current team to share his title, though he’s clear that “chief” is OK.

I propose that we simply refer to Washington Team Football using the shorthand question that so many Americans utter when they learn of Trump’s latest absurd pronouncement: WTF? Sure hope the WTFs make the Super Bowl this year.

Elliot Lee Daum

Santa Rosa

GAZA’S HAUNTING DEATH TOLL KEEPS GROWING

Editor:

I was sickened to see the smiles, hugs and warm welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was given by President Donald Trump and House Mike Johnson. Netanyahu doesn’t have an ounce of compassion or morality. Through his policies, he has brutalized the Palestinian population.

As of July 3, 59,600 have been killed. Families have been torn apart. He has starved them of food and water, and malnutrition is rampant. As a parent, I can only imagine the heartbreak when your child cries with hunger and you have nothing to give. The images of stricken faces experiencing devastating losses, as they carry bodies in white wrapping and lay them to rest, haunts me.

The courage Palestinians have shown in the face of intense grief and surrounded by total destruction of their home has been astounding. They are begging for help, and despite many nations speaking out against the atrocities, the horror continues.

It seems we are numbed to the daily tally of deaths, and the struggle is no longer front-page news. Defeating Hamas is an unattainable goal.

Joan McAuliffe, Santa Rosa

Los Angeles area (1934) by Alexander Wiederseder

MEMO OF THE AIR: Good Night Radio all night tonight on KNYO and KAKX!

Soft deadline to email your writing for tonight's (Friday night's) MOTA show is 5pm or 6. If that's too soon, send it any time after that and I'll read it next Friday.

Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio is every Friday, 9pm to 5am PST on 107.7fm KNYO-LP Fort Bragg and KNYO.org. The first three hours of the show, meaning till midnight, are simulcast on KAKX 89.3fm Mendocino.

Plus you can always go to https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com and hear last week's MOTA show. By Saturday night I'll put up the recording of tonight's show. You'll find plenty of other educational amusements there to educate and amuse yourself with until showtime, or any time, such as:

Ruben Bolling's Tom the Dancing Bug - MAGA goggles. https://www.gocomics.com/tomthedancingbug/2025/07/25

Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (live at Earls Court, London, 1994). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oK1Jco6JFM

And what are your beliefs about the nature of reality? (via ThingsMagazine) https://buster.substack.com/p/what-are-your-beliefs-about-the-nature

Marco McClean, [email protected], https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

FOG

by Carl Sandburg (1916)

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

PITCHING-THIN GIANTS see Mets pounce on Logan Webb in series opener

by Susan Slusser

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, right, runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, July 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A San Francisco Giants rotation already reduced to three members after Hayden Birdsong’s demotion and Landen Roupp’s elbow inflammation can ill afford to have staff ace Logan Webb at less than his best.

Webb, an All-Star this year and last, is in a funk. Friday, he turned in his third poor start in a row in the Giants’ 8-1 loss to the Mets, giving up six runs and lasting only four innings.

San Francisco has dropped seven of the past nine games to fall a game out of a playoff spot.

Webb has allowed 16 runs over his past three outings, in just 15 ⅓ innings, the worst three-game stretch of his career. Teams have recorded 25 hits in that span.

“Just a tough stretch for him right now,” manager Bob Melvin said.

It’s unclear what, exactly, is going on. Webb isn’t walking an inordinate number of hitters, just three total over those three starts. His velocity isn’t down. He’s just hittable, and it’s not just one pitch, it’s really all his pitches. The Mets recorded hits on the four-seam fastball (including Francisco Lindor’s homer in the third), on the sinker, the changeup, the sweeper.

Webb’s sinker was better Friday, though, than it had been the previous two starts, when it was hit at a .471 clip. The sweeper has been less effective for some time — entering Friday, opponents were batting .366 on the sweeper going back nine starts.

Could Webb be tipping pitches somehow? Is he too predictable? Is he in the zone too much?

“If I knew, I’d have fixed it,” Webb said when asked what’s going on. “Yeah, it’s just not good.”

One AL scout on hand said Webb was leaving too much up in the middle of the zone. An NL scout said, “He looked tired. I’ve never seen him miss as much as this, and in the center (of the zone). All those strikeouts (Webb is tied fourth most in the majors) are taxing.”

All starters go through a dip at some point in the season — Webb had a similar one at the same time last year, also giving up 25 hits in that three-game stretch — and he leads the majors in innings pitched. He also led the NL in innings last year and led the majors in innings in 2023.

Perhaps the workload is affecting him somehow, but the Giants don’t have the luxury of giving their top starter much of a breather right now, especially with Sunday already appearing to be a bullpen game and an addition from Triple-A Sacramento expected for Monday’s game. Webb, who prides himself on being a workhorse, said he’s sound physically.

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s what I get paid to do. So it’s got to be better.”

The Mets stole three bases off him, an indication how out of sorts Webb is, because he’s been among the best in the league at handling baserunners this year. Melvin suspected it was a timing issue, Webb thought perhaps first-base coach Antoan Richardson, the former Giants coach, had picked up something in his delivery.

“I felt like I was doing a decent job, then the one time I felt like I maybe didn’t do something, they were gone,” Webb said of the steals. “It might have been something I’m doing when I go into my stretch — Antoan is a good first-base coach. I’ve just got to fix it.”

