Mendocino County Today: Thursday 2/19/2026

Cold Morning | Snow 253 | Couple Disappeared | Help Sis | Quarterfinal Bound | Carol Anne Cruise | Open Mic | CEO Wanted | Rudolph Knoop | Percussion Ensemble | Boonville BoontWorks | Alley Dispute | Aureliano Reynoso | Green Talk | Pharmacy Desert | Meet Kevin | Seawolf Winery | Yesterday's Catch | Extra Insurance | Swamp State | Imagine Philanthropy | Palestinian Voices | Dark Chapter | Crow Flies | Jesse Photos | Hope Alive | Dumbing Down | Coach Chatter | Six Strikeouts | Genocide James | Gaby Letter | Derby Gentry | Lead Stories | Idea Sacred | American Dream | Crumb's Dream | Self Pity | Imagine Gods | Wash Day

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COLD WEATHER ADVISORY remains in effect until 10am this morning
* Very cold temperatures as low as 22 expected for inland areas.
* Very cold temperatures as low as 27 expected for coastal areas.

MAJOR WINTER WEATHER impacts (heavy wet snow, rain & gusty winds) expected through Thursday. A break in the precip is expected Thursday afternoon through Friday before another storm system moves in for the weekend bringing rain, snow & strong winds. (NWS)

STEPHEN DUNLAP (Fort Bragg): 43F in light rain this Thursday morning on the coast. A nice .72" more rainfall. A few showers this morning then clear skies until Sat afternoon according to the forecast this morning. Rain then returns until about mid next week.

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RIVER RUNS HIGH AS COVELO COMMUNITY WAITS FOR ANSWERS

by Lisa Music

In the tight-knit Round Valley community of Covelo, worry and sadness have settled in like the low clouds that cling to the canyon walls above the Eel River as family and friends wait for word on a pair of overdue motorists.

An elderly couple, longtime residents of the area and part of a large multigenerational family well known locally, were reported overdue Tuesday morning after they failed to arrive in Willits to ride with a relative to a scheduled medical appointment. When they did not show up at the family home as they usually would, the relative began driving the rural route they typically travel along Highway 162 west of Covelo.

Near mile marker 10, the relative spotted what appeared to be fresh vehicle tracks leading over the embankment and down into the steep river canyon. He climbed down toward the water and found vehicle debris and personal belongings, including a purse and a medication bottle belonging to his missing family members, confirmation, authorities believe, that the vehicle had left the roadway and entered the river.

Search and rescue crews confirmed tracks leading off the roadway into a deep swimming hole section of the Eel River, an area known locally for its depth and strong currents. Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall said, “Where the vehicle went in, there’s this massive hole where all the kids go swimming… and there’s big rocks on the other end of it, and we think that the vehicle is down in that deep hole.”

Technical rescue teams attempted to reach the suspected vehicle location but were forced back by the strength of the current. “When technical rescue went out there yesterday, they could only make it about eight feet off the bank…it was just too swift,” Kendall said.

Since then, searchers working along the riverbank have continued to find clothing and other items surfacing from the water.

Additional technical and swift-water rescue teams have been requested from across the region in anticipation of a significant drop in river levels expected around 1 p.m. Thursday. “It looks like it’s going to drop dramatically tonight, and we’re hopeful that we can maybe locate the vehicle tomorrow,” Kendall said.

If the recovery cannot be completed during that window, another incoming storm system could push river levels back up, potentially delaying operations for weeks.

For Covelo, a small community where families have lived for generations and first responders often know those they serve, the situation is personal. The couple’s extended family stretches across Round Valley and Mendocino County. Many are familiar faces to firefighters, deputies, and volunteers who are now working the banks of the same river that has long been both lifeline and hazard to the region.

The sheriff acknowledged the emotional toll the search is taking on responders and residents alike. “You know, it just sucks. It just does.”

As crews wait for the river to fall, the community waits with them — hoping for calmer water, a chance at recovery, and some measure of certainty in a place where canyon roads and swift water have always demanded respect.

