Mendocino County Today: Sunday 2/1/2026

Mostly Cloudy | FB Protest | All Immigrants | Ukiah Protest | Teen Arrested | Support Maddy | Ed Notes | Kicked Aside | Pet Weco | Raid Claims | Leaf Shades | Commercial Grows | AV Events | Local Events | Skunk Fiction | Mushroom Poisoning | Norman Stories | Chicken Seagull | Aryae Troupin | Yesterday's Catch | Shithole Town | Eureka Protest | How Much | Marco Radio | Musselwhite Birthday | Inflicting Algebra | Winter Woes | Peace | Pure Cowardice | Important Tool | Melania Documentary | Beatnik Glossary | Hair Off | Soldier Bunks | Hoochie Coochie | Heifer Heels | Brothel Landlord | Aunt Fritsi | Two Evils | Lead Stories | American X | Sea Dog | Illegal Count | Personal Lighthouse | Yellow | Foreseeing Trumpism | Returning Bottles | Russian Forests | Are Bound | Enjoy It | Desert Snow | Natural Cremation

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STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): A cloudy 43F this Sunday morning on the coast. More clouds than sun in the forecast for this week then another mention of rain next weekend. You look for the sun, I'll watch for the rain. All weather eyes will be on Punxsutawney Phil tomorrow morning.

Fort Bragg Precipitation totals: 2025: Oct 2.06” Nov 9.45” Dec 9.87” 2026: Jan 6.02" YTD 27.40”

LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS are expected in the early morning hours for the northernmost areas of the CWA. Most precip will diminish by the late afternoon. Otherwise, dry and stable weather is expected to continue through most of next week. (NWS)

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PROTEST TODAY IN FORT BRAGG WAS HUGE!!!

Great turnout today (250-300 people), feels like new momentum nationally and locally. (Susan Allen Nutter)

Enjoy Photos By Bob Dominy: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCJ9py

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TIME WE GOT THIS STRAIGHT

We’re ALL immigrants
Or immigrants’ descendants,
Even YOU Donald.

— Jim Luther

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THE SATURDAY PROTEST IN UKIAH

There were 170 people there. Demonstrations will happen every Saturday at 1 P.M. at the Ukiah Courthouse (photos by Karen Rifkin).

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FORT BRAGG JUVENILE DRIVE-BY

Arrest Made In New Year’s Eve Drive-By Shooting In Fort Bragg; Fort Bragg teen arrested with 9 mm ghost gun, loaded magazine, pills

by Elise Cox

Fort Bragg police have arrested a 16-year-old from Fort Bragg in connection with a New Year’s Eve drive-by shooting that targeted a residence on West Spruce Street, authorities said in a press release on Saturday.

Officers responded at about 2:17 a.m. Dec. 31, 2025, to the 200 block of West Spruce Street after an unknown person fired multiple rounds into a home. No injuries were reported.

Investigators interviewed victims and witnesses, canvassed the neighborhood, collected physical evidence and reviewed surveillance video. They determined the shooter fled the scene in a gray SUV and identified the suspected shooter as a juvenile from Fort Bragg.

As the investigation progressed, officers served multiple warrants and worked with the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force to conduct surveillance at locations around the Fort Bragg area.

On Jan. 28, at about 3 p.m., officers received information that the suspect was at a location in the 23000 block of state Route 1. Fort Bragg police and the Major Crimes Task Force responded and began surveillance.

At about 5:10 p.m., officers observed the juvenile attempting to flee on foot and arrested the suspect without incident, police said.

During the arrest, officers recovered a loaded 9mm “ghost gun” and a second loaded magazine from the juvenile, along with additional ammunition and suspected controlled substances, according to police.

The juvenile was booked into Mendocino County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a ghost gun, being a minor in possession of a handgun, felony juvenile warrant violations, and possession of a controlled substance.

A second suspect, identified as 40-year-old Marvin Aldanacisnero, was also arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact, police said.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities said they are continuing to identify additional suspects and evidence. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Beak of the Fort Bragg Police Department at (707) 961-2800, ext. 224.

(Mendolocal.news)

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SAVE MADDY!

Potter Valley: it is time to show up for your District 1 Supervisor!

At Tuesday's County Board of Supervisors meeting, on the agenda is an item to revisit the BOS appointments where Supervisor Haschak is likely to try and remove Supervisor Madeline Cline as the County's representative on Inland Water and Power Commission.

We stand strongly behind Supervisor Cline in support of her continuing to represent Mendocino County on IWPC. We urge people to attend Tuesday's board meeting or write letters to the BOS in support of her.

The 1st District is going to be greatly impacted by the outcome of the Potter Valley Project. The City of Ukiah has a seat on IWPC representing their interest. The County must be represented by the 1st District. Supervisor Cline has done nothing to undermine the work of IWPC. She does not deserve to be removed.

Please turn out and express your support.

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ED NOTES

The dependably amusing Marco McClean is soliciting dreams to read on his even more amusing late night show on KNYO, Fort Bragg. Ordinarily, I take a mental nap when acquaintances recite dreams, medical problems, "great" restaurant meals, the antics of their pets, and so on. But I recently experienced some nocturnal excitement myself, odd as it was, that Marco might find worth repeating. Wrapped securely in the arms of Morpheus three nights ago, I found myself standing, nonplussed, on the sidewalk in front of Schat's Bakery, West Perkins, Ukiah. 2nd District supervisor, Maureen ‘The Mo You Know’ Mulheren, togged out in desert combat camo, was right smack in my face, so close she was standing on my toes. “Please take at least one step back, Supervisor,” I asked as politely as I could in the circumstances. Across the street, poised to descend the steps to the Courthouse's south entrance, District Attorney C. David Eyster, was shouting abuse at me that I couldn't quite hear until… “You aren't dead yet, Anderson? Maybe this will help get you to The Other Side,” and darned if Mendocino County's lead law enforcement officer didn't flip me off with both hands! “One for you and one for your buddy, Geniella. If I had another hand I'd send one to that meddlesome wop, Scaramella.” With that, Eyster disappeared down the stairs where two fat guys in matching propeller beanies were manning the fake x-ray security machine. Supervisor Mulheren, so amused at Eyster's dual flip-off that she was bent in half laughing, finally straightened up to scream, “All power to the Soviets!” I was stunned. “Wha…wha…what did you say?” Mulheren, with a demented cackle, replied, “Queers are hard of hearing!” and with that she vanished in a sudden downpour of severed human fingers.

I'M PRETTY SURE my odd dream was inspired by this fascinating autobiography Fred Gardner was kind to send me. Rarely do book blurbs of the “You won't be able to put it down” variety live up to their promise, but this one did. “Memoirs of a British Agent” by R.H. Bruce Lockhart. Uniquely placed in Russia during the ten days that shook the world, the Brits' young man in Moscow personally dealt with Lenin and Trotsky and other top revolutionaries. As a dozen capitalist countries sent armies to crush the Bolsheviks, and leading global opinion makers predicted the Russian revolution would collapse of its own contradictions, Lockhart steadily informed London that Lenin had the support of the broad mass of Russian people, that the Bolsheviks were here to stay.

I'VE RECOMMENDED hundreds of books over the years to the AVA's brilliant, sophisticated readers, but this one? I command you to read it! Even if you have no interest in the Russian Rev, Lockhart's story is riveting apart from his unique political experience.

COME PROTEST PEACEFULLY TODAY!!!

