Mendocino County Today: Friday 8/15/2025

NW Winds | Tiger & Friend | Unidentified Suspect | Grocery Cyberattack | Log Dog | Life Exit | Alexandrea Acquitted | DA Recall | GRT Milestone | Triple Conjunction | Removing People | KZYX Management | Bike Packing | Hammon Comments | Dried Leaf | Tuberose Scent | Indivisible Rally | Concert Season | Noyo 1950 | Yesterday's Catch | Smartest Teacher | Speak ICE | American Exceptionalism | Carton Art | Safe Haven | Sun Poem | Wine Shorts | Public Comment | Chalk Holder | Boo Giants | Wonderful Protest | Printer Rage | Seeking Cooperation | SSA 90 | First Day | Diabetes Fries | Vennel Steps | Miraculous Rapport | Lead Stories | Not Afghanistan | Win Mag | Raw Truths | New Administrator | Peace Negotiation | Reversible Percentage | The Hunchback | Dylan Thomas

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WARM WEATHER will continue to rapidly decline as gusty northwest winds help pull in cooler marine air Friday. Cool weather will continue this weekend with midlevel clouds and possibly even wetting rain for the northern half of the area. (NWS)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): 52F under clear (what what?) skies this Friday morning on the coast. Enjoy the clear skies today as the clouds roll back in tonight leading to a 20% chance of rain tomorrow. No really. A return to regular after that.

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THE NEED FOR TOO MUCH SPEED

A Ukiah woman was arrested early Thursday after police say she fled from officers at speeds reaching 100 mph following an alleged auto burglary in Cloverdale, according to a press release from the Cloverdale Police Department.

At about 2:12 a.m. on Aug. 14, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a car break-in outside a residence. The victim told dispatchers someone had smashed a window, stolen items from inside, and fled in a vehicle, police said.

An officer quickly spotted a car matching the description. When they attempted a traffic stop, the driver allegedly sped off, leading police on a chase that ended when the vehicle hit a curb and became disabled, according to the release.

Two people ran from the car. Officers caught one suspect — identified as 31-year-old Maria Gonzalez of Ukiah — a short distance away. The second suspect remains on the loose.

Police say a search of the vehicle uncovered a large amount of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, and the stolen property, which was returned to the victim.

Gonzalez was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, and felony evading.

Anyone with information about the case or the unidentified suspect is urged to contact Officer Rickey Rhodes at the Cloverdale Police Department at (707) 894-2150, referencing case number 25-0437.

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CYBERATTACK ON MAJOR DISTRIBUTOR LEAVES REMOTE MENDOCINO COUNTY GROCERY STORES SCRAMBLING

by Jenn Procacci

MENDOCINO CO., 8/13/25 — It all started when she couldn’t find the Oscar Meyer bologna. Next to disappear were the quarts of half-and-half, which Shelby Medina liked to purchase as an economical alternative to the 16-ounce size.

Medina, a 13-year resident of Round Valley who works as a library assistant at the Round Valley Public Library, was used to traveling out of town for lower grocery prices and better selection. But Keith’s Market IGA, which has been the only grocery store in Round Valley for decades, usually did a pretty good job of keeping its shelves stocked.

After two weeks of watching supplies dwindle at Keith’s, Medina finally spoke with store manager John Clarrey. What she found out deeply concerned her — there had been a cyber attack in June on United Natural Foods, Inc., one of Keith’s main grocery suppliers, and Clarrey had no idea when he would be able to order from the nationwide distributor again.

UNFI is the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of health and specialty foods in the U.S. and Canada, and the main supplier of Whole Foods. For Clarrey, ordering from UNFI is usually as simple as logging into his online account and submitting an order. On June 6, however, UNFI’s online ordering system went down as the result of a cyber attack that is still being investigated.

UNFI did not respond to repeated requests to comment for this story.

Not only was Clarrey unable to place an order, he also couldn’t contact UNFI to get information or updates on the disruption, a problem also encountered by Arena Market & Cafe general manager Natalie Cortese. Cortese’s Point Arena market, which uses UNFI as its primary distributor, described a lack of communication from UNFI during the cyber attack as the “biggest issue.”

“We weren’t notified until after our order deadline for the week that we wouldn’t be able to place an order,” Cortese recalled. “We couldn’t get anyone on the phone. Prior to the UNFI merger last year, we had the same sales rep for seven years. The lack of communication was very frustrating.”

Clarrey echoed that sentiment, reporting, “Frankly, their communication during that time was very, very poor. I felt like I was getting the runaround. We were told things that didn’t happen. They did a very poor job of communicating. Their phone lines were shut down. I had no way to reach UNFI at all.”

Unable to supply his customers with basic staples such as meat, dairy and produce, and with no timeline of when UNFI would come back online, Clarrey took matters into his own hands to keep the shelves stocked. With the help of Keith’s employees, Clarrey organized runs out of town with private vehicles to big box stores such as Costco and FoodMaxx to purchase perishables that were packed on ice and transported back for sale at Keith’s Family Food Center.

Despite his efforts, Clarrey shared that there “were still a lot of empty shelves” at the market during this time. “For weeks, I was personally going out of town daily and hauling staples back such as meat, dry groceries and dairy, trying to keep the community here fed, as well as keep the store in business. Many people in Round Valley do not have the transportation to travel out of town for food. We had a lot of empty shelves; I could only haul so much back in my pickup truck. It was quite the mess.”.

It was three weeks before Clarrey was able to get a full delivery from UNFI, and with the drain on his backstock, he said it took Keith’s Market another month to fully recover from the disruption caused by the UNFI cyber attack.

Over in Point Arena at Arena Market & Cafe, Cortese also struggled to meet the needs of her customers. Luckily, the market had backstock that she could pull from for the two weeks that she was unable to order from UNFI. But without the backstock, Corteste said, “the shelves would have been bare.”

When asked about their relationships with local food producers, both Clarrey and Cortese said that they source some produce and meat from farmers in Mendocino County, but that it makes up a small percentage of the inventory for their stores. All their dairy and dry goods come from UNFI.

Diversifying Is Key In Less Remote Areas

Elsewhere in Mendocino County, grocery retailers felt less of an impact due to diversified distributor relationships that remain out of reach for the more remote areas of Point Arena and Round Valley. At Harvest Market in Fort Bragg, grocery manager Troy Holden said that the market’s location at the junction of highways 101 and 20 ensured relationships with primary, secondary and tertiary retailers who don’t service the more remote areas of the county, where retailers such as Keith’s and Arena Market can’t meet the minimum order requirements for delivery or are just too far out there.

At Mariposa Market in Willits, the show also went on, the store having diversified its distributors years ago. Grocery manager Kevin Copperfield described Mariposa as being “well prepared for disruptions,” with multiple distributors in the mix, such as Kehe, Azure Standards and Hummingbird Wholesale. While Mariposa still orders some groceries from UNFI, it was able to source similar products from its other retailers and pull from backstock to minimize the impact of the UNFI cyber attack.

The Mariposa Market in Willits, Calif., on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. The market has multiple suppliers and was only minimally affected by the disruption caused by a cyberattack of United Natural Foods Incorporated, a major grocery distributor. (Jenn Procacci via Bay City News)

Mariposa also has strong relationships with local producers, carrying local kombucha, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables from farmers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. While Copperfield worries about the impact that a large period of social unrest or a labor stoppage could have on his ability to receive deliveries of goods that he can’t get locally, he reported that Mariposa Market has its own generator and several days worth of fuel so that even in the event of a fire or mass power outage, he can continue to serve the Willits community.