(kymkemp.com)

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HELP CURTIS'S SISTER FOCUS ON HEALING IN ANDERSON VALLEY

by Curtis Isbell

Curtis's elder sister, a 64-year-old native Californian, has always called Anderson Valley home. She has spent her life surrounded by the beauty of California and the warmth of her community. Recently, she received the devastating news that she has stage 4 lung cancer. This diagnosis has turned her world upside down, and she is preparing to begin treatment within the next week. Due to her declining health, she was forced to leave her job with the State parks, which was her main source of income.

As she faces the challenges of chemotherapy and the uncertainty that comes with such a serious illness, she will need all the financial and emotional support she can get. The funds raised will help cover essential expenses like travel for treatment, hotel stays, rent, electricity, and other living costs. These contributions will allow her to focus on her health and healing, rather than worrying about how to make ends meet during this difficult journey.

Curtis and his family are deeply grateful for any support offered. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference in his sister's life. As a lifelong member of the Anderson Valley community, she has always been there for others, and now she needs the kindness and generosity of her neighbors and friends. Thank you for considering a contribution and for keeping her in your thoughts during this trying time.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-curtiss-sister-focus-on-healing-in-anderson-valley

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QUARTERFINAL BOUND!

The AV Panthers Varsity Girls have advanced to the quarterfinals and will take on Cornerstone Christian in Antioch on Saturday, February 21 at 7:00 PM.

Small school, big roar!

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CAROL ANNE (RITTENHOUSE) CRUISE

Carol Anne (Rittenhouse) Cruise, 85, of Redwood Valley, California, passed away at Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, California, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Carol Anne was born in Loma Linda, California, on May 22, 1940, to Paul and Genevieve (Barker) Rittenhouse. She spent the early years of her life in Loma Linda and Paradise Valley, near San Diego, where she attended San Diego Union Academy from grades one through twelve. She worked at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium and Hospital from a young age as a messenger girl, switchboard operator, and candy striper. Carol Anne played violin, viola, and clarinet in the SDUA orchestra and participated in Pathfinders. She enjoyed hiking, and along with her father, Paul, and friends from school, church, and Pathfinders, she hiked up Mt. Whitney twice on 67 and 90-mile hikes. After graduating from SDUA in 1958 with top honors, Carol Anne attended La Sierra College, majoring in Nursing and transferring to Loma Linda University, where she again graduated in 1962 with top honors, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Public Health Nursing. While at LLU, Carol Anne met her future husband, James Robert “Jim” Cruise, who was there studying physical therapy. Carol Anne and Jim were married on June 5, 1962, in Arlington, California. Carol Anne and Jim were blessed with three children: Cheryl Anne, Deanna, and James Robert II “Rob” Cruise. Jim returned to LLU, where he earned a degree in Internal Medicine. In 1972, they moved to Redwood Valley, California, to establish Jim’s medical practice in nearby Ukiah, where Carol Anne worked as the office R.N. Later, Carol Anne worked as a private duty nurse, did long-term skilled nursing, and worked in every single nursing unit in the Ukiah Adventist Hospital, including ICU, PICU, Step-Down, Med-Surg, and the Emergency Department. Lastly, she returned to her first love, public health nursing, which she had done before the birth of her children. She worked in public health nursing for 15 years, headquartered in both the Ukiah and Willits offices, but serving all over Mendocino County. In over sixty years of nursing, Carol Anne positively impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people. She was a licensed RN until 2025.

Carol Anne was passionate about her faith in God, her family, health promotion, and helping others. She loved people and never met a stranger. She was a lifelong member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. From the moment she understood about Jesus, Carol Anne said that she wanted to be Jesus’s little girl, and as she neared her death, she said that her feelings about Jesus had never wavered. She still wanted to be Jesus’s little girl.