The Mets jumped right out of the gate with two runs in the first, a Juan Soto groundout scoring one, a Pete Alonso sacrifice fly the other. Lindor added his solo homer in the third, but it was the fourth inning, and the bottom of the order, that really stung Webb, tacking three more runs onto his total.

The Giants’ offense, humming the last two games in Atlanta, retreated Friday after a quick run in the first — Heliot Ramos led off with a single, went to third on Rafael Devers’ double and scored on a groundout by Willy Adames. From the third through sixth, the team stranded four in scoring position.

One unit, the bullpen, looked mostly solid: Tristan Beck chipped in two scoreless innings and Matt Gage and Spencer Bivens one each before Camilo Doval allowed two in the ninth.

(sfchronicle.com)

HUFFMAN REINTRODUCES SHIP ACT TO PROTECT SMALL CANNABIS FARMERS

On Friday, Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) re-introduced legislation that would enshrine the right for small cannabis producers to ship and sell their products directly to consumers. This bill, the Small and Homestead Independent Producers (SHIP) Act, would enable small farmers and producers to operate their businesses within and across state lines. The legislation is specifically targeted to support the smallest family farmers and help them sustain their businesses under a larger federal legalization law.

“Larger, commercialized cannabis operators are infiltrating the market and squeezing out our local farmers in the process,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “So when the antiquated federal prohibition on cannabis finally gets repealed, we need to have substantial legislation ready to help these small businesses survive. My legislation would ensure that folks can ship their products straight to consumers, which would both help expand small businesses and ensure farmers stay afloat. When full legalization is guaranteed, we must commit to not leaving our smallest family-farmers behind.”

“Nearly 15 years into the experiment of state-level cannabis legalization, the cracks in the system are clear: small and craft producers are being pushed to the margins, safe access for consumers and patients is shrinking, and the industry is consolidating into the hands of a few,” said Ross Gordon, Co-Founder at National Craft Cannabis Coalition and Policy Analyst at Origins Council. “Without direct-to-consumer shipping, federal cannabis legalization risks reinforcing these failures instead of correcting them. The SHIP Act is a make-or-break policy for the future of small cannabis businesses in California and across the country.”

“Our state’s DTC framework helps support nearly 1,700 cultivators in a state of 1.2 million people,” said Mark Barnett, Co-Founder at National Craft Cannabis Coalition and Policy Director at Maine Craft Cannabis Association. “Without these opportunities, quality in the legal market will suffer, and consumers will look elsewhere. The SHIP Act would guarantee that small farmers have a pathway to participate in one of the country’s most promising new economic frontiers.”

“The regulation of cannabis has, unfortunately, not equated to adequate access,” said Frederika McClary Easley, President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA). “Many patients and consumers navigate plant deserts that have been created due to municipal opt-outs and zoning restrictions. The SHIP Act will help to address this while prioritizing access for small craft producers, which in turn positively impacts their success and sustainability. MCBA is proud to support this piece of federal legislation that recognizes the importance of craft growing and small businesses as the bedrock of this burgeoning industry.”

This bill is co-sponsored by Representative Val Hoyle.

It is endorsed by National Craft Cannabis Coalition, Minority Cannabis Business Association, National Cannabis Industry Association, Drug Policy Alliance, Parabola Center, Marijuana Justice, Veterans Cannabis Coalition, Origins Council, Washington Sun & Craft Growers Association, Vermont Growers Association, Maine Craft Cannabis Association, Humboldt County Growers Alliance, Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, Trinity County Agricultural Alliance, and the Central California Cannabis Club.

COMMENT RE HUFF'S PUFF: Too little and a few years too late. A feckless bill from an incompetent and pandering congressman that should have been introduced a few years ago before everyone went bankrupt and moved away.

SALMON GROUPS RESPOND TO STATE WATER BOARD UPDATES TO BAY-DELTA PLAN WITH DEEP ALARM

by Dan Bacher

Sacramento — The State Water Resources Control Board has just released its controversial proposed updates to the Sacramento Delta portions of the Bay-Delta Plan: mavensnotebook.com

The proposal includes both the Big Ag-backed voluntary agreements on water, strongly opposed by Tribes, environmental groups, fishing organizations and environmental justice organizations, and a “regulatory pathway.”

Governor Gavin Newsom gushed about the release of the update proposal — and as usual, announced proposed legislation gutting the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to fast-track the implementation of the process.…

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/24/2335060/-Proposed-Water-Board-updates-to-BayDelta-Plan-should-Protect-water-quality-not-voluntary-agreements

IN DEEP BLUE CALIFORNIA, FIVE PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS SHUTTER DUE TO TRUMP LAW

by Olivia Hebert

Planned Parenthood will shutter five clinics across Northern California and the Central Coast following the loss of federal funding under a newly signed law by President Donald Trump, the organization confirmed Thursday.

The closures in South San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Gilroy and Madera are part of Planned Parenthood’s largest affiliate in the nation, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, which operates 30 clinic across California and Nevada.

The organization said cuts stem from Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4. The law bars organizations like Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds through Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, for services including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and annual wellness exams.

Federal funds have been barred from funding abortion care, except for when the life of the pregnant person is in danger or the pregnancy is the result of sexual assault or incest, since 1977.