Several grocery managers worried that a hacking event could occur with a supplier again. Clarrey stated that he thought it was “very possible,” and noted that UNFI had not given him “any information” regarding what caused the hacking event, or what measures were being taken to prevent such a disruption from re-occurring.

For the more far-flung areas of Mendocino County, grit and determination seem to be the only safety net available in the event of future disruptions to the food distribution network. Round Valley farmers market manager and vendor Deborah Bauer gained two new customers for her locally raised meat during the cyber attack. She said both of her new customers mentioned the bare shelves at Keith’s and added with concern, “What if this had kept going? What are we supposed to do out here?”

“I guess it’s time to beef up my vegetable garden,” Medina reflected.

(Mendocino Voice)

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CHUCK DUNBAR:

Some brief thoughts on the Las Vegas woman who traveled to the coast to end her life last Tuesday evening:

First, bless her heart, bless her soul — she had her deep reasons to act, and she clearly thought long and hard about where and how to leave this earth. If we knew her whole story, I imagine we’d shed tears for her, feel compassion for her, wish her peace.

I was struck by the short MCSO report, words usually dry and to the point, that called her apparently intentional fall, “a great fall.” The intended meaning, of course, was that it was a long fall, a fall of many feet. But “great” has other connotations, as in “of notable meaning” or of “remarkable consequence.” And, by accident, the writer got at the heart of it. Serendipity there.

Over the last several years, I’ve had two friends who made the same choice, after much thought, but by very different means. Both were dealing with bodies badly broken, pain and suffering, with no hope of changes for the better. I myself at times can imagine doing the same if my body loses its way down the road. On we all go, sobered by fellow humans who make the choice to leave. They are brave souls.

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KATHY BAILEY:

The problem of how to take control of one’s finale is so complex. One sympathizes tremendously with the woman who has driven to the Coast to end her life. But before this starts sounding like a good idea to folks, Please think of the First Responders! This option inevitably involves a group of hard working people generally unknown to the suicide. But having to deal with the aftermath of this choice is traumatic. First Responders are already dealing with so much. Am dearly hoping not to involve them in my end point, assuming I have some sort of free will at the time. Refusing to eat and then refusing to drink seems like an option. Probably walking off into the deep wilderness is too hard on the family and also might inadvertently involve others. Ideas welcome!

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NOT GUILTY

A Lake County woman was recently acquitted of driving under the influence of a controlled substance in Willits, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.

According to DA David Eyster, a jury in Mendocino County Superior Court earlier this month acquitted Alexandrea Gabrielle Vonrekowski, 31, of Lower Lake, of misdemeanor driving a motor vehicle in Willits while under the influence of methamphetamine in October 2024.”

Eyster also noted that “prior to jury selection, (Vonrekowski) did, however, admit to driving without a valid California driver’s license,” explaining that “admitting one or more crimes outside the presence of the jury is a common defense strategy to keep juries from having to decide and being informed about certain information relating to the accused.”

In addition, Eyster reports that the jury was “not informed that the defendant has felony proceedings pending in Lake County: At the time of the driving in Willits, Vonrekowski was on formal out-of-county supervision for two felony convictions, one being felony transportation of methamphetamine out of Colusa County, (and she) will now be moved from the (Mendocino County Jail) to the Lake County jail, so that violation proceedings (to still include the Willits meth driving allegation) can be calendared in the Lake County Superior Court.”

Eyster notes that “the law enforcement agencies that provided testimony (at trial) were the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Justice forensic laboratory, with special thanks extended to the civilian witness who also appeared this week and testified as to his interactions with Vonrekowski prior to the arrival of the CHP.”

Also, “retired Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Jeanine Nadel, sitting on special assignment back in the Ukiah branch of the Mendocino County Superior Court, presided over the three-day trial.”

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GREAT REDWOOD TRAIL HITS ONE-THIRD MARK; TOWN HALL TACKLES FUNDING, SAFETY, AND ENCAMPMENTS

by Daniel Mintz

Senator Mike McGuire described the one-third completion of the Great Redwood Trail (GRT) as a “major milestone” during an online town hall event that included questions on funding, wildfire risks and addressing homeless encampments.

The Great Redwood Trail Agency is developing and managing the expansive northern section of the trail corridor and Elaine Hogan, its executive director, said the ambitious trail project will be “a game-changer for rural economies,” with over $100 million a year in revenue generation for the North Coast region.

Interest in the GRT runs high and the Aug. 12 town hall’s online attendance peaked at about 2,000 people.

McGuire highlighted the recent opening of the southern segment of the Humboldt Bay Trail, which now spans 14 miles between the cities of Arcata and Eureka.

A future phase will connect it to College of the Redwoods.

Openings of new trail segments in Willits and Ukiah are set for 2026, adding to what’s mapped as a 320-mile contiguous trail from the San Francisco Bay area to Humboldt Bay.

During a question and answer period, an Eel River rafting enthusiast asked about how maintenance of the rugged northern section of the trail will be funded and managed.

Hogan differentiated between the maintenance costs of the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA), the former manager of the corridor, and the trail agency.

Much of the northern segment will be low-maintenance “back country” gravel trail.

“We’re not trying to bring a train through the Eel River Canyon,” Hogan said. “We’ve had lots of proof that that did not work and was not economically feasible … having a small backcountry trail, we’re looking at significantly less maintenance costs than you would have seen.”

A notable funding source is Proposition 4, a voter-approved $10 billion bond for a variety of projects, including trails development and maintenance.

Hogan said her agency has secured an “ongoing operations budget for the next several fiscal years with strong state support.”

Projects funded by Prop. 4 may be exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews and there was a question about potential environmental impacts.

“Regardless of how any new CEQA exemptions may or may not apply to segments of our trail, our commitment remains the same – clean up the corridor, protect cultural resources, and restore the land in partnership with the people who know and care for it the best,” Hogan said.

The deteriorating former rail line was referred to as a “toxic mess,” with McGuire describing the NCRA as a bankrupt agency that “ could give two flips about what’s out there environmentally.”

Asked about the “opposition” to the trail by landowners and tribes, Hogan said input from them is “already shaping the project” and are included as recommendations in the trail’s master plan.

“Our next steps are turning those commitments into action together,” she continued, including contracting with tribes for protection of cultural resources and “co-management agreements.”

Answering a question about potential wildfires related to trail use, McGuire said the state has worked with fire chiefs’ associations on purchasing “quick attack engines” that are “perfect for a quick attack when it comes to a small brush fire, to be able to get that out quickly.”

The state has also “significantly beefed up Cal Fire resources throughout the whole north coast region,” he continued.

Hogan described trail development as “an opportunity to strengthen our rural public safety infrastructure and bring resources to the north coast, not to deplete already-taxed resources.”

Her agency “will also have its own trained staff that are stationed out there as wilderness first responders and perhaps will become members of the volunteer fire departments,” she continued, adding that “the trail itself can also serve as a firebreak.”

On addressing homeless camps, McGuire said the GRT Agency is “taking this issue incredibly seriously,” planning for outreach, referring people to services and clean-ups.

Hogan said the agency will “partner with community-based organizations and local businesses” on the outreach and referrals.