Carol Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Genevieve Rittenhouse; her sister, Jean (Rittenhouse) Lejnieks; and her husband, James Robert Cruise, M.D. Her three children survive her: Cheryl Anne (Cruise) Canaday; Deanna Cruise (Lee Bryant); and James Robert “Rob” Cruise II (Kristi); three grandchildren: Kristopher Gardner; Joshua J. “Jay” Cruise; and Genevieve J. “Gigi” Cruise; and three nieces: Laura, Dianne, and Lisette.

Carol Anne’s service is open to the public. Her viewing will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, in the chapel of the Ukiah Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1390 Laurel Ave, Ukiah, California. Her funeral will follow in the main sanctuary of the church at 3:00 p.m.

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SUPERVISOR MAUREEN MULHEREN posts CEO job offer on her facebook page:

This might seem random but while the official recruitment for CEO has not hit the County website it’s been on my mind so I’m putting feelers out. Do you know anyone who’d make a strong County CEO? IMO they need to have big picture management, strong mediation and financial skills. I’m not sure if they are local or if they are from out of the area. This is a key leadership position for being able to lead our County forward. If you have someone in mind I’d love to connect with them or point them in the direction of the recruiter. Of course I’m just one person out of five so while all Board members might not be looking for the same thing I want to start throwing it out there. LMK if you know the “right” person and keep the channels of communication open.

Mark Scaramella notes: “The recruiter”? “mediation skills”? “big picture management”? Mendo is so doomed.

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Mendocino County is seeking our next Chief Executive Officer.

This is a pivotal leadership opportunity at an important time for our County. With increasing fiscal pressures, infrastructure needs, and evolving state and federal policies, we are looking for a strategic, collaborative leader who can guide day-to-day operations while helping shape a resilient future for our communities.

The CEO serves as the primary administrative officer for the County, overseeing operations, implementing Board policy, coordinating departments, and managing a $694 million budget with approximately 1,092 employees. This role requires strong fiscal management, experience in public administration, and the ability to work closely with elected officials, department heads, partner agencies, and the public.

Mendocino County offers an exceptional quality of life, from our Pacific coastline and redwoods to our vineyards and rural communities. We are looking for someone who appreciates that balance and is ready to lead with integrity, clarity, and vision.

Application deadline: Monday, April 6, 2026

Anticipated start date: July or August 2026

To apply: submit materials to [email protected]

If you or someone you know has senior-level public management experience and a commitment to public service, I encourage you to review the full recruitment brochure and consider applying.

More information is available at www.mendocinocounty.gov.

Please help us spread the word.

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Mark Scaramella Notes: The contract for Mr. Charles McKee, the previously described $325 per hour South Lake Tahoe attorney/administrator who has been contracted to “assess” the County Counsel’s office and provide “executive management services,” runs out on March 31, less than a week before the application deadline the County has established for CEO applications. Another indication that Mendo has pre-selected the new CEO and is going through the motions of an unbiased recruiting process. After more than three full-time months performing his ill-defined and wasteful “executive management services,” it’s highly likely that Mr. McKee will be able to claim that he can successfully accomplish the challenging and complicated task of “balancing” Mendo’s “Pacific coastline and redwoods to our vineyards and rural communities.” But if you want to help the County pretend that the CEO recruiting is open, merit-based and above-board, feel free to apply. We also doubt the “anticipated start date” since it’s likely that current CEO Darcie Antle will leave sooner than that by taking her remaining accrued vacation and other time off. (PS. Pure fantasy, of course, but wouldn’t it be interesting if the next CEO somehow turned out to be Chamise Cubbison?)

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RUDOLPH HENRY WURLITZER KNOOP (1948 - 2026)

Rudolph Henry Wurlitzer Knoop, 77, of Summertown, TN, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 13, 2026 in Columbia, TN, succumbing to mounting complications from his struggle with cancer.

He is survived by his brothers Christopher and Anthony, and predeceased by his sister Janet and brothers John and Richard. He is also survived by his children Luther, George, Carlos, and Ethan, grandchildren Isaiah and Jeremiah, and a collection of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and more that meant the world to him but are far too numerous to list.