JANUARY 31ST, 11-12 NOON

Like Coastlib is suddenly going to get outta hand? Given the all-caps and number of exclamation points in the message, I'd say the poster has her own violence barely under control, not that I'm not fully in support with only this caveat: Given that the average age of the demonstrators is about 96, ultra-vi is highly unlikely, but it's wayyyyy cool with the Boonville daily that the demonstrating Coasties (Ukiah, too) go wild in the streets! Do it! Pepper suspected maga passersby with your dentures! Throw your walkers into the street! Do a mass die-in! (Er, check the last. Die-ins are contraindicated for this demographic.)

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ANGELICA DAVIES:

For six years, my partner gave everything he had to the RVCFD [Redwood Valley-Calpella Fire District]. He didn’t just work there — he believed in it. He believed in service, in leadership, in taking care of people when they were having the worst day of their lives.

He worked his way up to captain the hard way. Not because someone handed it to him, but because he earned the trust of the people around him. He trained new firefighters who now serve this community with confidence because he took the time to teach them. He was the one people looked to when things were chaotic. He led by example, not ego.

And when he finally needed help himself, the department turned its back on him.

They worked him into the ground. Twenty days straight of 24-hour shifts. That kind of schedule isn’t just exhausting — it’s dangerous. Anyone who understands basic safety knows that level of fatigue puts lives at risk. But that didn’t matter. He was expected to just keep going.

Then the trauma caught up to him. After a serious accident call, he started struggling with PTSD. And he did exactly what departments claim they want their firefighters to do: he spoke up. He asked for help. He made it clear he wasn’t okay and needed support.

Nothing happened.

No mental health resources.

No follow-up.

No leadership stepping in.

They left him to deal with it alone.

Then a new chief came in and almost immediately put him on administrative leave and demoted him. No real acknowledgment of his service. No consideration of what he’d been through. Just a decision that made it clear he was now a problem instead of a person.

Now we’re dealing with his termination. We’re struggling to stay afloat while the district cuts dead weight. But there is nothing disposable about a human being. There is nothing expendable about six years of service, leadership, and sacrifice.

What makes this even harder is knowing who my partner actually is.

He didn’t stop serving when his shift ended. He gave his own coats to people experiencing homelessness. His mom hand-crocheted hats so he could pass them out. He helped neighbors with things that weren’t “department issues” — stopping for a run-over animal, helping someone with a sick dog, showing up simply because someone needed help.

This is the person they discarded.

Fire departments love to talk about brotherhood. About family. About taking care of their own. But those words mean nothing if they disappear the moment someone becomes inconvenient.

What happened here isn’t unique, but that doesn’t make it okay.

You can’t work firefighters into the ground, ignore their trauma, and then punish them when they break. You can’t claim to care about mental health while refusing to actually support it. And you can’t pretend this only affects the employee when families are left to pick up the pieces.

This isn’t about revenge.

It’s about truth.

It’s about accountability.

And it’s about saying out loud what too many families are forced to carry in silence.

No firefighter should be left alone in the flames and no family should be left to fester because of institutional failure.

What hurts most is that he is no longer who he was.

I don’t see that glimmer of hope in his eyes anymore — the part of him that always believed he could make the world better than the way he found it. The job didn’t just take his health or his career. It took pieces of his spirit that may never come back.

The fractures in his relationships — with coworkers, with friends, with people he once trusted — will never fully be mended. The damage runs too deep. And the fear on his face now, every time we hear a siren or pass a car accident on the side of the road, is a permanent reminder of what he was forced to endure without support. That fear didn’t come from weakness. It came from being exposed to trauma and then left without support by the system that promised to protect him.

Since all of this happened, we have also been struggling financially. Not because of poor choices, but because when institutions fail, families pay the price. The instability, the uncertainty, the sudden loss of income — these are consequences that linger quietly in the background, compounding the harm long after the official decisions are made.

This is the part that rarely makes it into reports or procedures: the long-term damage. The way trauma reshapes a person. The way families are changed. The way trust in institutions is broken, sometimes permanently. This is why this story matters, HIS story matters.

Because the true cost of failure isn’t just a demotion or a termination. It’s the lasting fear, the altered future, and the parts of a person that never fully return.

This may not bring resolution for him, but it can still matter for the many first responders facing similar struggles in silence. Instead of focusing solely on timing the annual barbecue just right or securing the tallest trees in the department lot, we should be ensuring that our first responders are truly supported — mentally, physically, and humanly.

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UKIAH SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK

Weco is a one-year-old, 36-pound sweetheart who’s just the right size for life on the go. This compact traveler is the perfect companion for road trips, coffee runs, or weekend adventures. Weco can be a little shy when meeting new people, but a tasty treat is all it takes for him to warm up and show his gentle, affectionate side. Once he trusts you, he’s all in. This guy is a dream on leash and already knows several cues — sit, down, and shake — making him an easy dog to live with and a fun one to train. When he’s not showing off his manners, Weco loves playing with toys and entertaining himself with a good game of toss or chew. Weco is on the lookout for a home that appreciates a sweet, sensitive pup with a playful spirit. If you’re looking for a loyal sidekick who will fit perfectly into your adventures, Weco might be your guy.

To see all of our canine and feline, guests visit: mendoanimalshelter.com We're on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mendoanimalshelter/

For information about adoptions please call 707-467-6453.

Making a difference for homeless pets in Mendocino County, one day at a time!

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TRIBE'S CANNABIS RAID CLAIMS LARGELY SURVIVE DISMISSAL

by Mike Curley

Law360 (January 30, 2026, 2:12 PM EST) -- A California federal judge has denied the bulk of two motions to dismiss a suit from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and three of its members alleging that their properties were illegally raided for growing cannabis, dismissing only the claims that law enforcement officers didn't have jurisdiction over the properties.

In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Robert M. Illman partially granted dismissal bids from Mendocino County and its Sheriff Matthew Kendall and from California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee, while allowing claims that they performed unlawful searches and were negligent to proceed.

The first two claims of the complaint — unlawful assertion of jurisdiction and interference with the tribe's sovereignty — hinged on whether the raids concerned regulatory law or criminal law, the judge wrote, as the laws governing when state authorities have jurisdiction allow them to prosecute criminal, but not regulatory, law.

While the tribe and individual plaintiffs argued that the legalization of cannabis in California shows that it seeks to regulate it rather than criminalize, Judge Illman disagreed, saying that some types of cannabis cultivation and possession are still illegal, including cultivation with intent to sell, as the state has sought to eliminate the illegal market.

Licensure is a heavily regulated exemption to the broader scheme of criminalizing cannabis, the judge wrote, not the other way around, and narrow allowances for possession and cultivation do not make the broader laws regulatory in nature.

As such, the judge dismissed with prejudice the two claims that rely on the idea that the authorities had no jurisdiction to conduct the raids.

The tribes alleged in April that the law enforcement agencies conducted raids in July 2024 on the trust allotments on which April James, Eunice Swearinger and Steve Britton live, destroying parts of their property, including cannabis plants. The tribes said James and Swearinger grow cannabis themselves to treat pain from medical conditions, while Britton is a rancher who grows cannabis on his land.

In addition to Duryee, Kendall and the county of Mendocino, the suit named as defendants Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal, Deputy Sheriff Justin Pryor and the county of Humboldt.

Mendocino County and Kendall moved to dismiss in early August, arguing that federal law blocks states from enforcing civil and regulatory laws on tribal lands, but does not block enforcement of criminal and prohibitory laws.