In a statement, Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, called the bill “a backdoor abortion ban.” Hicks added that the new law would strip coverage from an estimated 17 million Americans and leave countless others without access to essential, life-saving care — especially in states like California, where federally funded clinics make up a significant part of the reproductive health care system.

Hicks emphasized that Planned Parenthood clinics in California remain open and committed to serving patients despite the funding loss.

“The stroke of Trump’s pen does not erase Planned Parenthood and what California stands for as a reproductive freedom state,” Hicks said. “… We’re not backing down and we’re not giving up, no matter what.”

The recent closure of Planned Parenthood’s Westside Health Center drew criticism from the U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, who tied the shutdown of the Santa Cruz clinic to a specific provision in the law.

“The closure of the Westside Planned Parenthood clinic is a direct result of President Donald Trump’s reconciliation law and its cuts to Medicaid,” Panetta said in a statement Friday. The law includes an immediate one-year ban on Medicaid funding for providers that offer abortions and received over $800,000 in federal funds in 2023. The rest of the Medicaid cuts are scheduled to take effect in 2027.

“That provision clearly is designed to hit Planned Parenthood networks like Mar Monte, which meet those thresholds and serve numerous patients across California,” he said.

Panetta noted that a federal court ruling earlier this week allowed key parts of the law to move forward after a temporary legal delay, resulting in immediate funding losses for clinics like the one in Santa Cruz.

“Through legislation, litigation, and coordination with state and local leaders, we will continue to fight back,” he added. “I’m proud to support the Restoring Essential Health Care Act, which would repeal this reckless provision and restore Medicaid funding for comprehensive reproductive care.”

(SFGate.com)

THIS MAN IS A U.S. CITIZEN BY BIRTH. WHY DID ICE MARK HIM FOR DEPORTATION — AGAIN?

by Ko Lyn Cheang

As Miguel Silvestre stared at the government document he’d been emailed, he couldn’t believe what he was reading. His full name was atop the “Record of Deportable/Inadmissible Alien” form from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but just about everything else on the page was false.

Silvestre, a 47-year-old construction worker, was born in Stockton, but the document listed his birthplace and country of citizenship as Mexico. At the bottom were words that Silvestre didn’t understand completely, though well enough: “Received … on June 26, 2025 at 11:31. Disposition: Expedited Removal.”

No, he thought, this could not be happening again.

“Now I have to be looking over my shoulder,” he said in a recent interview. “It’s hurtful.”

Despite being a U.S. citizen by birth, Silvestre had reason to be paranoid about his status. Remarkably, this was not the first time the government had targeted him for deportation. After Stockton police arrested him for public drunkenness in 1999, Silvestre, then 21, was deported to Nogales, Mexico — twice — under an erroneous removal order.

U.S. citizens cannot legally be deported. An immigration judge finally overturned the removal order in 2004, ruling Silvestre was indeed an American.

It remains unclear why federal authorities created the new expedited removal paperwork. Known as an I-213, it’s an internal record of people believed to be deportable created before the government initiates the deportation process.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, said Silvestre was deported in 1999, under President Bill Clinton’s administration, because he “claimed to be a Mexican citizen without any legal status to remain in the U.S.,” an assertion Silvestre denies.

“This individual has no active immigration case and is not a target of ICE,” McLaughlin said. She did not deny that the agency had created the new expedited removal paperwork. Asked if it was created by mistake and whether it had been withdrawn, she did not immediately respond.

“ICE does NOT deport U.S. citizens,” McLaughlin said. “We know who we are targeting ahead of time. If and when we do encounter individuals subject to arrest, our law enforcement are trained to ask a series of well-determined questions to determine status and removability.”

When the Chronicle told Silvestre on Thursday about DHS’ statement, he said he was relieved to learn he is not an ICE target. But he said he wanted to be certain that the removal paperwork had been or will be withdrawn.

“What they did to me was kidnapping,” he said of the 1999 deportations. “The biggest thing is they humiliated me.” He said he wants the government to tell him, “We’ve corrected it, you’re an American and we apologize.”

The latest threat of removal for Silvestre came as the Trump administration ramped up its mass deportation campaign of undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers, widening the net to include green card holders and floating the idea of shipping U.S. citizens convicted of crimes to Salvadoran prisons.

But Silvestre’s saga — propelled by government failures and complicated by his own struggles with the law — spans across administrations, exemplifying what experts say are due process violations in a deportation system that can ensnare vulnerable people with little understanding of what’s happening to them.

Although the immigration detention and deportation of U.S. citizens is illegal, it does happen, according to research, media reports, first person accounts and the U.S. government’s federal watchdog agency.

The Government Accountability Office said in a 2021 report that ICE safeguards against wrongfully deporting U.S. citizens are “inconsistent,” resulting in the agency not knowing the extent to which its officers are arresting, detaining or deporting such people. Moreover, deportation can create a permanent stain, given that a person who is removed can be barred from entering the U.S. again for 10 years.

A 2011 study by Jacqueline Stevens, director of Northwestern University’s Deportation Research Clinic, estimated that 1% of people in ICE detention and 0.05% of those deported are U.S. citizens. ICE’s own data, which Stevens said is probably an undercount, indicates the agency arrested 674 U.S. citizens from mid-2014 to mid-2020, removing 70.