Born in Cincinnati, OH on July 20, 1948 to Frederic and Annette Wurlitzer Knoop, Rudy developed his lifelong love of nature, story telling, and activism growing up on the family's goat farm as the second youngest son in a burgeoning collection of artists and deep thinkers. This unique upbringing instilled in him both the value of hard, honest work and the beauty of always being open and learning in every way possible.

From these beginnings, he became a man of passionate conscience and kind hearted consideration in everything he did in the world. He attended Harvard University but left to pursue the calling of his heart toward anti-war and civil rights activism, and building alternative communities focused on cooperative living. This led him to become a founding member of the historic and influential intentional community known as The Farm, where he played important parts in developing sustainable farming methods and in outreach to the surrounding communities in Summertown, TN and beyond, aided by his remarkable gift at building friendship and connection across cultural divides.

Over more than a decade of life on The Farm, Rudy also began his family in partnership with Marilyn Read of San Francisco, CA, with all four of their children being born as part of the community’s groundbreaking midwifery program. After leaving The Farm the family eventually resettled in Northern California, where Rudy began a career installing, sanding, and finishing hardwood flooring, a trade which he excelled at and that supported him much of his life. He became a master craftsman, owning and operating a successful business as an independent contractor, and taking great pride in marrying exceptional artistry with conscientious workmanship.

However, despite his dedication and care for his vocation (frequently recounting that he had laid more than ten acres of flooring in his life) his true calling always remained advocating for a better world. He endeavored to do this explicitly through well chosen action, and implicitly by living a life that defiantly declared that kindness, compassion, and understanding are the greatest virtues one can aspire to. Later in life he was able to put this drive into practice working as a journalist at several local newspapers around Mendocino County, CA, but everywhere he lived, Rudy found friends with the same passion, collecting and sharing their stories with anyone who might listen.

Whether being a charming gadfly at Country Day School in Cincinnati, OH as a teenager in the 1960s, building rapport with the neighbors of The Farm in the 1970s, creating a home for his children in Cloverdale, CA in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a local fixture and renowned cowboy poet in the twin communities of Round Valley in Covelo, CA in the 2000s and 2010s, or returning to live near his grandchildren and connect with friends old and new in Summertown, TN for the final years of his life, Rudy lived a life of admirable principle intent on bringing people together and inspiring them by example to be their best selves.

His children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended community of family and friends will carry his example forward into the world, and welcome donations made in his name to organizations that seek to bring tolerance, justice, and peaceful coexistence to the world, such as Plenty, Al Otro Lado, The King Center, The Hind Rajab Foundation, and Veterans for Peace. 

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CALTRANS PROJECT ON PAUSE: BOONVILLE COMMUNITY PLANNING WORK CONTINUES

From the Boonville BoontWorks group

We are a volunteer group of Anderson Valley residents focused on gathering community feedback to influence the Caltrans project to revamp Highway 128 as it passes from 253 to Mt. View Road, Boonville.

The original schedule from Caltrans was that they were to begin designing the project this year. However, in December, the Caltrans project manager let us know that our project will be pushed off for about two years due to statewide budget constraints.

We plan to take advantage of this time. When Caltrans comes back to us, we want to be ready with what we want as a community. So, you will hear more from us in the near future. When we have enough to share, we’ll put out notices for the next community gathering to fill you in. In the meantime, you can find more information on the BoontWorks webpage: https://boontworks.org and we’ll do our best to keep that updated.

If you are interested in helping, please lets us know when you see us around town or you can email us through the website.

Best,

BoontWorks, Boonville

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CENTURY-OLD ALLEY DISPUTE HEADS TO APRIL HEARING IN WILLITS

Mark Walker sculptures to be moved to a new location

by Elise Cox

The Willits City Council edged toward a final resolution of a century-old dispute over a back alley, debated the relocation of folk art, and listened to emotional appeals to council members to take a stand against federal immigration enforcement at the council meeting on February 11.