The tribes two weeks later pushed back on the dismissal bid, saying the laws could not be enforced on tribal land because they were regulatory in nature.

The California Highway Patrol then moved to dismiss as well, and in September the tribe argued the allegations in the latest complaint are sufficient to state their claim against the highway patrol.

In Thursday's order, Judge Illman allowed the plaintiffs' claims under the Fourth and 14th amendments to proceed, finding the facts in the complaint sufficient to allege that Kendall, in both official and individual capacity, was responsible for a policy of selective enforcement that led to the raids, and the destruction of the cannabis.

According to the order, Kendall in his individual capacity is not a "redundant defendant," because he is the person with operational control, and as such he, and not the county, may be the official in charge of carrying out the declaratory or injunctive relief sought.

In addition, the complaint sufficiently alleges that Kendall was personally involved in the planning of the raids, noting he was involved enough to make public statements about them, effectively ratifying them and the policy that they represent, even if he was not personally present at them, according to the order.

The judge also denied Kendall and Mendocino's bid to dismiss the negligence claims stemming from the destruction of the crop, saying the sheriff does not have immunity for actions taken in an investigatory search, particularly as these raids did not result in any criminal charges.

However, the judge dismissed the plaintiffs' claim for monetary damages, finding they didn't sufficiently allege the underlying tort claims they are seeking those damages for.

Finally, the judge denied Duryee's bid to dismiss claims of Fourth Amendment violations brought against him in his individual capacity, as the plaintiffs have sufficiently alleged that the highway patrol was involved in the destruction, while granting dismissal on the claims against him in his official capacity, as those claims were premised on the jurisdiction and sovereignty claims that were dismissed.

Representatives for the parties could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee is represented by Harinder K. Kapur, Gregory M. Cribbs and Justin T. Buller of the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

The Round Valley plaintiffs are represented by David B. Dehnert of Dehnert Law PC and by Lester J. Marston of Law Office of Lester J. Marston.

Kendall and Mendocino County are represented by James R. Touchstone and Denise Lynch Rocawich of Jones Mayer.

Honsal, Pryor and Humboldt County are represented by Humboldt County counsel Joel Campbell-Blair.

The case is Round Valley Indian Tribes et al. v. Kendall et al., case number 1:25-cv-03736, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

(law360.com)

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LEW CHICHESTER (Covelo)

“A federal judge in the Northern District of California on Thursday affirmed the authority of sheriff’s deputies to enforce criminal laws prohibiting large-scale cannabis cultivation on tribal land.

The ruling marked a victory for Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall, who has repeatedly warned about cartel activity in the northeastern part of the county.”

This is kind of a big deal out here. For a decade now there have been large commercial grows of marijuana on various allotments within the boundaries of the Round Valley Indian Reservation. These are grows which have been operating under the assumption that because both the State and the Tribe allow for cultivation for personal use, with the Tribe having a Compassionate Use Ordinance as well as a degree of sovereignty and exemption from enforcement of State regulations, that these grows are somehow “legal.”

The Sheriff thought otherwise, and raided three of these grows in 2024. The Tribe then sued the Sheriff. A Federal Judge just the other day made, which seemed to make sense to me, a determination that these grows were in actuality commercial operations, not for personal use, and a violation of various State criminal statues. Therefore no immunity.

Plus the Compassionate Use Ordinance has been a flagrant fiction for allowing large commercial grows to be established on dozens, if not hundreds, of Trust Allotments on the reservation. These grows are staffed by Spanish speaking individuals, and the product then sold through a maze of criminal connections.

Perhaps the Sheriff just got tired of the BS and posturing, the homicides and kidnappings, and the general criminalization of a once somewhat family friendly place.

I am sure there are lots of individuals, including those growing on Indian land, and the Tribal Council who has facilitated all this descent into a criminal cartel hell, who are bent out of shape. This isn’t over, not by a long shot.

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ANDERSON VALLEY VILLAGE List of Events

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LOCAL EVENTS (this week)

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WONDERING WHY

Dear Editor:

A lot of folks in the community wonder why Mendocino Railway’s privately owned excursion train qualifies for millions in taxpayer government subsidies. The answer — they work relentlessly propagating the fiction that they are a real railroad that provides needed passenger and freight service. The truth is they are nothing more than an amusement ride with overpriced tickets.

Why do they perpetuate this fiction? The answer: the fiction enables them to get millions in federal taxpayer subsidies and take advantage of legal privileges robber baron railroad owners acquired by hook and crook going back more than hundred years.

The pursuit of corporate welfare over the years has paid off. They were awarded a $21 million federally subsidized loan and an additional $14 million dollar taxpayer funded grant just in the last three years. So in a time when our federal government is running record-breaking deficits and cutting back on food, education and healthcare programs for working families, Mendocino Railway has been raking in corporate welfare at taxpayers’ expense.

Now the railway is going around trumpeting it’s entitled to all that corporate welfare and special privilege, because of a decision by the federal Surface Transportation Board. But anyone that bothers to read the Surface Transportation Board’s decision immediately sees that rather than affirming the railway actually provides passenger and freight service, it simply states that until the board decides otherwise the railroad can continue to claim it is a federally authorized railroad.

What Mendocino Railway fails to acknowledge in all its propaganda is that California’s Attorney General disagrees with the Surface Transportation Board’s ruling and has filed an appeal in the courts to overturn the decision.

One way Mendocino Railway leverages its misuse of taxpayer money is by lobbying the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) to designate the Skunk Train as “public transportation” in the county. The reality is the Skunk Train hasn’t provided transportation of passengers or freight between Fort Bragg and Willits in over a decade. Nevertheless, Mendocino Railway keeps making promises, like it has for over ten years, that it’s going to reopen its collapsed train tunnel and upgrade its dilapidated tracks back to a level that would allow safe passenger and freight railroad service soooooooooon!!!!

Meanwhile, they keep collecting federal subsidies. And even worse, the railway has been trying to take other people’s property even when the owners don’t want to sell it to the railway.

Well, it’s time to end the fiction! And as a step in that direction, many county residents have asked MCOG to delete the Skunk Train tourist ride from the county’s transportation plan. Why? Because the Skunk Train is in fact, a tourist amusement ride — not real transportation for passengers or freight between Fort Bragg and Willits.

The transportation plan is what federal and state agencies rely upon to decide where to invest public transportation dollars in the form of grants and loans. Inclusion in MCOG’s transportation plan isn’t a harmless fiction. It diverts taxpayer money that could be going to fixing our roads or improving our public transit systems. Instead, the money is being diverted into the pockets of a privately owned amusement ride.

If you agree it’s time we stopped this wasteful fiction, send MCOG an email and urge them to stop including the Skunk Train in the transportation plan. MCOG will be taking public comment on the railway in regard to its transportation planning at its next meeting on Monday, Feb. 2 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors chambers, room 1070. You can also attend via Zoom: see www.mendocinocog.org/board-of-directors. Show up and speak your mind!

Peter McNamee

Fort Bragg

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DEATH CAP AND WESTERN DESTROYING ANGEL

Symptoms of Mushroom Poisoning

Symptoms may appear 6–24 hours after eating a poisonous mushroom.

Even mild nausea can signal a serious reaction.

Early symptoms may fade, but severe liver damage can develop 2–3 days later.

Seek medical help immediately if someone has eaten a wild mushroom — do not wait for symptoms.

Early symptoms may include:

• Stomach pain or cramping
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Drop in blood pressure

If you or someone you know may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, get medical care right away or call California Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

Learn more: go.cdph.ca.gov/PoisonMushrooms

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NORMAN!