Most of the wrongfully deported weren’t born in the U.S. but obtained citizenship through citizen parents — either at birth or because children under 18 generally become citizens when a parent naturalizes. Many don’t have passports. Proving their citizenship in immigration court can involve tracking down their parents’ or even grandparents’ birth certificates. The deportation of American-born citizens like Silvestre is more uncommon.

“At best, the case is one of gross incompetence,” said Kevin Johnson, a UC Davis immigration law expert. “The U.S. authorities were not careful with Silvestre’s case and still are not being careful.”

Catherine Seitz, legal director of the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, said she’d heard of cases in which the government deemed birth certificates fraudulent because their holders were delivered by midwives. But to learn of a case with a hospital birth surprised her.

It is concerning that the DHS created new removal paperwork, Seitz said: “You would think they’d check with the court records. They should be able to see the termination. It could be an indication that they’re going too fast and they’re not doing their due diligence.”

It was Northwestern’s Stevens who unearthed the latest removal paperwork. In 2021, Silvestre had contacted her for help. She filed Freedom of Information Act requests with three Homeland Security agencies on his behalf.

Last month, on June 30, she was checking her inbox when she found that Customs and Border Protection had finally responded to her inquiry. The records, shared with the Chronicle, reveal that immigration officials created the new paperwork for Silvestre’s expedited removal, or deportation without a hearing, effective June 26.

Stevens called Silvestre immediately, unsure whether he’d already been picked up. On July 4, he returned her call, and that’s when she emailed him the deportation record.

“If U.S. citizens, who under the U.S. Constitution have full due process protections, are being detained and deported, that tells us an awful lot about the treatment of other people,” Stevens said, referring to immigrants seeking legal status. Silvestre’s case, she said, is like a “900-pound gorilla in a coal mine.”

A minor arrest goes wrong

Silvestre was born on Feb. 16, 1978, at Dameron Hospital in Stockton. His parents, Ernestina and Raul, were working-class immigrants from Mexico. Raul, also a construction worker, was a U.S. citizen through his own father.

By his own admission, Silvestre ran afoul of the law.

Coming of age on Stockton’s south side during a time of rampant gang violence, Silvestre said he grew up too fast. The baby of the family, he followed his two older brothers to car shows and hung out with the wrong crowd. He started drinking and smoking marijuana at around 11, tried methamphetamine soon after and was expelled from Franklin High School in 12th grade. He recalled his brothers warning him, “You’re not going to live to see 21.”

At 18, with his father’s help, he joined the local laborers union and started working. But before long he got into trouble, drawing a 1998 conviction for possessing meth and carrying a concealed gun without a permit. He was released on probation.

On Super Bowl Sunday in 1999, Silvestre’s dad kicked him out and told him he needed to get his life together. He sent the 21-year-old man to stay with his mother — the couple had separated — but on his way, Silvestre recalled, he ran into friends who invited him drinking. By the time he showed up at his mom’s house, it was late, he was intoxicated and his family wasn’t having it. His mom called the cops, telling him, “Don’t run.”

Police officers took him to San Joaquin County jail, where he was stripped to his boxers and sent to the drunk tank. (He was not charged.) As he was trying to sober up, he said, three men in green uniforms came in and started questioning him in Spanish.

“De donde eres?” they asked. Where are you from? He said he replied in English that he was from Stockton.

“They’re like, ‘That’s not what our paperwork says.’”

The men loaded him onto a bus and drove to what Silvestre recognized as the Port of Stockton, the shipping hub on an eastern finger of the delta. Silvestre assumed he was being transferred to prison for violating the terms of his probation. He didn’t know it at the time, but the men in green were from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the agency known as INS that handled immigration before being split into three departments in 2003, including ICE.

In a holding cell, he was surrounded by people speaking many languages. A man handed him a Bible and asked whether he was scared. “We’re being deported,” he told Silvestre, who didn’t know what the word meant.

“I ain’t scared of nothing,” he recalled saying. He was hotheaded. He’d always been scared of God, but not prison.

Hours later, for reasons neither the Chronicle nor Silvestre nor Stevens could determine, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office released Silvestre to Border Patrol, which placed him in deportation proceedings, INS records show.

“The subject was interviewed at the San Joaquin County Jail after his arrest for DUI,” a Border Patrol agent wrote in a document dated Feb. 1, 1999. “The subject said that he was a citizen of Mexico without immigration documents to enter or remain in the United States. He also said that he entered the United States at a place other than a port of entry to avoid immigration inspection.”

Stevens called the record a “fiction” contradicted by Silvestre’s U.S. birth certificate.

In a warrant for Silvestre’s arrest, a Border Patrol agent claimed he was a Mexican national who entered the U.S. illegally near Nogales, Ariz., two weeks earlier — even though a litany of public records showed him to reside in California.

Silvestre remembered a terrible journey south. After he and other men were loaded onto a bus, his stomach started hurting. He needed to use the bathroom badly but couldn’t. As the sun rose, they arrived somewhere in Los Angeles.

Shackled, he and the others were ordered onto a plane and flown to Arizona, where Silvestre was placed in a two-man cell with seven other men. His stomach still hurt. He recalled telling a guard he desperately needed to use the bathroom. His hands were in zip ties, so he had no choice but to defecate in his pants.