Also during the town hall, trail extensions between Arcata and Manila, and from the Arcata skate park area to water district pump stations on West End Road were described as being in progress.

Answering another question, Hogan said there will be campgrounds every eight miles along the trail.

A potential flipside of economic development was brought up when a Garberville resident asked about whether residents will be “priced out of their communities” due to the trail.

Saying it’s “a really important question,” McGuire said rural areas “have been under-invested” and “we know, throughout the world, these trails are huge economic drivers especially for rural parts of the country or the state they exist in.”

Hogan said her agency will “listen to those rural artisans and back-to-the-landers who have been here for generations” and see if things like “farm-to-table dining and low impact camping” can offer new income for them.

A final project completion date hasn’t been determined but trail segments will be developed in stages over the next 20 years and McGuire concluded by saying, “We’re gonna do this right, not fast.”

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SUPERVISOR MULHEREN on the Great Redwood Trail (facebook):

As with everything the intentions are good it’s all about implementation. I support outdoor recreation for the health benefits and the economy but we need to make sure we have strong plans and a strong leadership team. I serve on the Board for the GRT and so far we’ve hired three employees it’s very early stages.

Somewhere on YouTube there’s an old video talking about how before I was on the City Council what a waste of money I thought it was (yes I too used to be a Facebook arm chair quarterback) until I understood more the intent of the project. Before the trail in Ukiah yes unhoused people camped there (I grew up here and this was a common place as well as certain spots on the river) but after the trail City Parks and UPD patrol it regularly and I might see someone trying to sleep every now and again but they are usually gone within the day. I use it regularly and feel safe to take my dog for a run or walk with my granddaughters. Are there occasional incidents sure but the same happens when I’m on State Street or Orchard Avenue or whatever people with addiction and mental issues exist where they are not on specific paths. However the abandoned railroad that does not have trail does of course attract people looking for somewhere to stay but also to keep close to town and that’s where we have a new team coming up in Humboldt and Mendocino to make sure that people are not camping where the trail isn’t built. I though Elaine did a good job in the Town Hall explaining that the abandoned railroad certainly has issues that’s why they are actively building out the trail so recreational use and patrolling can happen in areas beyond what the City of Ukiah manages. The large encampments that have been on the abandoned sections likely (I hope) won’t happen again with the CORE Mendocino Program and the changes to the law with Prop 36 and the overturning of Boise we see MCSO being a lot more active in removing people that are camping so hopefully areas like Ackerman Creek which technically is not on the trail but is used as a transportation route get cleaned up and stay that way so we don’t continue to see the problems we’ve seen in the past.

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KZYX MANAGEMENT, PART 2 [Robert]:

Marco,

I suspect the examples that you give of other local stations being managed by just one or two people are probably not comparable to KZYX because of the difference in size and complexity. I do not have the entrepreneurial, on-the-ground floor, can-do-everything experience in radio that you do. Just from your posts on here God knows you have increible energy. I did start a small environmental consulting company that began with one major contract. At first it was me full time, a part time assistant and my dog. But we slowly expanded into dozens of contracts and about a dozen staff. I'll spare you the details but all those people were kept very busy by doing everything it took to run a successful business. I was always impressed with the size of our personnel budget for paying competent professionals. The job became exponentially more complex and demanding of many more full time people as the business grew. I could make you a very long list of major things that had to be done to run a moderate size successful business and obey all rules and regulations. So, I suspect the differences in scale from a very small to a moderate size operation account for what you are seeing. The staff at KZYX have been very busy. when I visited the Philo studio. I can't argue the finer points of its management but I suspect taking the size and complexity into account explains the difference in operational budgets between it and the other really small operations on the coast. Maybe a management audit would clarify the issues, but I would not advocate for it in this very, very difficult time. Right now it is survival.

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FELONY ASSAULT, FALSE IMPRISONMENT VERDICT RETURNED IN MENDOCINO COUNTY COURT

Red Headed Blackbelt intro: Sean Bradley Hammon, 55, of the Ukiah area—convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment on Wednesday (See below)—has a long history of being accused of violence, including allegations from his own mother that he killed his brother in 2016 by running him over at their Willits marijuana farm. Though prosecutors ultimately dropped the murder charge for lack of evidence, Hammon’s has a serious criminal record

DA Presser:

A Mendocino County Superior Court jury returned from its deliberations Wednesday morning to announce it had found the trial defendant guilty as charged.

Defendant Sean Bradley, age 55, generally of the greater Ukiah area, was found guilty of Inflicting Traumatic Injury on a Cohabitant, a felony; False Imprisonment, a felony; and Providing False Identification to a Peace Officer, a misdemeanor.

After the jurors were thanked for their service and excused, a future evidentiary hearing was calendared to allow the prosecution to present any additional evidence it may want in a bench trial setting regarding circumstances in aggravation relating to either or both the facts of the crimes and the criminal background/history of the defendant.

As one example, certified documents will be offered into evidence at that hearing to prove defendant Hammon has been convicted, among other thing, of a prior Strike offense – felony Criminal Threats — in February 2017 in the local courts.

Once circumstances in aggravation and the Strike allegation have been proven, the defendant’s case will be referred to the Mendocino County Adult Probation Department for a background study and sentencing recommendation.

Defendant Hammon remains in the custody of the Sheriff at the Low Gap jail facility pending the final sentencing outcome.

The law enforcement agency that located the witnesses and developed the other evidence put to good use at this week’s trial was the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

The attorney who presented the People’s evidence to the jury was Senior Deputy District Attorney Luke Oakley.

Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Keith Faulder presided over the three-day trial and will continue to preside over future proceedings involving this defendant through judgment and sentencing.

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On Line Comments

1. I almost shot my coffee through my nose at this tidbit in the linked (AVA) article from Hammon’s prior court appearance: “Public Defender Rennert tried to soften Hammon’s impressive legal history. ‘He has family here locally, your honor, and he’d be willing to abstain from alcohol while on bail’.”
2. Hey, A for effort.
3. A quotation from his mother, with commentary by the author… “I want Sean locked up for the rest of his life,” she says, expressing the consensus opinion of everyone who knows him.

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VELMA’S FARM STAND AT FILIGREEN FARM

Friday 2-5 pm

Open Saturday & Sunday 11-4pm

We will have tuberose by the stem at the stand this weekend! One stem will fill your whole house up with this beautiful scent!

This week’s offerings include: blueberries, french prune plums, Flavor King pluots, ‘Strawberry Parfait’ ‘Red Gravenstein’ and ‘Zestar’ apples, ‘Charentais’, ‘Galia’, and ‘Goddess’ melons (from Paul’s Produce and Full Belly Farm), tomatoes (heirlooms, cherry, new girls), eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, shishito peppers, new potatoes, carrots, sprouting broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce mix, arugula, hakurei turnips, onions, summer squash, cucumbers, kale, kohlrabi, celery, beets, cabbage, garlic, basil, parsley, olive oil, and dried fruit!

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ANNA MARIE STENBERG:

End the forced famine!

Don't be a bystander to genocide! Join the Indivisible Rally, Stand against Fascism. Meet at Town Hall, Ft Bragg at 11 am this Saturday. Bring signs, pots and pans. End the starvation! Open the Gates, Feed the Children, Free Palestine!