The alley in question runs east and west, just south of Oak Street, between 21 single-family homes. It was created in 1902 to enable horse-drawn garbage service, and is currently maintained by the city.

William Harris, the property owner who has asked the city to abandon its right of way, cited concerns about illegal camping and fire. If the city goes along with the request, Harris and other properties will be able to extend existing property lines to the center line of the alley.

Ken Sisemore, owner of Earth’s Treasures, which abuts the alley, said he agrees with Harris.

“The alley serves no use to the city,” Sisemore said. He said the liability the alley creates for the city is “not defensible.”

Opponents, however, argued the alley provides essential backyard access for property maintenance and firewood delivery. Resident Amy Grooms urged the council to listen to the “overwhelming majority” of neighbors who want the alley to stay open, noting that many homes were designed with alley access in mind. “The alley is not a problem in any way shape or form unless you want to increase your lot size,” she said.

The council directed staff to schedule a formal public hearing for April 8, 2026, where a final decision will be made based on whether the easement still serves a “prospective public use”. Councilmember Bruce Burton abstained from the discussion due to owning property within 500 feet of the site.

Mark Walker Sculptures

The council supported exploring a “collaboration” with the Mendocino County Museum to relocate seven sculptures created by folk artist Mark Walker. The sculptures were donated to the county in 1988. They are currently located just off Highway 101 on the grade south of Willits.

According to museum staff, the sculptures cannot be fully appreciated by the community nor easily maintained at their current location, which offers limited visibility and is difficult to access.

The plan involves moving several large pieces, including an ox cart and mule, to a public park along Highway 20, while smaller pieces would go to the museum.

Council members expressed concerns about liability and public safety. Councilmember Gerry Gonzalez and others questioned if a fence would be necessary to prevent children from climbing the art or to stop motorists from pulling over dangerously on the highway shoulder to view the pieces.

Funding for the relocation is expected to come from the museum and private donations rather than the city’s general fund.

Defending friends and neighbors from deportation

During public comment, residents Melinda Clark and Steve Adams called on city leaders to take a public stand regarding the potential presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the community. Adams, representing a Gold Star family, spoke eloquently about patriotism and the “seriousness of assaults on our rights”.

“As you know, many people in Willits — across the whole Willits area, white and brown — are deeply anxious about the possibility of ICE arriving,” Clark said. “As our elected leaders, you have undoubtedly discussed this at length and understand that their presence in our beloved town would have serious consequences for all of us. We could lose friends, neighbors, employees, employers, and students. We need the five of you to tell us clearly where you stand. Will you stand up for the people of this community — documented or not — or will you stand with federal immigration enforcement?”

City Manager Richardson provided a “surprisingly” positive mid-year budget update, noting the city’s financial outlook was better than originally feared. Additionally, officials announced that a Clean California grant will fully fund improvements at the city park, including a new pavilion, bathroom remodels, and playground improvements, with completion expected by late 2026.

The council is expected to begin the recruitment process for a permanent city manager next week.

(mendolocal.news)

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AURELIANO REYNOSO (1940 - 2026)

Aureliano Reynoso, 85, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2026, in Ukiah, California. Born on June 16, 1940, in Esperanza, Guanajuato, Mexico, Aureliano lived a full and vibrant life rooted in hard work, devotion to family, and a deep connection to nature and faith.

In 1958, at the age of 18, Aureliano began his service in the Mexican Army Reserve. He served for three years with pride and discipline. After his military service, he found his calling in construction, particularly in building skyscrapers in León, Guanajuato. He often shared stories of working at great heights as a lead worker on his team. His courage and dedication to his craft were evident in every tale he told.

Later in life, Aureliano moved to Boonville, California, where he continued his hardworking ways through agricultural and landscaping jobs. Whether tending fields or shaping gardens, he brought the same passion and diligence that defined all aspects of his life.

Aureliano was a devoted Roman Catholic whose faith was central to his daily routine. He prayed constantly for the well being of his family and always offered blessings as loved ones left his home. A candle for the Virgin Mary burned continuously in his house, a symbol of his unwavering devotion.