When a guard returned to his cell and opened the food tray slot, Silvestre spat at him, he said. Soon, he heard the slot open again and felt something hit him in the eye that burned like mace. The door opened and he felt two to three men grabbing him. He was sprayed again, he said, burning his genitals. He felt like he was going to pass out.

Silvestre’s next memory is of being at a court hearing, though he remembers little of what happened. According to records, he told the judge he was a U.S. citizen, but the judge deferred to INS. The judge ordered him deported on Feb. 5, 1999.

He was bused to the Arizona-Mexico border, where he was instructed to get out and continue on foot. He said he walked into Nogales, Sonora, hungry, thirsty and cold.

Using the phone at a church, he called his parents and told them he was in Mexico. They were incredulous. His mom asked whether he was really out partying with his friends.

“I’m not lying to you,” he recalled saying.

His father drove to Mexico armed with his son’s birth certificate. Rescuing him took two tries: During the first attempt, Silvestre was stopped at the border, detained and swiftly deported. When he tried again, he showed his birth certificate and an officer admitted him.

Detained again

Silvestre found that the ordeal did not end with his return.

Often, he said, he woke up terrified in the middle of the night, not knowing where he was. He felt nobody believed his account of what had happened. He was left with almost no proof except for a flimsy wristband that immigration officers put on him in detention. He began to feel suicidal and used drugs heavily.

As years passed, he kept working, but also partying and getting into trouble. In 2004, his mother told him he needed to change his life. He decided to move to Arizona, where he found a job packing vegetables.

One weekend that year, believing he was safe because five years had passed, he joined a friend from work on a weekend trip to Mexico, where they had pizza and beers. Upon trying to reenter the U.S. with his birth certificate and California ID, he was once again detained and held in Yuma, Ariz.

“Silvestre is a citizen and national of Mexico and of no other country,” ICE records from the time state. “He does not have nor has he ever had documents with which to enter, live, work or stay in the United States.” ICE moved to deport him, alleging he was falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.

ICE made the claim even though, two years earlier, the agency had run Silvestre’s fingerprints after an arrest and correctly determined that Silvestre was who he said he was, records show.

From detention in Yuma, Silvestre called his mother, who rushed to free him. She handwrote and notarized an affidavit in Spanish, stating, “I am sending the evidence proving that my son Miguel Silvestre was born in the United States, in the city of Stockton, California.”

Silvestre spent two weeks in detention before an immigration judge ruled on March 24, 2004, that he was indeed a U.S. citizen — and ordered him released. Homeland Security terminated deportation proceedings the same day.

Back in California, Silvestre returned to more familiar problems. Later in 2004, he was convicted of carjacking with a gun and went to prison for three months. He bounced in and out of jail, as well as addiction treatment. Last year, his older brother accused him of threatening him, resulting in criminal charges. Silvestre maintains he’s innocent.

“The truth is, it doesn’t matter if this guy was a mass murderer,” said Johnson, the UC Davis law professor. “He could go to prison and be punished but you couldn’t deport him, as long as he’s a citizen.”

Though there is no evidence, Johnson said it’s likely that racial and class profiling played a role in Silvestre’s deportation. “It’s hard to imagine,” he said, “the same kind of mix-up with a John Smith who goes to Pacific University.”

In 2021, the Government Accountability Office reported that ICE policy did not require officers to update the citizenship field in their data systems after identifying evidence that a person could be a U.S. citizen. In Silvestre’s case, the original 1999 mistake that seeded his long predicament was apparently unremedied in immigration records.

In 2015, Silvestre said, he sobered up and devoted himself to God. But his mother’s death in 2023 plunged him into grief that he hasn’t recovered from.

When he learned about the latest deportation paperwork, he said he felt suicidal. He got into his car and started driving recklessly, hoping police would pull him over. But then he sensed his mom was watching over him. “Calm down, go back to your room, and go to sleep,” he heard her say. So he did.

For 21 years, Silvestre hasn’t left the country, fearful of being barred again. A drawstring bag that he carries everywhere contains his birth certificate, along with the immigration judge’s order affirming his citizenship.

(SF Chronicle)

CBS: CAVING. BOWING. SCRAPING.

by Maureen Dowd

We haven’t heard this much talk about the presidential anatomy since the other guy in the Epstein files was in the Oval.

President Trump, a master at minimizing others, is now being literally minimized on “South Park” by the crass and fearless creators of the cartoon.

I could have told Trump that it’s best not to provoke brilliant satirists. I learned that lesson the hard way 20 years ago.

When I wrote “Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk,” about the tangled father and son saga that led to the invasion of Iraq, I wanted Pat Oliphant, a lacerating political cartoonist, to do the book’s cover.

I wheedled until that acerbic Aussie finally agreed. When the drawing came back, it was dazzling: a tiny, jangly-eyed George W. Bush under a big cowboy hat, his hands braced at the guns on his holster. He was walking down the driveway of an overgrown haunted version of the White House with a gargoyle hanging from the trees.

Oliphant had given the president the body of a bug. Even though the book was harshly critical of W. and his scheming advisers, I was worried that the sketch might be a bit too disrespectful to the president.

The cartoonist was a firm believer in “stirring up the beast,” as he called it, taking a torch to the lies and hypocrisy of the powerful. So, naturally, he was contemptuous when I suggested that we make W. less buglike. But, faced with more wheedling, he reluctantly agreed to take another crack at it.