Joseph Huckaby: I'm so sorry everyone -- I was given false information. I can confirm 100% that Norman de Vall is VERY MUCH ALIVE. Huge apologies. I heard the rumor from Carl (John Terwilliger's old friend) at the Food Bank in FB. He seemed quite sure about it. I deeply apologize for any harm caused by my ListServ email.

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Kristina Almquist: I saw Norman at the DMV a short while ago, though I don’t think he’s still driving. When I first got to Mendocino, in 1981, Norman was the 5th district supervisor. It seems the BOS had more capacity in those days. Norman was working on garbage service and he was the one that got us county wide garbage service, before that there were a lot of places without regular service. So WMI won that bid, and held it for many years, til now we’ve Redwood, but Norman set the pace for county wide garbage service and I thank him every time I take my cans to the side of the road at the bottom of my driveway.

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Margaret M. ORourke: Norman - 16 years the fifth district supervisor! that is dedication he spearheaded Clean Slate - as a result of his efforts - many of us, including me, have a place to call home in Mendocino. Also, he made us safer by providing the leadership needed to get CalTrans to consider and finally put in place the traffic light on Little Lake and Highway 1 - along with helping people with flat tires on Highway 128, picking up hitchhikers and always listening to our concerns. A thousand thanks Norman!

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David Jones: In my Sea Gull days we did an art-in fundraiser for Norman. I posted 3 blogs about it with lots of pictures if you feel like waxing nostalgic.

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Andrea Luna: Norman’s election to the BOS was a huge victory for Progressives and his “Back to the Land” voter base.

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CHICKEN SEAGULL, on the Round Valley Reservation

Mendocino County, California - Pomo (Khabeako Band) - 1907

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ROBIN SUNBEAM:

My friend Aryae Troupin died yesterday, z'al. He had no children. He was estranged from his cruel crazy siblings. There is no one to claim his corpse. Considering that death is inevitable, especially after a lifetime of sickness and old age, I am less sad about losing my friend than I am that there is no one to claim his corpse and bury him. His death is a relief from his physical suffering.

My ex-husband‘s aunt Felicia died in the hospital and nobody came to claim her body. Not her son, not her grandchild, not her nieces and nephews. And not me, the X-wife of a nephew.

The hospital called me about her death because I was the only name on the hospital rosters to have visited her. I called her son, nephews and nieces; none took responsibility for her corpse. She was buried in a pauper‘s grave.

It breaks my heart that they have no one. At least Aryae will be mourned by many. The Aquarian Minyan is planning a memorial service in May.

I hope someone will mourn me when I am dead. I hope there will be enough people who love me to claim my dead body and bury me. If all goes well, my descendants will certainly have enough money to pay for my funeral.

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CATCH OF THE DAY, Saturday, January 31, 2026

DAWN BARNES, 66, Point Arena. DUI, suspended license.

JAMES BRAY JR., 65, Fort Bragg. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, probation violation.

FERNANDO MARTINEZ-ORTIZ, 32, Upper Lake/Ukiah. DUI, suspended licnse for DUI, probation violation.

RYAN SLOAN, 26, Willits. DUI, leaving scene of accident with property damage.

KEVIN WORLEY, 33, Ukiah. Trespassing.

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KYLE YOUNGER:

Its a shame what California has turned into, and Red Bluff. My wife and I moved to Red Bluff from Redding, mainly because it's cheaper. You get what you pay for right? I work and drive to Redding almost every day still for the time being. Not only are the gas prices going up again, I wanted to take my 2 year old daughter to play outside today at a playground and… well let's just say the playgrounds aren't even playgrounds anymore. There is one decent one that was too crowded today especially for a 2 year old. Might try it again on a different day. The others are public places for underage teens to drink alcohol, blare their shitty music from their cars while screaming at the top of their lungs, and for tweakers to sit by the public bathrooms and watch and do drugs (Diamond park, which surprisingly had good reviews on Google). So instead we came home to our apartment and just played with bubbles and chalk on our fenced patio where it's safe. My wife and I have been talking about moving out of this state for awhile now, moving back to where we came from, back East. Family is what brought us out here in the first place, wish we never came. This isn't a safe place to raise a family long term. I wanted to come on here and vent because our outing today made us upset. We can't even go to a public playground here literally designed for kids to run around and play on without the fear of their safety being threatened. Our fun outings will have to remain in Redding or Chico or something til we get our asses out of this shithole.

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MAN ARRESTED AFTER DRIVING ONTO SIDEWALK AS TENSIONS BOIL OVER NEAR EUREKA COURTHOUSE PROTEST

by Lisa Music

Tensions surrounding a general strike demonstration near the Eureka Courthouse escalated Friday evening when opposing expressions of protected speech gave way to alleged criminal behavior, resulting in an arrest and an ongoing police investigation involving multiple individuals.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m. Friday as local students and community members were gathered in demonstration against recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and elsewhere across the country.

According to sources who spoke with Redheaded Blackbelt, a man stopped at the traffic light at J and 5th streets was seen waving a MAGA hat out of his vehicle window, an apparent act of counter-protest. Witnesses said a teenage girl ran past the vehicle, grabbed the hat, and fled the area.

One of three young women later interviewed by Redheaded Blackbelt reporter Ryan Hutson said the man then allegedly drove across three lanes of traffic and onto the sidewalk, nearly striking the three women as he pursued the teen on foot. The woman said the driver exited his vehicle and initially appeared to be holding a knife, which she said he discarded before continuing the pursuit.

Witnesses reported that the man then chased the three young women, ultimately grabbing a young woman who was not involved in taking the hat. Eureka Police officers responded, detained the man at the scene, and later placed him under arrest.

According to Chief Brian Stephens, the person who took the hat has not been located and remains outstanding, and the hat itself has not been recovered.

Eureka Police Department Public Information Officer Laura Montagna said officers are continuing to investigate the incident and are working to determine the exact sequence of events, including the actions of all individuals involved.

The incident highlights the legal boundary between constitutionally protected protest and counter-protest activity and conduct that may cross into criminal behavior, including alleged theft, dangerous driving, and assault.

As of Friday evening, police had not released the name of the arrested man, announced formal charges, or identified the alleged theft suspect.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Redheaded Blackbelt will continue to report on this developing story as additional information becomes available.

(RedheadedBlackbelt/KymKemp.com)

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MEMO OF THE AIR: The Little Golden Book of the Dead.

Marco here. Here's the recording of Friday night's (9pm PST, 2026-01-30) eight-hour-long Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio show on KNYO.org, on 107.7fm KNYO-LP Fort Bragg (CA) and also, for the first three hours, on 89.3fm KAKX Mendocino, ready for you to re-enjoy in whole or in part: https://memo-of-the-air.s3.amazonaws.com/KNYO_0681_MOTA_2026-01-30.mp3

Coming shows can feature your own story or dream or poem or essay or kvetch or announcement. Just email it to me. Or send me a link to your writing project and I'll take it from there and read it on the air. That's what I'm here for.