He found joy in simple pleasures: gardening year-round, bird watching, walking along the coastlines he loved so dearly, and spending time outdoors surrounded by nature. One of his greatest joys was helping care for his grandchildren; he cherished every moment spent babysitting them.

Known for his playful spirit and warm sense of humor, Aureliano brought laughter into the lives of those around him. He was always ready with a joke or a smile and had an uncanny ability to lift spirits with just his presence. His kindness touched many lives, he was a man who showed up when needed most and gave selflessly to those he loved.

Aureliano is survived by his beloved wife, Lucina Reynoso, and their seven children. His legacy continues through 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who will carry forward the values he instilled: love for family, strength through hard work; joy in simplicity, and faith that never wavers.

He was more than a father or grandfather; he was a pillar of unity within the family. His presence held everyone together through good times and bad. Even in parting, Aureliano left behind one final wish: that no one mourns him with sadness or wears black at his farewell. Instead, he asked that music fill the air as loved ones celebrate the beautiful life he lived.

Though he is no longer with us physically, Aureliano Reynoso will forever live on in our hearts, as a sweet soul who gave endlessly to others and whose memory will continue to inspire joy and unity among those who knew him.

Aureliano's last wish was for family and friends to not wear black clothes.

Viewing will be held on: February 26, 2026 at Eversole Mortuary, 141 Low Gap Rd.

Funeral Mass will be held on: February 27, 2026 at Saint Mary of the Angels Catholic Church 900 S Oak St.

Funeral will be held on: February 27, 2026 at Russian River Cemetery District 940 Low Gap Rd.

Celebration of Life will be held on: February 27, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Building 293 Seminary Ave

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MENDOCINO COUNTY’S SOUTH COAST HAS BECOME A ‘PHARMACY DESERT’

by Alessandra Rizzo

In November 2025, Genoa Healthcare in Gualala, the sole pharmacy along a 60-mile stretch of Mendocino County coast, shut down. Its closure turned the surrounding region into a “pharmacy desert,” where medication access is so limited that some must travel over an hour and a half to fulfill their prescriptions.

Genoa is the fourth pharmacy to close in the past 12 years in Gualala and the neighboring city of Point Arena. The inability of south coast pharmacies to stay open reflects a broader national trend. According to a study in the journal Health Affairs, the U.S. lost nearly 30% of its pharmacies between 2010 and 2021. In 2024 alone, 2,800 pharmacies in the US shuttered their doors.

While many in the region have adapted to the lack of a local pharmacy by getting their prescriptions delivered, there are still instances when brick-and-mortar drugstores are necessary.

After coming home to melted medication on her doorstep, Robyn Cota Cann decided she was done with mail-order prescriptions. She now travels two hours from her home to Santa Rosa to pick up her medications, bringing ice packs to keep her perishable prescriptions cool on the ride back.

Cann, who is in her 70s, considers herself lucky she is still mobile enough to make those trips. “I don’t know what I would do if I had something really serious, and I couldn’t go to Santa Rosa,” Cann said. As she watches her neighbors age, and in some cases, leave the south coast, she wonders how access to medication will affect her and her husband’s future in Mendocino.

“At some point, we might have to leave because of the availability of different kinds of care and a pharmacy. I hope not, but I don’t know,” said Cann.

An elderly population at risk

The loss of Genoa Healthcare is particularly concerning in an area where a substantial portion of its population is elderly. According to the US Census Bureau, 23.2% of south coast Mendocino residents are 65 years old and over. These older adults are more likely to be dependent on prescriptions and the medical services that pharmacies provide.

Like Cann, Jeanette Schnell, who recently turned 68, worries about how the lack of medical care in the region will become a greater challenge to her as she ages.

Schnell was diagnosed with scoliosis at 16, and has since developed chronic pain and cranial headaches. To manage her condition, she has tried many different drug regimens, including the prescription of restricted painkillers. The controlled nature of these medications means Schnell must drive an hour and a half to pick them up, as most health service companies have ceased or placed limits on the home delivery of Schedule II drugs.