I waited nervously. When the new illustration came in, W. no longer looked like a bug. Pat had made the president look more like a monkey. And he was even smaller.

It was a valuable lesson. Don’t mess with satirists. They’ll always have the last say, and it will be blistering.

Even though jesters had more leeway in ancient courts to speak truth to monarchs, rulers could order up an ax or a noose if the truth cut too close to the bone.

As the Fool says to Lear, “I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are: They’ll have me whipped for speaking true, thou’lt have me whipped for lying; and sometimes I am whipped for holding my peace.”

Drew Lichtenberg, the dramaturg at Washington’s Shakespeare Theater Company, told me: “Queen Elizabeth passed a series of ‘Vagabond Acts’ making it illegal to be a traveling player, unless you had an aristocratic patron. Freelance actors were regarded as homeless people unless they wore the livery of a lord. It was the 16th-century version of yanking Stephen Colbert off the air, censoring the broadcast of views that the ruler didn’t want performed without their say-so.”

Last week, Colbert scorched Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for caving to Trump with a $16 million settlement over his “60 Minutes” lawsuit, hoping to get the Federal Communications Commission to favor its merger with Skydance.

“I believe this kind of complicated financial settlement with a sitting government official has a technical name in legal circles,” the comedian said. “It’s big, fat bribe.”

A few days later, news broke that CBS, which has cratered from the Tiffany network to the Trump-fealty network, had canceled the top-rated broadcast show for financial reasons. But who can believe that’s the whole story? If it were just about money, there were a lot of better ways to handle Colbert, a big talent and valuable brand. CBS could have cut costs, or it could have transitioned him over the next five years into some combination of streaming or podcasting within the Paramount family.

Announcing that he was being dumped right after he criticized CBS reeked of censorship. Certainly, King Trump celebrated, crowing on Truth Social: “I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired.” He even added: “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.” The F.C.C. chairman, Brendan Carr, said that “The View” — airing on ABC, which also caved to Trump, paying a whopping $15 million for George Stephanopoulos’s misspeaking — might be in the administration’s cross hairs.

“Once President Trump has exposed these media gatekeepers and smashed this facade, there’s a lot of consequences,” Carr said, ominously.

CBS is, as Colbert said, “morally bankrupt.” It’s sickening to see media outlets, universities, law firms and tech companies bending the knee. (Hang tough, Rupert!)

Satirists are left to hold people accountable, and they are more than ready. Colbert’s fellow humorists jumped in to back him up, most brazenly the “South Park” creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, fresh off a Paramount deal worth over $1.25 billion. (“South Park,” popular with conservatives, does not defend liberals; it loves jeering at both sides and woke overreach.)

Its 27th season premiere — “Sermon on the ’Mount,” as in Paramount — featured Trump with a “teeny-tiny” you-know-what. It depicted the president cuddling with Satan and romancing a sheep. It ripped the Paramount deal, the CBS settlement, the Colbert firing, Trump’s “power to sue and take bribes” and the president’s manic attempt to divert attention from ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as the pedophile’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, no doubt angles for a pardon by spilling some information.

It also showed a deepfake of Trump, rotund and naked, walking in the desert, Christ-like, “for America.” As Puck’s Matthew Belloni said, “The A.I. deepfake Trump was particularly brilliant, given that the same day the episode aired, the president announced White House A.I. policy positions favoring lackluster protections against exactly this kind of dangerous technology.”

The White House sniffed that “no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”

At Comic-Con on Thursday, the “South Park” creators were deadpan about their rebellious reaction to Trump’s attempt to stifle critics and wreak revenge.

“We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said, making it clear they were anything but.

The tiger picnics last.

(nytimes.com)

SOUTHAMPTON DOCK

by Roger Waters (1983)

They disembarked in '45
And no one spoke and no one smiled
There were too many spaces in the line

And gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial knives

But now…

She stands upon
Southampton Dock
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock
Clings to her wet body in the rain

In quiet desperation
Knuckles white upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys goodbye again

And still the dark stain spreads between
Their shoulder blades
A mute reminder
Of the poppy fields and graves

And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made
But in the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut

“CREATE A PLACE for people to live like human beings, instead of slaves to some bullshit concept of Progress that is driving us all mad.”

– Hunter S. Thompson

LEAD STORIES, SATURDAY'S NYT

No Proof Hamas Routinely Stole U.N. Aid, Israeli Military Officials Say

How Seeking Food Has Become Deadly in Gaza

Competing Conspiracy Theories Consume Trump’s Washington

A Clash Over a Promotion Puts Hegseth at Odds With His Generals

Trump’s Trip to Scotland Echoes an Earlier Visit, When He Applauded Brexit

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

Seven in 10 Scots have a negative opinion of Trump. For various reasons, many from before he even became POTUS. His shenanigans around getting his golf course built (they even made a movie about it in 2011!) and big broken promises to get it built certainly didn’t help. Oh, and his landing in Scotland right after Brexit and congratulating the Scots on getting “their country back” when Scotland had voted overwhelmingly to remain. Though that last one lead to some of the greatest Scottish disses ever, “ludicrous tangerine ballbag” is still my personal favorite.