Besides all that, at https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com you'll find a fresh batch of dozens of links to not-necessarily radio-useful but worthwhile items I set aside for you while gathering the show together, such as:

A haunting short film about the Well of Death. Globes of Death are also spectacular. You don't see either kind so much anymore. The kids grow up and leave the act, or the lion gets too old, or the whole carnival is arrested for drugs and prostitution, or podunk townspeople tar and feather the Zipper operator because its trailer wasn't staked down properly and it fell over and squashed a crippled child. This is why we can't have nice things. https://nagonthelake.blogspot.com/2026/01/gladiators-on-wheels.html

Four hours of CNN coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, January 28, 1986. Before that happened, entirely unrelated except for being the same general subject, I launched a very big model rocket up out of the middle of the Albion Whale School, that all the kids stuck post-it notes of their names all over, and that had a screaming-loud electronic siren in the nose of, so to be able to find it in the woods later, which we did. This was all covered in a live broadcast from the little actual radio station in the end room on the trailer closest to the driveway, partly using interviews by a couple of kids running around with a cassette recorder. A VHS camcorder the size of a suitcase captured the rocket breaking up in the sky eerily similarly to what happened to the Challenger just a little bit later. My rocket was in November, I think, and had no casualties, then the Challenger was in January and blew up with seven of the smartest, best examples of people in the world in it. I remember all their names. https://www.fark.com/vidplayer/13955466

Brazilian Seu Jorge sings David Bowie songs in Portuguese, just sitting on a park bench, playing guitar. (59 min.) https://boingboing.net/2026/01/26/space-oddity-and-ziggy-stardust-sound-beautiful-in-portuguese.html

And the Budapest Smile School. https://www.weirduniverse.net/blog/comments/budapest_smile_school

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

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to 2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Charlie Musselwhite

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DEBORAH WHITE:

I'm becoming more fanatical about the infliction of algebra on students who have no intention of following a STEM path. It acts as a barrier and makes them feel stupid.

You might think it strange that a math professor/tutor has this view. I loved math all the way through Calc 3, but for people who don't feel that way, other courses are more likely to enrich their lives.

First of all, music--all kinds. I find that I can't relate to a piece until I've heard it a couple of times so that its pattern is in my brain.

Next, art and literature.

Lifelong learning is the goal.

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WINTER WOES: Dancing to Schubert in Berlin

by David Yearsley

Anglophone theatre people wish each other good luck (or better, anti-bad luck) with the phrase “break a leg.” The Germans double the violence: “Hals- und Beinbruch” — break your neck and your leg, not that injuring the latter is really relevant after you’ve broken the former.

I tried not to break either body part, or any other for that matter, as I biked across frigid Berlin to a choreographed and orchestrated interpretation of Franz Schubert’s chilling and tormented cycle of two dozen songs, Winterreise, staged by the Staatsballett. The city’s unsalted sidewalks and bike paths were layered with ice, in some vast stretches mirror-smooth, in other patches sharp-edged and rutted.

As I cycled to the cycle, I thought of myself breaking a neck and a leg, and hoped the dancers were saying that to each other and therefore not doing either.

The weather conditions were right for Schubert’s wintry Art, if only one could arrive safely for the performance: through the illuminated Brandenburg Gate; alongside the adjacent French Embassy, where a dozen heads visible in a picture window were conferencing, probably about Putin or Trump or both; down the city’s grand boulevard, Unter den Linden, past the darkened Russian Embassy and the Berlin State Library and beneath the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great to the opera house (not the original building, but a post-war reconstruction, recently restored) that the musical monarch had built nearly 300 years ago.

Winterreise is a rural, not an urban journey. In Wilhelm Müller’s 1824 poetry collection of that title, from which Schubert drew the texts for his set of songs, there are no sidewalks or cycle paths, no squadrons of e-bike food deliverers, no angry cars or hulking buses. In Winterreise, deer tracks meander across white fields. The narrator vainly seeks beneath the snow a footprint left in what was once a green meadow by the beloved who has spurned him. Hot tears fall into motionless streams that, when thawed in spring, will carry away the pathetic drops. Winterreise was premiered in Vienna in freezing January of 1828. Schubert died at thirty-one as the next winter set in.

German songs—Lieder—make for a lonely genre. A solo singer stands on a stage with a lone pianist setting the scene, commenting on the imagery, emphasizing and coloring the text, at other times searching for hidden meanings and troubling unconscious thoughts. When not singing, the singer chews the scenery, searching for somewhere to look, something to do — which also and always means something not to do. There is an art to not falling through the ice of these accompanied silences.

It is a literally breathtaking artistic journey in itself to transform a duo (ten fingers and one voice) into some forty dancers and a chamber orchestra of like number, with strings, winds, brass, harp, percussion, and the occasionally ghostly utterance of a sampled Schubert piano calling up from the pit as if from the cold and out of the past.

This visionary musical reimagining, or better re-sounding, of Winterreise is a work from 1992 by opera conductor and composer Hans Zender, who died in 2019. He called it a reinterpretation, and it is much more than simply an orchestration of Schubert’s piano part, whose many textures, interior melodies, and shifting harmonies lend themselves to instrumental profiling. But Zender goes much farther and deeper, remaining true to his source also by dissecting and distorting it.

A quarter century later, Zender’s multi-dimensioned musical tableau spurred Christian Spuck to create enigmatically abstract but powerfully expressive choreography that filled the voiceless spaces, and even many of the gaps between songs, with bodies in sometimes swirling, frenetic motion and in other moments in austere, wrenching stasis.

A product of the vibrant, progressive dance culture of Stuttgart, Spuck has been intendant at the Berlin State Ballet since 2023, after a decade as artistic head in Zurich. Across several decades, he has demonstrated remarkable ability to take on canonic works of European art, from Monteverdi to Flaubert to Schubert. The present run of performances of Spuck’s Winterreise reheats (necessary in these frozen weeks) the ballet premiered in Zurich in 2018. Here in Berlin, Spuck’s Gesamtkunstwerk imprints his artistic program on this brilliant dance company, marked by technical confidence, individual dynamism and nuance, and a palpable sense of shared artistic mission.

This is Romantic music of failed romantic love and the ensuing attempt at escape and toward self-annihilation in the face of winter. And so it makes paradoxical sense that Spuck’s is often a choreography of male-female pairs, their forms revolving through each other’s arms and around each other’s legs, tessellating, resisting, conforming. Fingers splay and booted feet flex. The poise and elegance of classical arabesques and tendues are shot through with shivers and sudden contortions and anti-classical angles. Seemingly frictionless pirouettes refuse to be shackled by the past and reflexively deform. These visions seem both indifferent to, yet also in uncanny dialogue with, the present pain and anguished reveries of the poetry and music. The prevailing sense of distance and poise is brightened by flashes of mimesis, as in the twirling virtuosity of the solo male dancer in “Rückblick” (Retrospect), ecstatic in his agony: “Es brennt mir unter beiden Sohlen, / Tret’ ich auch schon auf Eis und Schnee” — It is burning hot under both my feet, / though I am walking on ice and snow.

Figures—some stooped, others resolutely erect; some masked, others carrying bundles of sticks — walk slowly along implacable gray walls that pronounce Nature and Love dead. Bodies emerge from a hidden trench in the stage, as if from a grave. Mouths gape in the imaginary wind unleashed by music and word. Black costumes predominate, though there were scant skin-colored outfits and the occasional shirtless men, classical statuary come to life in cold-free winter. Occasionally snow flurries from above or even from inside tight-fitting jackets, as in the penultimate song “Mut” (Courage).