“I wish I could get consistent access, I wish I could get consistent health care, it is the one thing that drives me batty about living here,” said Schnell.

“When we got here in 2017, our daughters were concerned about our access to health care, and we just kind of blew them off. Now they look at us like, ‘We told you so.’”

Trained staff can’t find housing

A major hurdle to pharmacies in rural regions such as coastal Mendocino is staffing. Manning Genoa Healthcare had been difficult from the start. Six weeks after opening, RCMS, the medical clinic partner to Genoa Healthcare, noted in a blog post that “it has been difficult to recruit the necessary pharmacy staff in the face of a limited candidate pool, housing difficulties, etc. These issues have slowed down operational goals for our pharmacy somewhat.”

In February of 2025, the problem remained unsolved. The CEO of RCMS at the time, Ara Chakrabarti, acknowledged the pharmacy’s struggle in a community note. “We continue to have difficulties with our Genoa pharmacy staffing. We know it is difficult to recruit qualified professionals here,” he wrote. By the end of the year, Genoa Healthcare was forced to close.

Four years prior, Gualala Community Pharmacy also succumbed to a staffing shortage. After losing its pharmacist and technicians, RCMS announced the business’s imminent shutdown. The pharmacy had been open for less than a year.

In Mendocino, two major factors — a small local talent pool and a lack of available housing for relocated workers — have contributed to its staffing shortage. According to Michael Murphy, senior advisor at the American Pharmacists Association, with every rural pharmacy closure, the problem is compounded. The reduction in jobs following a closure may compel health care professionals to leave that area, making it difficult to staff future businesses.

“There is definitely concern that as we see more pharmacies close … that you lose the health care professionals that were living in those communities, serving those communities, because there’s no longer a place of employment for them,” said Murphy.

Margins are slim to none

Business practices by pharmacy benefit managers have also contributed to the widespread shuttering of pharmacies.

Widely referred to as PBMs, these companies act as middlemen between drug manufacturers, insurance companies and pharmacies. PBMs determine how much a medication will cost the consumer, how much cost insurance will cover, and how much the pharmacy will be reimbursed.

PBMs can turn a profit by reimbursing pharmacies at a lower rate than a drug’s wholesale value, forcing pharmacies to dispense medication at a loss.

“The unfortunate reality that we’ve seen over the past 10 to 15 years is a dramatic reduction in the reimbursement of drugs from pharmacy benefit managers to pharmacies,” said Murphy. “More regularly, pharmacies are operating off of slimmer and slimmer margins.”

The three biggest PBMs are Optum Rx, CVS Caremark, and Express Scripts. These major companies also run their own large-scale pharmacy chains, and stand to benefit from driving independent pharmacies out of business. At least one small business in the south coast Mendocino region, Jack’s Pharmacy, was overpowered by losses due to insufficient reimbursements.

In a 2015 interview with Gualala radio station KGUA, Jack Chladek, owner of Jack’s Pharmacy in Gualala, cited inadequate reimbursements as the prime reason behind his pharmacy’s closure.

“Really, it was the progression of declining reimbursement on third-party insurance pay,” he explained. “The more I grew the prescription end of the business … the more money I was starting to lose. So it just got to the point where I could no longer keep up with the bills, I could not keep up with the wholesaler.”

New funds but new cuts

This month, a new federal policy aimed at curbing PBMs’ power was signed into law. Included in the bill, called the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, was legislation meant to increase transparency around reimbursement. The legislation also set aside funding for investigations of complaints made by pharmacies, empowering individual pharmacies to demand fairer treatment.

Another recent policy that stands to benefit rural pharmacies is the Rural Health Transformation program, a federal initiative established under legislation also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The program has allocated a total of $50 billion over a period of five years to strengthen rural health care across the country.