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UKIAH CONCERT SEASON ABOUT TO BEGIN

Season Membership is still just $120 for four terrific concerts! Our star-studded upcoming season begins with the Horszowski Trio on Sunday, September 7, 2:00 p.m. at the Mendocino College Center Theatre. “Eloquent, enthralling.” - The Boston Globe “The most compelling American group to come on the scene” - The New Yorker

We know you'll be thrilled by the performances we've selected for this 2025-26 season. Membership cards are being printed now and will be mailed to members very soon, so if you haven't yet purchased your season subscription, don't wait any longer to join the community of members committed to keeping the musical culture of Ukiah alive with vibrancy and variety.

True to UCCA tradition, the concert on September 7 will be followed by a catered reception for our season members to meet and mingle with the artists. These are times of uncertanty on many fronts, and the UCCA stands strong in our commitment to bring the joy and inspiration of music to all ages, and to stregthen the bonds friendship and connection throughout our community.

You can purchase your season ticket now on the UCCA website, or phone us at 707-463-2738 for other options. Individual tickets for the Howszowski Trio can be purchased here, and also at Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah or Mazahar in Willits. If you wish, you can also make a Donation to the UCCA. It is our donors who enable us to pay for production costs, printing, rental of the college theater, and to continue our Educational Outreach programs for local students.

The UCCA offers free concert tickets to high school students, younger children when accompanied by an adult, and full-time college students enrolled in 12 or more units? All it takes is a phone call to the UCCA at 707-463-2738 with name, email address, and phone number.

For more information, contact the UCCA at 707-463-2738 or email us at [email protected] Whether you're a season member or an individual ticket holder, we're looking forward to celebrating great music together with you!

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FROM EBAY, another photograph of semi-local interest (via Marshall Newman)

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CATCH OF THE DAY, Thursday, August 14, 2025

RHONDA BOWLES, 46, Ukiah. Shoplifting, community supervision violation.

MICHAEL BOWMAN, 34, Arcata/Ukiah. Failure to appear.

RYAN CRANFORD, 36, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

ORION DENNIS, 18, Ukiah. Stolen vehicle.

KYLE MASON, 38, Ukiah. Controlled substance with two or more priors, failure to appear, probation revocation.

JASON OLSON JR., 26, Ukiah. Paraphernalia, failure to appear.

LILLIAN SAYAO, 21, Willits. Controlled substance with two or more priors.

JOE STRA, 53, Ukiah. Burglary.

ANTHONY TOLBERT, 37, Ukiah. Parole violation.

NICHOLAS VANHORN, 47, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol&drugs.

KATELYN WALKER, 30, Willits. Trespassing, entering non-commercial dwelling, failure to appear.

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STAYING SILENT IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE WON’T PROTECT ANYONE

Editor:

Immigration detention and deportation are cruel. When Immigration and Customs Enforcement says they are only going after “the bad ones,” they are lying and denying people’s right to due process, and to solidarity and help from others.

Among growing numbers of cases, Hector David Azana Vega lived in Sonoma County while seeking asylum from his native Peru, and had done everything correctly. Yet he was taken by ICE on July 25 (“ICE detains Sonoma County asylum seeker here legally: group,” July 31).

Many people don’t speak out because they think they won’t be targeted, but we have seen ICE arrest people of all immigration statuses, including legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens, based on anything from racial profiling to First Amendment protected speech.

Staying quiet because ICE is only “going after the criminals” will not protect you, your friends or neighbors. See ways to defend our communities: North Bay Rapid Response Network — northbayop.org/nbrrn

Elaine Wellin

Santa Rosa

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ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

You exhibit some intellectually honest skepticism about djt and you’re immediately a TDS-deranged crybaby liberal.

As opposed to the Trump Savior Syndrome (TSS) koolaid guzzlers that put a religion-like faith in the foibles of a man exhibiting less-than-professional behavior with peer nuclear powers.

American exceptionalism at its finest. There’s nothing wrong with caring about THE WAY something is done, and how it reflects on the country.

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CLOVERDALE SCHOOL BOARD rebukes plea for stronger ‘safe haven’ policy for immigrants, implements only minor change

The board OK’d an updated safe haven policy, but it was not enough for immigrant parents who sought stronger protections.

by Amie Windsor

The women of Las Madres Unidas of Cloverdale were hoping to feel a little more secure sending their children to school this year. A chapter of a nationwide organization, the group of immigrant mothers have been working with the Cloverdale Unified School District Board of Trustees since June to strengthen the district’s seven-year-old “safe haven” policy.

Although the group packed the Cloverdale High School library on Wednesday, the board was unswayed, approving only a minor change to the policy that will do little to quell parents’ fears about the increased pace of immigration raids throughout California and the nation.

The original save haven policy, adopted in February 2017, designates all Cloverdale Unified facilities and campuses “safe havens,” meaning everyone is welcome on school sites, regardless of immigration status. About 65% of the district’s 1,300 students are Latino.

The policy also prohibits school administrators and staff from providing immigration enforcement agents with information about students, family members or employees unless presented with a court order or subpoena. Similarly, it prohibits school administration and faculty from allowing immigration enforcement agents on school sites or facilities without first getting superintendent approval, unless a court order or warrant is presented.

But on Wednesday night, Las Madres Unidas members ― along with MiJAs, an offshoot of the North Bay Organizing Project ― urged the board to update its safe haven resolution to mirror the Santa Rosa City Schools’ policy.

The resolution it was seeking would have made the school district a safe haven for the “families and community” of the Cloverdale Unified School District and sought to codify that the superintendent should not cooperate with federal immigration authorities “except as required by law” or enter into any agreements with local, state or federal law enforcement agencies to conduct or support immigration enforcement activities. Additionally, it sought the creation of “protocols and procedures to train school personnel on how to address ICE agents” ― and require the district to notify parents in case immigration agents asked for information about their children.

“ICE is not following the rules anymore,” said Gina Garibo, immigrant and land justice organizer with the North Bay Organizing Project. “They are not having an judicial warrants. They are not following the rules. They aren’t doing it anymore. That is the current reality that these families are living.”

“We migrant parents are afraid to sent our children to school,” said Maria Aguilar, a mother of three children in the district. “We aren’t sure they’ll be protected and students fear for their parents.”

But in the end, the board decided to approve only the last of the group’s asks, voting 4-1 to amend the policy to include parent notification.

Board Chair Jenny Candelaria-Orr cast the lone dissenting vote, as she had pushed for the full series of changes.

Doing so was problematic for the rest of the board.

“I am not in the business of deciding what law enforcement agents can come on campus,” Trustee Osagiator Ogiamien said. “We already have protocols in place that these agencies must have legal documents to even ask any questions.”

He and trustee Chad Zytkewicz also noted that the district has opportunities in place to teach educators and staff how to handle interactions with federal immigration agents.

“We do have trainings, we are being proactive,” Zytkewicz said. “I believe that this time we’re doing a great job of providing a safe haven for our students.”

Board members were also uncomfortable with offering safe haven to the wider immigrant community.

“Our responsibility is to our students,” Trustee Jacque Garrison said. “Opening it up to families and community can be perceived as anyone can just come onto our campus to claim ‘safe haven’ whether that’s during school hours, regardless of immigration status.”

Some board members simply believed the change was too politically charged.

“I understand a lot of people’s political perspective,” Ogiamien said. “But that’s what I heard a lot today: Fear over immigration policies. And I don’t think that’s board responsibility. Our responsibility is to our students once they’re on campus.”

Members of the public pushed back.