The props are few, mostly inscrutable. An ominous stuffed crow is held by one of the dancers in the still formation that assembles on the stage at the start, as the orchestra fumbles toward inchoate utterance. The bird reappears as one of the walking humans, this time wearing long black claws for gloves and a beaked mask. No bird is seen as the crows throw snowballs at the wanderer in “Rückblick.” A solitary black bird stalks him from above in the fifteenth song, “Die Krähe” (The Crow), biding his aerial time, thinks the narrator, until he can feast as his human carrion. The stuffed crows come back in the last song for the most densely structured and peopled choreography in the cycle’s final song, “Der Leiermann” (The Hurdy-Gurdy Player), carried and placed on the boards by the near-nude ensemble that emerges from below. From amidst this display of regenerative summer flesh amongst deathly black feathers and black blindfolds, tenor Mauro Peter sang one of the most devastating, self-referential accounts of music and approaching death in all of art:

Against Zender’s addled modulations and freaky feedback loops that transform Schubert’s original monotone from self-pity into nightmare, Peter’s voice remained resolute, full of ache and beauty and strength—a voice not of redemption but of resignation. As the orchestra rode its own eery updrafts into oblivion, the dancing coalesced toward calm, even serenity.

No one on stage was clad for the poetry’s weather, nor that outside the Berlin State Opera House that bitter night. Inside and warm, necks unbowed and unbroken, last night’s audience remained enraptured for the uncanny spectacle’s 100 minutes without intermission, calling the ensemble back many times with a (mostly) standing ovation. Berlin audiences rise reluctantly, whatever the weather, but this multi-sensory Art moved them, warmed and chilled them.

(David Yearsley is a long-time contributor to CounterPunch and the Anderson Valley Advertiser. His latest albums, “In the Cabinet of Wonders” and “Handel’s Organ Banquet” are now available from False Azure Records.)

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AFTER DUCKING SERVICE, TRUMP TRASHES ALLIES

Editor:

Donald Trump, who claimed bone spurs to evade military service during the Vietnam War, should have never berated British and NATO troops in Afghanistan. That is pure cowardice on display by a man who only fights with his mouth and his money. Bad news for America, because Trump won’t hesitate to do the same to U.S. troops.

Joe Clendenin

Santa Rosa

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CELLPHONES MAY BE THE BEST TOOL TO HALT ICE

Editor:

It’s sadly ironic but it appears that a cellphone with a camera is considered a lethal weapon by the inadequately trained and highly agitated recruits who are the public face of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. In fact, it may be the single most important tool we have to regain a sense of humanity. Hopefully it will happen not only soon, but become an irreversible trend, unlike our penchant to not learn from history’s tragic examples. That will make it seem like a worthwhile detour in the advancement of civilization.

Jonathan McClelland

Santa Rosa

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I WATCHED THE ‘MELANIA’ DOCUMENTARY SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WASTE YOUR TIME

by G. Allen Johnson

On the day of a national general strike aimed at protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies, a documentary about first lady Melania Trump’s hands-on efforts to spearhead a $250 million inauguration for the elite opened in theaters across the country.

Some might call that a “let them eat cake” moment.

Amazon reportedly ponied up $75 million for the film — about the production cost of “Marty Supreme” — directed by Hollywood veteran Brett Ratner. Best known for his “Rush Hour” trilogy, “Melania” is the director’s first significant work since being accused of sexual assault by more than a half dozen women, including actors Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, in 2017.

Unfortunate timing aside, “Melania,” which opened Friday, Jan. 30, stands as something of a Rorschach test. The left no doubt would call it Leni Riefenstahl-ish propaganda, whitewashing an administration that has put the nation on course to, in their view, fascism.

The right, including some 15 people (two of whom wore MAGA hats) who bought tickets for the first Bay Area showing — at 9:50 a.m. at the Regal Hacienda Crossings in Dublin — likely responded to Melania Trump’s stated goal for the documentary to provide “hope and optimism.”

“It was a good journey from her view,” said Frances of Dublin (patrons who spoke with the Chronicle at the Regal screening did so on condition only their first names be used). “It was just beautifully done, much like her. She’s beautiful.”

Like it or not, “Melania,” which chronicles the first 20 days of 2025 leading up to the inauguration, will stand as a historical document, part of the record of the second Donald J. Trump term.

Who knows how this film will be thought of by presidential historians a century from today. But for now, here are a few takeaways from the Amazon MGM Studios-backed documentary:

From ‘Gimme Shelter’ to ‘YMCA,’ a Baffling Playlist

Bizarrely, the film opens with a helicopter shot zeroing in on Mar-a-Lago, the Trump’s Palm Beach resort that is their primary residence, to the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.”

That’s the 1969 anti-war song that captures the unrest of the Vietnam War era, with lyrics that include: “War, children / It’s just a shot away / Rape, murder, it’s just a shot away / It’s just a shot away.”

Other golden oldies include James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” (1966), played when Melania’s son, Barron Trump, waves to the crowd at an inaugural event; Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985); the Village People’s “YMCA” (1978), a perennial Trump favorite; and Melania’s favorite song by her favorite artist, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” (1983).

Perhaps the most jarring use of music is when Melania, on the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death, stops by St. Patrick’s Cathedral and lights a candle. The church is empty — this was obviously a visit arranged in advance — yet the scene is flooded with Aretha Franklin’s 1972 version of “Amazing Grace,” recorded live at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. The contrast between the quiet solitude of a woman alone with her grief and a joyous night of audience participation from 53 years before is strange to say the least.

The Director Has A High Heel Fetish

Ratner brings Hollywood production values to “Melania.” The first shot of the first lady is of her feet, in high heels as she gets out of a car. It’s a shot that’s repeated a few times. She is never seen in anything but high heels, and Ratner often emphasized them.

In one of the last scenes in the film, at 2 a.m. after the inaugural ball, when the first lady, back at the White House for the first time in four years, can finally kick off those heels.

Melania the Loner

In the film, which is co-produced by Melania, the first lady is rarely seen with anyone. She moves from place to place, in private planes and a fleet of back SUVs, with only her security contingent accompanying her.

No doubt this documentary has a high degree of image control by Melania, but it’s interesting we rarely see the two most important people in her life: her son and husband.

In Barron’s case, it might be understandable. Melania is known to be fiercely protective — especially from public prying — of her 19-year-old son.

In Donald’s case, it’s a bit more intriguing. Except for the last half hour, he makes only brief appearances in the documentary.

They call each other “honey.” We find out they sleep in separate beds. In one amusing scene, Donald calls Melania on Jan. 6, reveling in his victory during the electoral vote count (which four years earlier was interrupted by a siege on the U.S. Capitol).

“Did you watch it?” Donald asks.

“No, I had meetings,” Melania responds. “I’ll see it on the news.”

“We won in a landslide,” Donald says. “We got millions more votes. It was unlike anything that has happened before.”

So Donald Trump talks to his wife like he talks to the American public?

Lavish Control In An Age Of Anxiety

“Melania” is being released in theaters at a time when the majority of Americans, according to polls, are concerned about grocery and gas prices and affordability in general. Yet, while there are a couple of scenes that speak to her advocacy of children’s issues, including her anti-bullying platforms, the film is mostly about Melania’s behind-the-scenes micromanagement of an inauguration that cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Every one of her movements in the film screams wealth and luxury.

Still, it’s impressive how much the first lady has a grasp of all facets of putting on a big event, and, for the most part, a good sense of style (though the Trump colors of white and gold look too monarchy). The former fashion model has a detailed sense of what she wants, from her clothing (she wants to hide her “turkey neck,” she admits in the film) to her plans for the various dinners and balls she hosts.

In another life, she would have been one heck of an event planner.

“I think that it showed more of her contributions, more of her work that we didn’t really know,” said Heather of Pleasanton.