WHAT IS A PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN’S LIFE WORTH?

by Jeffrey St. Clair

Shireen Abu-Akleh, Amer Rabee, Saif Musallet

His family and friends called him Saif. He was affable and gregarious. He was kind and generous. He was handsome and athletic. He helped run the family’s ice cream parlor in Tampa. He liked cars, hip-hop, soccer and the beach. He was an American kid with Palestinian roots.

A few weeks before his 21st birthday he traveled to the West Bank to visit relatives. His family owns land in al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, a Palestinian village northeast of Ramallah. In his last phone call with his father, Saif was upbeat, glad to be exploring his familial roots. He said that he felt he was finally ready to get married and hoped he might fall in love with a woman in Palestine.

But Saif would would not find a beautiful Palestinian girl to marry. He’d never return to Tampa, to his friends, to his siblings or to his parents. Said would not turn that magical age of 21.

Sayfollah Musallet would die only a week after coming to Palestine. He would die shortly after attending Friday prayers in the ancient town of Sinjil.

But die is not the right word.

Saif was killed. Killed isn’t precise either.

Saif was murdered. Murdered by a mob. He was clubbed in the head repeatedly and left to die. The ambulance that might have saved him was blocked. The mob that killed Saif had smashed the windshield and kept it from moving for at least two hours. When his brother reached Saif’s crumpled body, he was bloody and unconscious, but still breathing. By the time paramedics were finally allowed through, his face was blue and he had no pulse.

Saif wasn’t the only body on the ground, while the ambulance was waylaid.

Mohammed Rizq Hussein al-Shalabi, a 23-year-old Palestinian, was down, having been shot in the chest by the same mob that attacked Saif. Mohammed also died that day, left to bleed out as paramedics were kept from treating him. When his body was found hours later, he had bruising on his neck and face, suggesting that he’d been beaten either before or after being shot.

Saif’s body also showed signs of other forms of abuse. According to his cousin, Diana Halum, who examined his body after it was retrieved: “His body showed signs of strangulation, a large bruise on his back that looked like it came from a rock, and dirt was found in his mouth.”

There is no mystery about who attacked Saif and Mohammed or who kept life-saving medical care from reaching them. In fact, the killers were still on the scene when Israeli security forces arrived, both police and military.

Yet no action was taken against them. They weren’t arrested, detained or interrogated.The Israeli forces didn’t even let the ambulance through. Instead, they begin firing tear gas canisters at the Palestinians, trying to disperse them from their own land and drive them away from their wounded friends. One IDF reservist fired his weapon with live rounds at the Palestinians.

The Israeli forces didn’t leave empty-handed that day. They rarely do. At the scene of two murders, they took three people into custody: two solidarity activists and one Palestinian, who had themselves been beaten by the Israeli mob. The activists were released the next day and promptly banned from reentering the West Bank for at least two weeks. It’s apparently a crime to witness crimes being committed against Palestinians.

“They prevented the ambulance and allowed the settlers to do what they do anytime they want to,” said Saif’s father Kamel Musallet. “I hold the Israeli military just as responsible as the settlers and the American government for not doing anything about this. You know, why are you not telling the IDF? Why are you not preventing settler terrorism?”

The village of Sinjil has been a flashpoint, one of many across the West Bank, as the Netanyahu government has encouraged the development of illegal outposts and settlements deeper and deeper into the Occupied Territories, demolishing barns, killing livestock, poisoning wells, uprooting gardens and torching olive groves.

Last September, Israeli forces constructed a razor-wire fence and metallic wall around the village of Sinjil, cutting the town off from the local highway and the fields and pastures of Palestinian farmers. Since then, there’s been only one gate allowing passage to and from the town and it’s operated by the Israeli military. The Palestinian farmers are routinely attacked by settlers after they exit the gate and head to their fields.

This small town of 5,700 is now nearly encircled by four illegal settler outposts on Palestinian land seized by Israelis without official authorization from the government. Under Netanyahu’s regime, these outposts–illegal under both Israeli and international law–quickly become “legalized” after buildings go up and roads are plowed in. Two outposts on the edge of Sinjil, Givat Harel and Givat HaRoeh, were legalized in 2023.

A few months ago settlers began attempting to build another outpost on a bluff outside Singil, once again employing their customary methods of violence and intimidation, knowing that if they stick it out, their brutal tactics will usually be rewarded with the Israeli government legitimizing their theft of Palestinian land.

It was into this fraught and perilous scene that Saif and his friends drove toward after Friday prayers. They had gone to inspect the family’s imperiled farmland between the villages of Sinjil and al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya. But they didn’t realized they were heading right into an ambush. The killer mob armed with sticks, clubs and guns hid behind rocks and boulders, laying in wait as the Palestinians approached. The fatal consequences were all too common and predictable.

Since October 23, nearly 1000 Palestinians, including five Americans, have been killed in the West Bank in attacks much like this one, where Israeli settler mobs, troops and police congeal together in violent assaults on unarmed Palestinian civilians, who can only defend themselves with rocks or farm tools.

By 2024, the settler violence in the West Bank had grown so extreme, emboldened and gratuitous, with little evidence that Israeli security forces were doing anything to quell it and lots of evidence that they were abetting it, that the Biden administration felt compelled–if largely as public damage control–to impose sanctions on individual settlers and organizations funding the settlements, such as Amana and Hashomer Yosh. But these meager restraints were quickly junked on Trump took office and the settlers once again had the green light to commit land theft through acts of mob violence, regardless of who stood in their way.