Eva Ruiz, who has two children attending Cloverdale schools, said the district’s old resolution “is insufficient” and told the board they had the power to “make it more relevant by taking all legal matters available to ensure all parents and students are safe.”

“I notice some of the tension in your body language,” said Manuel Gonzalez, another meeting attendee. “I want you to take that tension and make it 1,000. That’s what these parents are feeling every day when they drop their students off. Think about that uncomfortable feeling … you have the privilege that it will be gone. But some of these parents in here will feel this every day.”

(Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

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ESTHER MOBLEY: What I’m reading.

Anyone who spends a lot of time driving on 101 between Marin and Sonoma counties (me) should read this detailed look at the completion of the Narrows highway project by Chronicle transportation reporter Rachel Swan. The final piece of the 30-year highway expansion is almost complete, but whether it will improve congestion is an open question.

A bar called “Bar”: Sounds fishy, right? A witness in a Riverside County bribery and conspiracy trial claimed to have met the defendant at such a place. But when defense attorneys revealed that there was no bar called Bar, the prosecution’s case fell apart, reports Craig Clough in Law360. The verdict: not guilty.

Ellen Fort, a former Bay Area food writer, has an atmospheric piece in Punch about a night at Santa’s Pub, a Nashville dive where it’s always Christmas.

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CA WATER BOARD URGED TO EXTEND PUBLIC COMMENT AMID CIVIL RIGHTS PROBE, DELTA TUNNEL HEARINGS

by Dan Bacher

The Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC) is urging the State Water Resources Control Board to grant a 90-day extension of the public comment period and to defer or add hearing dates for the Bay-Delta Plan draft update. The DTEC consists of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta.

In a letter submitted on August 7 through the Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School, DTEC underscores that the Board’s current 48-day timeline and hearing dates silences Tribes and communities most affected by the Bay-Delta Plan. “The current timeline overlaps with sacred Tribal ceremonies and the ongoing case-in-chief hearings for the Delta Conveyance Project, a proceeding closely tied to the Bay-Delta Plan,” according to a statement from the DTEC.…

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/8/13/2338243/-CA-Water-Board-Urged-to-Extend-Public-Comment-Amid-EPA-Civil-Rights-Probe-Delta-Tunnel-Hearings

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EVEN THE SF GIANTS BROADCASTERS SOUND COMPLETELY OVER THIS SEASON

‘We heard some boos today. And quite honestly, the Giants deserved them.’

by Alex Simon

One thing was clear from Wednesday’s broadcast of the San Francisco Giants game: The broadcasters are fed up with this horrendous stretch of baseball.

The Giants lost again Wednesday, this time an 11-1 stinker to the Padres that felt over after a seven-run second inning. Entering this week with dimming playoff hopes but a chance against wild-card rival San Diego, the Giants instead got swept and have now lost 13 of their past 14 home games. It’s a stretch so bad that it hasn’t happened to the Giants since 1940, when the franchise was still in New York and when gas cost 18 cents a gallon.

The second inning had a “laugh so you don’t cry” feeling to it for Giants fans. The biggest moment came when a ball that appeared to be heading for a potential inning-ending double play instead bounced off second base and over shortstop Willy Adames’ head, leading to two runs by the Padres.

On the television broadcast, Mike Krukow called the play “unbelievable.” He used that same word a few plays later, when Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos spiked a throw a few feet in front of himself, allowing a sixth Padres run to score. On the radio, Dave Flemming sounded completely disgusted by the play.

“The Giants, it’s just unraveling,” Flemming said. “Man, ugly.”

From then on, Flemming, Krukow and Duane Kuiper had more than seven innings of air time to fill for a game that pretty much already felt over. All three also made note of how Giants fans have been consistently showing up in this stretch — the Giants are eighth in MLB with an average of 36,233 fans this season, and Wednesday saw 35,080 fans go to Oracle Park — as a reason to criticize the team, too.

“Kuip said something as the second inning was unfolding and the tide was definitely turning against the Giants. A lot of people are here in the stands, and you owe it to them — you owe it to them — to be professional about how to go about your business,” Krukow said in the bottom of the fourth. “There’s a lot of opportunity left. We’re still in the fourth inning. Give them something to cheer about.”

Over on the television side for the middle innings, Flemming replied, “The Giants fans have been great. The crowds all year, but especially lately, have been awesome. But it’s inexplicable how they aren’t winning games at home — which, over the history of this ballpark, has been such a great home-field advantage for the Giants.”

Kuiper was in the radio booth while Flemming switched to television. When Kuiper returned to TV in the seventh, he noted how he had made Flemming’s call of the Ramos throw from the second inning the “calls of the game” — then made a request of radio producer Darren Chan.

“I said, ‘I want to go back and listen to this.’ We’ve come to know Dave now, and he can have this East Coast disgust in his voice,” Kuiper said in the top of the seventh.

“He’ll give you an honest opinion,” Krukow continued. “If you’re listening to a game that Dave Flemming is doing on the radio, you will know the flavor of the game. And I think that’s a signature of what a good broadcaster does. He speaks for the entire crowd here today, who have lost a little patience with how the Giants have played.”

That was certainly true in the top of the ninth, when the Giants had infielder Christian Koss pitch to save their bullpen. Flemming admitted he was “cranky” on the air after watching this game, as evidence by his chiding of home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus for tightening the strike zone in a blowout and his warning to San Franciscans to not piss him off on his bike ride home after the game. (When the bottom of the ninth started, Flemming said he was starting to feel better because he had eaten some focaccia between innings.)

After the loss, the three broadcasters got together for KNBR’s “Postgame Wrap,” which happens after each game. The usually loose show kept its usual energy, with the men noting how they had all been joking about how bad things could still get after Tuesday’s loss — only for Wednesday to happen. They also said they’re excited to come to the ballpark again Friday, when the Giants continue this homestand and start a series against the Rays.

Still, even in trying to find any little humor and joy in a dreary day, they couldn’t hide their frustration.

“Thirty-five thousand-plus today here witnessed this, and we heard some boos today,” Krukow said. “And quite honestly, the Giants deserved them.”

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CALIFORNIA’S RICHEST AGRICULTURAL FAMILY IS SHUTTERING A FARM THE UFW SOUGHT TO UNIONIZE

by Melissa Gomez

One of California’s largest agricultural employers plans to close a Central Valley grape nursery by the end of the year after laying off hundreds of employees, including many supportive of a United Farm Workers effort to unionize the workforce.

Wonderful Co., owned by billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, plans to shut down the majority of the nursery in Wasco, northwest of Bakersfield, and donate the farm to UC Davis, representatives for the company and the university confirmed this week.

The move comes as Wonderful Nurseries remains locked in a battle with the UFW after the union last year petitioned to represent workers growing grapevines, using a new state “card check” law that made it easier for organizers to sign up workers. Company officials said their decision was unrelated to that.

“The decision to wind down Wonderful Nurseries was purely a business decision and in no way, shape or form related to our ongoing litigation with the UFW or the fraud so many farmworkers reported by the union,” Wonderful Co. spokesman Seth Oster said.

In February, Wonderful Nurseries President Rob C. Yraceburu said in an email to employees that the state’s agricultural industry has seen tens of thousands of orchard and vineyard acres abandoned or removed. The table and wine grape industry is in a major downturn, meaning nurseries such as theirs have seen “significantly decreased sales and record losses, with no expectation of a turnaround anytime soon.”