Not a blockbuster, but Not Ignored

There’s an old adage that Democrats tend to vote by mail and Republicans show up at the polls.

Well, on Friday, most of those who showed for the first screening at Regal Hacienda Crossings bought their tickets in person.

There have been several news reports saying “Melania” is headed for box-office failure, but the theater’s assistant manager Emiko De Leon, said the film is the movie with the second-highest presale ticket for Friday — behind the horror film “Iron Lung.”

“I’m going to bring my mom, she’s 93. And my daughter, who’s 33, wants to see it too,” said Julie of Livermore, who came with her husband Tom. “So I’m gonna come back and see it again.”

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BOXER JARRELL MILLER HAS HAIRPIECE PUNCHED OFF IN SPLIT-DECISION VICTORY

by Matt Moret

Boxer Jarrell Miller brought new meaning to “getting your wig pushed back” during a Saturday night bout at Madison Square Garden.

Miller, known as “Big Baby” among fans, was facing off against fellow heavyweight Kingsley Ibeh at The Ring 6 event when he took a right to the face while in a clinch during the second round. As Miller lifted his head and brushed Ibeh’s shoulder, his hairline appeared to fold up and under itself.

“What’s going on with Jarrell Miller’s hair, by the way? Is it … is it coming off? What is happening here?” commentator Todd Grisham said.

Ibeh hit Miller, the hometown kid, again. Again, the “hair” jostled.

“It is!” Grisham exclaimed. “He’s losing his hair!”

As Miller’s head rocked backward, his hairline did as well, fully confirming the 37-year-old was wearing a toupee. Then came another jab, and the hairpiece bounced up as if Miller’s scalp was the bottom of a gasping clam. A third blow flung his rug fully backward, revealing its less-than-adhesive underside and leaving him looking like a poorly opened can.

On cue, the bell rang. Ibeh took a somewhat confused, smirking glance at Miller as the two retreated to their corners. One of Miller’s cornermen seemingly notified him of the situation just as the third round was about to begin, prompting the 318-pounder to stand, shrug to the crowd cartoonishly and peel the toupee off his head. He then decided to throw it into the stands.

The fight resumed as if nothing had happened. Audience members, not so much.

Almost immediately, people seated around the ring began passing around the hairpiece. British boxer Fabio Wardley posted an Instagram picture of the toupee lying on the seat next to him, tagging Miller with the caption “DON’T WORRY, I’LL KEEP IT SAFE” and a saluting emoji. Australian boxer Skye Nicolson donned it as a hat. Social media did its thing.

Eight rounds later, the fight was over. Miller, bald except for a minuscule friar’s ring of fuzz, won in a split decision.

“By a hair,” Grisham quipped.

Miller then addressed the obvious question with a chuckle.

“It’s so funny, right. I get to my momma’s house, and she had some shampoo bottles under her table. I shampooed it, and the s— was like ammonia bleach. I literally lost my hair like two days ago. So I called my manager, said ‘Get me one of those man wigs. I’mma slap that s— on real quick!’ Ibeh knocked that s— off,” Miller said without shame. “I’m a comedian.”

With the win, Miller’s boxing record moved to 27-1. That probably won’t be what anyone remembers.

(nytimes.com)

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HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN

The gypsy woman told my mother
Before I was born
You got a boy child's comin'
He's gonna be a son of a gun
He gonna make pretty women's
Jump and shout
Then the world wanna know
What this all about

[Chorus]
But you know I'm him
Everybody knows I'm him
Well you know I'm the hoochie coochie man
Everybody knows I'm him

I got a black cat bone
I got a mojo too
I got the Johnny Concheroo
I'm gonna mess with you
I'm gonna make you girls
Lead me by my hand
Then the world will know
The hoochie coochie man

[Chorus]

On the seventh hour
On the seventh day
On the seventh month
The seven doctors say
He was born for good luck
And that you'll see
I got seven hundred dollars
Don't you mess with me

[Chorus]

— Willie Dixon (1954)

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DURING THE SEATTLE AREA PROHIBITION (1920-1933), American bootleggers needed to dodge the police.

So, they invented heifer-heels. These shoes made them resemble cows when moving through fields, preventing the cops from tracking their footprints.

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BILL KIMBERLIN:

Faulkner being interviewed on Best Writing Environments

“Art is not concerned with environment either; it doesn’t care where it is. If you mean me, the best job that was ever offered to me was to become a landlord in a brothel.

In my opinion it’s the perfect milieu for an artist to work in. It gives him perfect economic freedom; he’s free of fear and hunger; he has a roof over his head and nothing whatever to do except keep a few simple accounts and to go once every month and pay off the local police. The place is quiet during the morning hours, which is the best time of the day to work. There’s enough social life in the evening, if he wishes to participate, to keep him from being bored; it gives him a certain standing in his society; he has nothing to do because the madam keeps the books; all the inmates of the house are females and would defer to him and call him “sir.” All the bootleggers in the neighborhood would call him “sir.” And he could call the police by their first names.

So the only environment the artist needs is whatever peace, whatever solitude, and whatever pleasure he can get at not too high a cost. All the wrong environment will do is run his blood pressure up; he will spend more time being frustrated or outraged. My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whiskey.”

Interviewer: Bourbon, you mean?

Faulkner: No, I ain’t that particular. Between Scotch and nothing, I’ll take Scotch.

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“HOW MANY MORE of these goddamn elections are we going to have to write off as lame but ‘regrettably necessary’ holding actions? And how many more of these stinking, double-downer sideshows will we have to go through before we can get ourselves straight enough to put together some kind of national election that will give me and the at least 20 million people I tend to agree with a chance to vote for something, instead of always being faced with that old familiar choice between the lesser of two evils.”

— Hunter S. Thompson, ‘Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72’

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LEAD STORIES, SUNDAY'S NYT

Federal Courts Undercut Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

Facing Immigration Backlash, Trump Called Schumer to Cut a Deal

9 Mayors Discuss Safety and Trust in Their Cities Under Trump

How Alex Pretti’s Death Became a National Tipping Point

Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers

Protesters Rally Across the U.S. in Solidarity With Minneapolis

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ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

What I love most about America that I learned from hanging out on X is Americans have the best sense of humor, and are insanely creative, understand irony so well, and are brutally honest.

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BILL HATCH:

An arithmetic problem that has always bothered me is how federal government officials, testifying always with the greatest confidence, announce that so many hundreds of thousands or millions of illegal aliens have crossed into the country in such and such a time frame.

Is there a special gate at crossings like Tijuana marked "Mojados entren aqui" with Stephen Miller standing beside it with a hand counter clicker in his pocket?

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“MY MAIN LUXURY in those years--a necessary luxury, in fact--was the ability to work in and out of my home-base fortress in Woody Creek. It was a very important psychic anchor for me, a crucial grounding point where I always knew I had love, friends, & good neighbors. It was like my personal Lighthouse that I could see from anywhere in the world--no matter where I was, or how weird & crazy & dangerous it got, everything would be okay if I could just make it home. When I made that hairpin turn up the hill onto Woody Creek Road, I knew I was safe.”