Saif was an American murdered in a foreign country. That used to matter. Sometimes it still does. Often it means that the FBI will be dispatched to conduct an investigation. But not in this case. Not in the West Bank. Not when the killers are Israelis. Not when the victim isn’t only an American, but also a Palestinian, the decisive denominator. In these cases, the investigation, if there is one, is left to the Israelis. Israeli investigations into the killings of Palestinians rarely go anywhere–and that’s by design.

And why would the Israelis aggressively pursue holding the killers to account? The settlers are agents of the regime. Indeed, they are the leading edge, the shock forces, if you will, for the Netanyahu government’s evolving plan to annex the West Bank. These marauding gangs function more like paramilitaries than ad hoc mobs. They’ve been armed to the teeth by Netanyahu’s Kahanist National Security Minister Itamar Itamar Ben-Gvir with more than 120,000 weapons since October 7, 2023, many of them supplied by the US. Some of these armed settlers have now been deputized into police units. But they’re not there to keep law and order, but to sow chaos. The intent is to terrorize people into abandoning their fields, their villages and their homes.

Impunity is the unspoken but prime directive. The Israel human rights group Yesh Din examined 1,600 cases of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank between 2005 and 2023. They found that less than 3 percent of the cases ended in a conviction. More than 90 percent of the cases didn’t even result in charges.

As a measure of the sense of license and immunity these armed hordes enjoy, two days after Serif and Mohammad were murdered, the same gang attacked a clearly-marked CNN van that had returned to film the scene of the killings, pelting the vehicle with rocks and hammering it with clubs.

More often than not, the Israeli investigation quickly turns away from the killers and toward the victims, who are routinely smeared as the agents of their own murders. This was the case with the last American killed by Israelis in the West Back. In April, Amer Rabee a Palestinian-American from Saddle Brook, New Jersey, was shot by Israeli forces 11 times in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya. He died at the scene. Two other Palestinian-American boys were also shot and injured at the same time, but survived. The Israelis blamed the kids, calling them terrorists for allegedly throwing stones at body-armored and helmeted Israeli troops. Amer Rabee was only 14 years old. Amer and his friends were shot at 47 times while they were picking almonds.

Rabee’s killing generated no pushback from the Trump administration, as similar killings (Shireen Abu Akleh and Aysenur Ezgi Eygi) elicited no meaningful protests from the Biden administration. Palestinian lives, even Palestinian-American lives, are considered expendable, their loss scarcely even worth noticing and certainly not worth inconveniencing the relationship with one of the US’s most dutiful weapons buyers.

“Nobody does anything,” said Kamel Musallet. “It’s just another name, another number. We want justice. We want the American-Israeli and the American-Palestinian to be in the same class. These are Americans. But for some reason, the American-Palestinian is differentiated from the American-Israeli.”

(Jeffrey St. Clair is co-editor of CounterPunch. His most recent book is An Orgy of Thieves: Neoliberalism and Its Discontents (with Alexander Cockburn). He can be reached at: [email protected] or on Twitter @JeffreyStClair3.)

“My story is not a pleasant one; it is neither sweet nor harmonious, as invented stories are.

It has the taste of nonsense and chaos, of madness and dreams - like the lives of all men who stop deceiving themselves.”

Hermann Hesse’s opening line to his bildungsroman, ‘Demian: The Story of a Boyhood, 1919’

ANSWERS to the Time magazine spread of 1939 covers:

1 Adolf Hitler
2 Dorothy Thompson
3 William Faulkner
4 Grover Whalen
5 Tom Harmon
6 Nelson Rockefeller
7 Vivien Leigh
8 Wendell Wilkie
9 Francisco Franco
10 Queen Wilhemina
11 Joseph Kennedy
12 William Randolph Hearst
13 Carl Sandburg
14 Heinrich Himmler
15 Ginger Rogers
16 Arthur Vandenberg

4 Comments

Zorro July 26, 2025

7+10+7=24

Mariamerica July 26, 2025

FEELING Foggy?

FEELING foggy, bloated or heavy, stuffed nose? It could be Dampness.

Late summer is the most damp time of year—inside and out. That means your body is more prone to stagnation and toxin buildup.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dampness is one of the Six Evils—and it’s no joke. Unlike heat or wind, Dampness is heavy, sticky, and stubborn. It lingers in the body, causing bloating, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, cysts, skin issues, and more.

And right now? It’s about to be Dampness season.

Late summer is the most damp time of year—inside and out. That means your body is more prone to stagnation and toxin buildup.

James Tippett July 26, 2025

So sad to hear about Sally Teegaden. She did so much for so many in Northern Mendocino County. My condolences to Mitch.
–j

Mark Donegan July 26, 2025

Now I don’t feel too bad having a rough day losing both my phone and wallet when I come over to the AVA and see everyone else in the same boat. Dang. Uh, let’s unpack because I liked that one. Mark’s work in describing our mess is Pulitzer shit. Jim Sheilds has amazing insights. We spanked the Palestinian’s enough, time to give them a piece of that beach and make them all very rich waiters off western tourists. Lastly, Matthew and Sherri are my peoples, try to be kind but if you have to use a heavy hand, we understand.

4 Comments

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