Yet some labor experts and Wonderful employees are questioning the timing of the layoffs, which started just five months after the UFW won a key legal victory in its effort to organize the workforce.

Victor Narro, a labor studies professor at UCLA, said the closure and donation to UC Davis should be scrutinized.

“The question is, ‘What’s the reason they’re doing it?’” he said. “Is it really, in the end, to avoid unionization of the workforce? Or is it really that they’re making a sound financial decision?”

The UFW has not directly accused the Resnicks of retaliating against workers supportive of the union by closing the farm. But it has raised questions about the timing of both the layoffs and this week’s confirmation that most of the nursery would be closed.…

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-13/ufw-wonderful-nurseries-uc-davis

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GO WEST, HINDU MAN

Seeking Cooperation to “Set Up Shop” for Spiritual Writing

Warmest spiritual greetings,

Please know that I am seeking cooperation to move on from current circumstances in Washington, D.C. in order to “set up shop” for spiritual writing. I am homeless and willing to move far from the national capital, as is being requested by President Donald Trump.

I have $700 in the bank & wallet, the SSI has timed out, the California EBT card is not working, and the federal housing voucher has timed out. Efforts to rectify all of this have been met with no response from the U.S. government. General health is very good at age 75. This is on top of having participated in the Peace Vigil across the street from the White House sixteen times since June of 1991, 23 years serving meals with Catholic Worker all over the country, decades of environmental and peace & justice activism, all in addition to having cultivated a spiritual life.

Thank you very much.

Craig Louis Stehr, [email protected]

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SOCIAL SECURITY CELEBRATES 90 YEARS of Service to the American People

Today, the Social Security Administration (SSA) proudly commemorates its 90th anniversary, marking its unwavering commitment to the financial security and dignity of millions of Americans. Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935, the program has grown into one of the most successful and trusted institutions in American history.

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POTATOES AREN’T THE PROBLEM — UNLESS YOU EAT THEM THIS WAY, STUDY SAYS

by Catherine Ho

French fries are linked to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes — but baked, mashed and boiled potatoes are not, according to a new study by Harvard researchers.

The study, published Aug. 6 in BMJ, found that eating three servings of fries each week is associated with a 20% higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Eating the same amount of baked, mashed or boiled potatoes is not associated with diabetes risk.

Moreover, replacing potatoes of any kind with whole grains is associated with lower risk of diabetes, as well as other health benefits like less weight gain and lower rates of cardiovascular disease, some cancers and premature death. In contrast, replacing potatoes with white rice is associated with higher risk of diabetes.

People can still eat potatoes as part of a balanced diet, but should try to limit fried potatoes, researchers said. And if they can, replace potatoes with any kind of whole grains, such as whole grain bread, pasta, oats and cereal, which were the main sources of whole grains included in the study.

“The main takeaway is potatoes cannot be the primary source of carbohydrates in our diet,” said lead author Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, a postdoctoral research fellow in Harvard’s Department of Nutrition. “Prioritzing whole grains over potatoes would be the main takeaway message.”

Unlike previous research on potatoes and health risks, this study looked at different ways potatoes were prepared and analyzed their relative link to diabetes risk. It included about 205,000 U.S. adults who did not have diabetes, heart disease or cancer, over about 30 years. Researchers adjusted for other factors that may have impacted people’s diabetes risk, such as physical activity, age, socioeconomic status and BMI.

Fries are linked to higher diabetes risk than boiled or baked potatoes because the frying process produces more trans fats and can generate compounds associated with inflammation and insulin resistance, Mousavi said. Fries are also higher in calories and sodium.

While this study did not find significant association between baked, boiled or mashed potatoes and diabetes, previous research has found that mashed potatoes may be linked to higher diabetes risk because of additives, Mousavi said.

“We’d say baking or boiling would be the best option if you want to enjoy potatoes in your diet,” he said.

People don’t need to give up potatoes, which are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium, said Rana Chehab, a registered dietician and staff scientist at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. But they should be mindful of how the potatoes are prepared.

“Opt for boiled, baked or mashed potatoes — ideally with the skin on to retain fiber and nutrients — and pair them with vegetables, legumes or lean proteins to create a balanced meal,” said Chehab, who was not involved in the study. “Additionally, consider occasionally substituting potatoes with whole grains to diversify nutrient intake.”

The study’s findings align with current federal dietary guidelines that promote whole grains as part of a healthy diet, said Brittanie Tovar, a registered dietician and diabetes care and education specialist at Sutter Health in Sacramento. It also reinforces what’s known about highly processed foods.

“Eating ultra or highly processed foods in excess can increase our risk of chronic disease,” said Tovar, who was not involved in the study. “Often these foods are consumed alongside other highly processed foods that tend to be high in saturated fat and added sugars, two key things that increase our risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

“The most important takeaway is not to classify potatoes as good or bad, but as a food that can absolutely be part of a health-promoting meal plan, and even better when it’s eaten alongside other nutrient-dense whole foods that are high in fiber,” she said.

(SF Chronicle)

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The Vennel Steps in Edinburgh are a narrow, historic stone staircase tucked between old tenements in the Grassmarket, offering a charming shortcut and striking views across the city. Often frequented by locals and photographers, they evoke the quiet beauty of Edinburgh’s hidden urban heritage. They offer one of the best views of the castle too!

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“YOU HAVE A MORBID AVERSION to dying. You probably resent the fact that you’re at war and might get your head blown off any second.”

“I more than resent it, sir. I’m absolutely incensed.”

“You have deep-seated survival anxieties. And you don’t like bigots, bullies, snobs, or hypocrites. Subconsciously there are many people you hate.”

“Consciously, sir, consciously,” Yossarian corrected in an effort to help. “I hate them consciously.”

“You’re antagonistic to the idea of being robbed, exploited, degraded, humiliated, or deceived. Misery depresses you. Ignorance depresses you. Persecution depresses you. Violence depresses you. Corruption depresses you. You know, it wouldn’t surprise me if you’re a manic-depressive!”

“Yes, sir. Perhaps I am.”

“Don’t try to deny it.”

“I’m not denying it, sir,” said Yossarian, pleased with the miraculous rapport that finally existed between them. “I agree with all you’ve said.”

— Joseph Heller, ‘Catch 22’

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LEAD STORIES, FRIDAY'S NYT

How Trump’s Meeting With Putin Could Unfold

Texas Democrats Will Return Home, Allowing Vote on Congressional Map

Border Patrol Agents Show Up in Force at Newsom Rally

No School, No Toys, No Hope: The Trauma of Childhood in Gaza

With Arson and Land Grabs, Israeli Settler Attacks in West Bank Hit Record High

The U.S. Is Auctioning a Seized Russian Yacht. Will Anyone Buy It?

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WE ALL HAVE TO GO one day, but pray God let it not be over Afghanistan. An unspeakable country filled with unspeakable people, sheepshaggers and smugglers, who have furnished in their leisure hours some of the worst arts and crafts ever to penetrate the occidental world. I yield to none in my sympathy to those prostrate beneath the Russian jackboot, but if ever a country deserved rape it’s Afghanistan. Nothing but mountains filled with barbarous ethnics with views as medieval as their muskets, and unspeakably cruel too.