— Hunter S. Thompson, ‘Fear and Loathing in America’

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"MOST PEOPLE READ HELL’S ANGELS for the lurid stories of sex and drugs. But that misses the point entirely. What’s truly shocking about reading the book today is how well Thompson foresaw the retaliatory, right-wing politics that now goes by the name of Trumpism. After following the motorcycle guys around for months, Thompson concluded that the most striking thing about them was not their hedonism but their “ethic of total retaliation” against a technologically advanced and economically changing America in which they felt they’d been counted out and left behind. Thompson saw the appeal of that retaliatory ethic. He claimed that a small part of every human being longs to burn it all down, especially when faced with great and impersonal powers that seem hostile to your very existence. In the United States, a place of ever greater and more impersonal powers, the ethic of total retaliation was likely to catch on.

What made that outcome almost certain, Thompson thought, was the obliviousness of Berkeley, California, types who, from the safety of their cocktail parties, imagined that they understood and represented the downtrodden. The Berkeley types, Thompson thought, were not going to realize how presumptuous they had been until the downtrodden broke into one of those cocktail parties and embarked on a campaign of rape, pillage, and slaughter. For Thompson, the Angels weren’t important because they heralded a new movement of cultural hedonism, but because they were the advance guard for a new kind of right-wing politics. As Thompson presciently wrote in the Nation piece he later expanded on in Hell’s Angels, that kind of politics is “nearly impossible to deal with” using reason or empathy or awareness-raising or any of the other favorite tools of the left."

— Susan McWilliams, granddaughter of Carey McWilliams and Professor of Politics at Pomona College

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THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING RUSSIA LIES DEEP IN ITS FORESTS

In “The Oak and the Larch,” Sophie Pinkham examines a vast history and culture through the branches of its ancient trees.

by Joshua Hammer

In 1978, a team of Russian geologists surveying the Ural Mountains spotted something remarkable: a small, cultivated clearing carved out of a vast wilderness. When they reached the site, they discovered the Lykovs, members of the Old Believers — a conservative sect whose adherents had dispersed to remote regions after the Romanovs brutally consolidated their control over the Orthodox Church in the 17th century.

Driven deep into the forest by their leaders’ paranoia and demands for purity, the family had survived 44 years of total isolation. They subsisted on little more than pine nuts, dried potatoes, turnips and rye. One member had died of starvation; others barely endured a winter famine. They wore birch-bark shoes, had ghostly white skin from carotene deficiency, knew nothing of World War II or Stalin’s purges and remained consumed by ancient feuds.

The discovery resonated deeply across Russia. As Sophie Pinkham writes in “The Oak and the Larch,” her expansive, often absorbing study of the role of the wilderness in the Russian imagination, their fragile existence underscored the forest’s role as a refuge from civilization’s darker forces. A professor of comparative literature at Cornell specializing in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, Pinkham observes that Russia’s forests symbolize “what is good and what must be preserved, the last bulwark against annihilation.” Yet they are also entwined with some of the cruelest chapters of Russian history. By examining Russia from the forest’s perspective, she suggests, “we can gain new understanding of Russian power, Russian nationalism, Russian imperialism and Russia’s ideas of itself.”

Pinkham divides Russia’s forests into two broad biomes. The deciduous woods of Eastern Europe, dominated by the oak, nurtured early Slavic settlements and provided protection from steppe invaders. As Muscovite power grew, rulers constructed mileslong defensive barriers made from sharpened trees to slow the nomadic cavalry. Peter the Great transformed these forests into the engines of empire, feeding the Baltic fleet that would project Russia’s power westward.

To the east stretches the taiga, the immense coniferous zone of firs, pines and larches that runs across Siberia. The taiga’s earliest inhabitants worshiped the leshii, the forest spirit believed to mislead travelers and guard sacred groves. Later, Indigenous Siberian peoples became enmeshed in the lucrative fur trade, drawing merchants and soldiers ever deeper into the woods to exploit and ultimately conquer the territory.

A number of Russia’s greatest writers, Pinkham argues in some of the book’s liveliest sections, also served as the country’s leading environmentalists. Turgenev’s lyrical depictions of rural life helped feed a moral awakening that culminated in the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. As a young officer, Tolstoy took part in the military clearing of forests in the Caucasus; the experience turned him into a lifelong defender of woodlands, reflected in his stories and in his later decision to channel the proceeds of “War and Peace” into reforesting his estate.

A dying Chekhov drew renewed energy from a journey to the taiga; in “Uncle Vanya,” the forests’ disappearance becomes a metaphor for the exhaustion of czarist society. As one Soviet writer observed in the 1950s, the forest attended the Russian “through all the stages of his life,” from his cradle to the wooden cross on his grave.

Pinkham is at her sharpest when examining the Soviet era and its aftermath. In the final days of the civil war the taiga harbored holdouts against the Bolsheviks — remnants of the White Army, as well as Indigenous fighters. When the last rebels were defeated in 1925, the regime set about brutally subduing the wilderness. To many Bolsheviks, nature was regarded as an obstacle to progress, and vast tracts were felled to clear space for factories and other industrial projects. Much of the work was carried out by forced laborers in the gulag, a system designed to place expendable bodies close to natural resources, under conditions of calculated deprivation.

But that devastation also sparked a renewal of Russia’s environmental consciousness, which thrived even under Soviet repression. In the Putin era, the ultranationalists who have supported the war in Ukraine have also fetishized the forests — the “Russian ark” — as symbols of lost empire. But, as Pinkham points out, the privatization of woodlands exposed them to rampant illegal logging by oligarchs and criminal gangs. And climate change compounded the damage: The wildfires that ravaged Russia in 2021, Pinkham points out, were “larger than those in all the rest of the world combined.”

Pinkham has taken on a Siberian sprawl of a subject, and at times the avalanche of names, places and events grows dizzying. Her contention that all of Russian history can be viewed through the prism of its forests occasionally feels strained. Not every political or cultural development reduces to botany, and the organizing metaphor can verge on the simplistic.

There is some striking nature writing here — Pinkham’s reporting on self-taught wolf researchers who live in pristine isolation near the Russian-Finnish border is especially vivid. But much of the narrative remains explanatory, and that sub-Arctic foray made me yearn for even more immediacy.

Even in Russia’s vast expanses, the untouched wilderness Pinkham describes is becoming harder to come by. After they emerged from their isolation, the Lykovs were subjected to the worshipful attention of the Russian public, which regarded them, Pinkham writes, as “human buried treasure.” Over time, the surviving family members became dependent on handouts from charity groups. One aging survivor was given an SOS button that she used on a whim to summon expensive helicopters, even as the post-Soviet economy was collapsing.

Once self-sufficient forest dwellers, they became, writes Pinkham, “like a museum exhibit, or like former dancing bears moved to a wildlife enclosure.” The fate of the Lykovs underscores the Russian forest’s continued allure — and a romantic vision that now exists more in the imagination than reality.

The Oak And The Larch: A Forest History of Russia and Its Empires. By Sophie Pinkham, Norton, 286 pp. | $35

(NY Times)

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DO NOT BURN YOURSELVES OUT. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast… a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here.

So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space.

Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”

― Edward Abbey, The Monkey Wrench Gang

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DESERT SNOW

I don’t know what happens after death
but I’ll have to chance it. I’ve been waking
at 5 a.m. and making a full study of darkness.
I was upset not hearing the predicted rain
that I very much need for my wildflowers.
At first light I see that it was the silent rain
of snow. I didn’t hear this softest sigh
of windless snow softly falling
here on the Mexican border in the mountains,
snow in a white landscape of high desert.
The birds are confounded by this rare snow
so I go out with a spatula to clean the feeders,
turn on the radio not to the world’s wretched news
but to the hot, primary colors of cantina music,
the warbles and shrieks of love, laughter, and bullets.

— Jim Harrison (2011)

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