— Alexander Cockburn

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CAREFULLY & GRACEFULLY

by James Kunstler

And so, now, in Alaska, Mr. Trump sits down with Vlad Putin to attempt a settling of Ukraine’s hash. This war has been a three-year bloody grind, millions killed, mostly Ukrainians, provoked underhandedly by US State Dept / CIA neocons, Britain’s MI6 apparatus, and the girl-bosses of the EU, for no good reason, namely, to weaken and possibly break-up Russia so as to get at its vast mineral and energy resources. This has been tried before in history, always to the grief of the triers.

From our country’s point of view, the dynamics in play at this moment are delicate to an extreme. In the background of the Trump-Putin meet-up, amid an eerie silence in the DOJ and FBI, an epic, sweeping prosecution of the RussiaGate hoaxers creeps forward. RussiaGate, of course, was born in the false charge (by America’s highest officials, derived from nonsense cooked up by Hillary Clinton) that Donald Trump was a Russian agent. It was preposterous and continually disproven, but the many-footed creatures of America’s deep state, which controlled so many levers of power, dragged it out for years. Altogether, that endeavor amounted to a campaign of sedition and arguably treason.

The delicacy comes in as President Trump must now avoid at all costs any appearance of giving-in to Mr. Putin, of appearing to be any sort of a vassal — “Putin’s puppet,” as charged in RussiaGate. The raw truth is that Russia has likely already “won” the war in Ukraine, in the sense that it has finally gained control of the battlespace and worn out its opponent. It is fait accompli. What remains is the disposition of Ukraine’s future which, in another raw truth, is mostly Russia’s to determine.

Yet another raw truth is that this would probably be the best outcome for all concerned: a neutralized, disarmed Ukraine returned to its prior condition as a mostly agricultural sovereign backwater of Europe within Russia’s sphere-of-influence, resuming its longstanding status as not being a problem for anyone.

Still, yet another raw truth is that the USA would benefit hugely from normalized relations with Russia, no more sanctions, fair trade, a rebalance of the drift toward China, lessening the chance of nuclear war — and this would even benefit the knuckleheads of Europe whose economies are imploding due to a lack of affordable energy (and also because of, let’s face it, the EU’s terrifically stupid “green” policies).

All of which means there will necessarily be a lot of “pretend” played in Anchorage for show. Mr. Trump must pretend to be tough on Putin, and Mr. Putin must pretend, a little bit, to give-in to Mr. Trump’ proposals. That is, it will be something of a kabuki, a kafabe. Surely, many of the stickiest points have been pre-negotiated by Mr. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who quietly visited Moscow a week ago.

Mr. Trump must appear strong with Russia because his appointees are commencing to go medieval on the folks who called him “Putin’s Puppet” nine years ago — and subjected him to a series of epic torments including the subversion of his whole first term in office, nonstop obloquy from the media, impeachment (X 2), home invasion, and a grotesque set of malicious, nitwit prosecutions that have either failed completely (Fani Willis, Jack Smith) or will be subject to humiliating reversals in the higher courts. Not to mention two attempted assassinations.

You should assume that Mr. Putin well understands all this and intends to play along. He will appear to make some generous concessions to Ukraine, starting with the promise that it can go forward as a sovereign, self-governing nation. The big enchilada might be to grant that Ukraine can retain possession of Odessa, the port city on the Black Sea which is Ukraine’s depot for export to the world of its chief commodity, grains. In any case, both Russia and the USA intend to relieve Volodymyr Zelenskyy of his duties — notice he is conspicuously not invited to the Alaska meeting.

Mr. Trump well understands that one way or another, Russia is going to prevail in this conflict on-the-ground. He abhors all the killing. He has already expressed a disinclination to keep backing the war with money and weapons. He must be disgusted at how the Bidens (and the Deep State) used Ukraine as a money-laundry, as a site for bioweapons labs, and how it served as a nexus for human trafficking.

He also knows that Russia wants badly to be re-admitted to normal relations with the West, which is in everybody’s interest, except perhaps China’s. You should infer therefore that Russia wants the war to end in a way that does not humiliate the losers and backers — perhaps along the lines of how America managed our victory against our enemies in World War Two, carefully and gracefully.

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UKRAINE: PAX OPTIMA RERUM

by Alfred De Zayas

Peace is the highest good – every day that passes, more soldiers and civilians are killed in the Ukrainian war. It is estimated that more than a million persons have lost their lives in this senseless war, which must be brought to an end as early as possible. This can be done with a modicum of common sense and professionalism. The war should never have started, and it could have been ended in March 2022, if Ukraine had not reneged on the compromise negotiated by Turkish President Erdogan in Istanbul. There were many opportunities to sit down and discuss terms for a ceasefire, but the US, Europe and Ukraine insisted that “Putin must lose”. Thus, the many blueprints for peace issued by the African countries, China and countless international organizations, including the International Peace Bureau, as well as private scholars, were fruitless. This stubbornness and intransigence continue as Ursula von der Leyen, Friedrich Merz and other European leaders oppose the US peace initiative and conspire to continue the war no matter what.

When Trump and Putin meet at the Elmendorf-Richardson base outside Anchorage, Alaska on August 15, peace will be on the table. It will not be an easy meeting, because US-Russian relations have never been as dire. Nevertheless, the Global Majority of humanity wishes them a good beginning of direct negotiations, a businesslike summit that will build on the prior footwork of Steve Witkoff and Sergei Lavrov. Peace is crucial for Europe, for the US, for civilization.

At the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, a sustainable peace was crafted that allowed the major European States and hundreds of German principalities to close the chapter on the disastrous Thirty Years’ War, which cost eight million lives and economically devastated central Europe. There were no winners. Everyone was exhausted and wanted out.

The Ukraine-Russia conundrum is not a bilateral conflict, but a messy multiparty war involving the United States and most NATO and EU countries, which since 2014 have provided military, economic, political, diplomatic and propagandistic support to Ukraine. I say 2014 and not 2022, because the war in the Donbass started when the US and European supported a putsch against the democratically elected President of Ukraine, Victor Yanukovich, and with the arrival in Kiew of a rabidly Russophobic, unconstitutional regime that prohibited the use of the Russian language and relentlessly shelled the Russian civilian population of Lugansk and Donetsk, causing some 14,000 deaths before the Russian invasion of 24 February 2022.

This human tragedy has a long pre-history. There will be no peace until the root causes of the war are addressed, something which the Biden/Blinken Administration and the European powers have refused to do. Most importantly, a European security architecture must be agreed upon that will guarantee the sovereignty of Ukraine and, at the same time, end the Eastward expansion of NATO, which was condemned by George F. Kennan as early as 1997.

The most serious obstacle to crafting a viable peace agreement is the lack of credibility of the United States, or for that matter of the European supporters of Zelinsky. The mainstream media will tell us otherwise, but the fact is that we in the West are notorious for our “culture of cheating”, and this tradition of not honouring agreements renders it difficult to craft viable “deals”.

The Ukrainian conflict goes back to a breach of a promise made by US President George H.W. Bush and repeated by his Secretary of State James Baker to Mikhail Gorbachev in the years 1989-91, that NATO would not expand an inch eastward. As Professors John Mearsheimer and Jeffrey Sachs have convincingly argued, NATO’s 2008 invitation to Ukraine and Georgia to join the alliance constituted a major cause of the current conflict. It is obvious that NATO’s presence at Russia’s borders means a significant security risk. No sovereign country would accept such a menace. As has been said by many, the United States would never accept Mexico or Canada entering into a military alliance with Russia – or China. We already have the precedent of the October 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the US threatened the Soviet Union with nuclear annihilation, unless the Soviet missiles being installed in Cuba were removed immediately. At the time, the United Nations contributed significantly to defusing the crisis and while Khruschev removed the missiles from Cuba, Kennedy removed US missiles from Turkey.

There are consequences to breaking one’s word, and if a country breaks an agreement, the other party is on notice and must be especially cautious. Trump has recently proven that he is profoundly untrustworthy, recalling the US bombardment of Iran in June 2025, while at the same time negotiating with Tehran to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. It will take a long time for this breach of good faith to be forgotten. In the context of the Ukraine war, we remember that in 2014 and 2015 the Agreements known as Minsk I and Minsk II were negotiated, providing for a cessation of the Ukrainian bombardment of the Donbass and a commitment on the part of Ukraine to sit down with the representatives of Lugansk and Donets to work out a constitutional arrangement granting a measure of autonomy to the Russian majorities of the Donbass. In exchange, Ukraine received a guarantee of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Alas, Ukraine reneged on both commitments and accelerated its terroristic attacks on civilian targets in the Donbass. This happened partly because of the military, economic and political support being provided by the US and Europe. As far as the trustworthiness of the Europeans, it suffices to recall the statements made by Angela Merkel and François Hollande that they only entered into the Minsk agreements in order to “gain time” so that Ukraine could be properly armed. Such lack of good faith not only flies in the face of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, it also sends the message to the Russians: beware, because these people cannot be trusted.

It is irritating to hear European leaders invoking “international law” and refusing to even envisage territorial concessions by Ukraine. This is surrealistic. Have they not violated international law themselves by ignoring pronouncements of the International Court of Justice? Have they not imposed illegal unilateral coercive measures on Russia and half the world, notwithstanding the yearly resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council condemning these UCMs, wrongly referred to as “sanctions”? Did the US and Europe not commit a brazen aggression against Serbia and destroy the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia in 1999? Did they not use lethal force to tear Kosovo away from Yugoslavia and give it diplomatic recognition? Was it not the US that recognized the illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, that recognized the illegal “annexation” of the Golan Heights by Israel, that applauded the Israeli aggression against Iran in June 2025?

Do the European leaders fail to understand that the world does not consider the US and Europe to be defenders of international law, that most African and Asian leaders consider the US and Europe to be in open rebellion against the United Nations Charter and against international law itself? In the eyes of the true “international community” – the Global Majority minus the “collective West” — the US and Europe have no moral or legal superiority over the rest of the world and are hardly models of compliance with the UN Charter. The Global Majority rejects the imperialist and neo-colonial mindset of the “collective West” and hopes for multilateralism based on the UN Charter.

In the context of the Israel/Palestine war, what is more evident than the refusal of the US and Europe to honour the Advisory Opinions of the International Court of Justice concerning of 9 July 2004 and 19 July 2024? The continued military, economic, political, diplomatic, and propagandistic support given to the genocidal state of Israel by the US and Europe reveals them as international outlaws and morally bankrupt.

Of course, Putin is no saint, and this author does not pretend to confer any moral edge to the Russians. But for those who live in the real world and not in the parallel worlds created by think tanks and the mainstream media, the Russians do have certain legitimate interests, which they will not give up at the Alaska summit or elsewhere. It is worth revisiting Putin’s 2007 speech at the Munich Security Conference and Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson in February 2024.

The Russians insist on their right to national security. Doubtless, the expansion of NATO and the relentless provocations of Russia constituted a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits not only the use of force, but also the “threat” of the use of force.

The Russians are also concerned about the Russian majorities who live in the Donbass and who were subjected to aggression by the Ukrainian government, in a manner that certainly called for intervention pursuant to the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine.

Putin did not rush to war. Pursuant to Article 2(3) of the UN Charter, he tried for more than eight years to settle the problems diplomatically. He negotiated with and through the OSCE, the Normandy Format, the Minsk Agreements etc.

The right of self-determination of the Russians of the Donbass is non-negotiable. In the same manner as the Albanian Kosovars would never consent to be ruled by Belgrade, the Russians of the Donbass will never consent to being again ruled by Kiev. Too much blood has been spilled and we must recognize that the level of hatred is such that the reintegration of Kosovo into Serbia and the “return” of the Donbass to Ukraine is simply not viable.

I hope that Trump will understand that to reach a deal with Putin, he must recognize that Ukraine will never be in NATO and that the Donbass Russians must have their self-determination. These are not maximalist demands. These are facts that cannot be ignored.

I hope that someone gives Trump the text of paragraph 80 of the 2010 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo:

Several participants in the proceedings before the Court have contended that a prohibition of unilateral declarations of independence is implicit in the principle of territorial integrity. The Court recalls that the principle of territorial integrity is an important part of the international legal order and is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular in Article 2, paragraph 4, which provides that: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” In General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), entitled “Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations”, which reflects customary international law (Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. United States of America), Merits, Judgment, I.C.J. Reports 1986, pp. 101-103, paras. 191-193), the General Assembly reiterated “[t]he principle that States shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. This resolution then enumerated various obligations incumbent upon States to refrain from violating the territorial integrity of other sovereign States. In the same vein, the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe of 1 August 1975 (the Helsinki Conference) stipulated that “[t]he participating States will respect the territorial integrity of each of the participating States” (Art. IV). Thus, the scope of the principle of territorial integrity is confined to the sphere of relations between States.

It is clear that in the case of Kosovo, the right of self-determination of the Albanians was given precedence over the principle of territorial integrity of Serbia. This has created a precedent that has been followed in Crimea, the Donbass and will be followed by many other peoples who aspire to determine their own futures, including the Palestinians.

Bottom line: Peace must guarantee the security of all parties and reaffirm the right of self-determination of all peoples in the region as stipulated in Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In this sense let us hope that the Alaska summit brings some preliminary results and that the slaughter ends – better today than tomorrow.

(Alfred de Zayas is a law professor at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and served as a UN Independent Expert on International Order 2012-18. He is the author of twelve books including “Building a Just World Order” (2021) “Countering Mainstream Narratives” 2022, and “The Human Rights Industry” (Clarity Press, 2021). CounterPunch.org.)

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THE HUNCHBACK IN THE PARK

by Dylan Thomas

The hunchback in the park
A solitary mister
Propped between trees and water
From the opening of the garden lock
That lets the trees and water enter
Until the Sunday sombre bell at dark

Eating bread from a newspaper
Drinking water from the chained cup
That the children filled with gravel
In the fountain basin where I sailed my ship
Slept at night in a dog kennel
But nobody chained him up.

Like the park birds he came early
Like the water he sat down
And Mister they called Hey mister
The truant boys from the town
Running when he had heard them clearly
On out of sound

Past lake and rockery
Laughing when he shook his paper
Hunchbacked in mockery
Through the loud zoo of the willow groves
Dodging the park keeper
With his stick that picked up leaves.

And the old dog sleeper
Alone between nurses and swans
While the boys among willows
Made the tigers jump out of their eyes
To roar on the rockery stones
And the groves were blue with sailors

Made all day until bell time
A woman figure without fault
Straight as a young elm
Straight and tall from his crooked bones
That she might stand in the night
After the locks and chains

All night in the unmade park
After the railings and shrubberies
The birds the grass the trees the lake
And the wild boys innocent as strawberries
Had followed the hunchback
To his kennel in the dark.

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