On Dec. 29, 2025, California received $233,639,308 through the initiative. The California Department of Health Care Access and Information wrote in its project plan that part of the money will be used to “build and sustain a homegrown rural health workforce” by offering retention bonuses, relocation bonuses and funding for onboarding and temporary housing. The department proposes spending $20-30 million annually toward this kind of workforce development for the five years the federal funding is available.

Exactly when and how this funding will affect the south coast of Mendocino is unclear. If the funding can overcome the bill’s historic rollback of federal support for health care coverage is another unknown. Along with the rural health care funds, the bill also created an estimated $1 trillion federal spending reduction to Medicare over a period of 10 years.

According to KFF, a health policy think tank based in San Francisco, cuts to Medicare created by the bill might negate any funds it generated. Using Congressional Budget Office estimates, KFF concluded that “federal Medicaid spending in rural areas could decrease by $137 billion over 10 years — about $87 billion more than is appropriated for the rural health fund.”

California alone will experience a $4.09 billion reduction in federal Medicaid spending over the 10-year period. These deficits will greatly impact rural areas, which tend to be home to high percentages of Medi-Cal and Medicare beneficiaries. With fewer people able to access their prescriptions or have them reimbursed, pharmacies could struggle to stay afloat.

The Rural Health Transformation program is also a temporary solution to a persistent problem. Under the program’s terms, all program funds are required to be spent before Oct. 1, 2032. Once the money runs out, other legislation will be vital to the long-term future of rural health care.

If a new pharmacy opens on the south coast of Mendocino, its sustainability will demonstrate the efficacy of these new policies. An enduring business would signal the success of health care reform. For now, however, the south coast remains a pharmacy desert, leaving its residents driving for hours to fill needed prescriptions.

(Mendocino Voice)

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YORKVILLE WINERY IS MAKING WAVES

by Sarah Doyle

Jesse Hall can’t remember a time he wasn’t inseparable from the sea.

Born and raised in Sonoma County, Hall spent his youth surfing the Marin coast and sailing San Francisco Bay. By his early 20s, he was shaping surfboards in San Diego, where he rode the mellow waves of Pacific Beach.

“Winemaking is similar to surfing in that you’re living moment by moment,” said Hall, founder of Seawolf Wines in Mendocino County’s Yorkville Highlands. “The wine is alive—just like the waves—and they both change every day.”

These days, Hall spends most of his time devoted to Seawolf, the small-production winery he founded with his wife (and Mauritson winemaker) Emma Kudritzki Hall in 2014.

Despite its small size, Seawolf produces some of the most energetic wines in Mendocino County, where Hall dry-farms a 14-acre organic vineyard at 2,000 feet.

The vineyard is part of the 165-acre Yorkville Highlands property his father purchased in 1992. Seawolf’s rustic tasting room is on site, making it a worthy stop for wine tasting at the gateway to Anderson Valley.

Typically perched above the fog, the high-elevation site sees warm days and cool nights, extending hang time for fruit on the vine.

Producing less than 400 cases per year, Hall specializes in small lots of native-fermented wines, including light-handed Zinfandel, Grenache, Pinot Noir and cool-climate expressions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. His Musqué-clone Sauvignon Blanc is the best I’ve ever tasted and sells out in a flash.

“Our grapes have amazing acidity because of the site’s high elevation and cool ocean breezes that blow through every morning,” Hall said. “Our berries are very small and we get less yield, but the flavor is fantastic.”

A valuable mentor

After discovering his passion for wine in his mid-20s, Hall followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who had their own wine brand in the early 1980s.

Leaving San Diego behind, he studied viticulture at Santa Rosa Junior College before pursuing a degree in enology and viticulture from CSU Fresno.

Eventually, he landed an assistant winemaking role at Martinelli Winery in the Russian River Valley under legendary wine maker Helen Turley.

“Working with Helen was great because she’s really into native fermentation,” Hall said. “That influenced my low-intervention winemaking style.”

Compared to initiating fermentation with cultured yeast, native fermentation relies on ambient yeast on the grapes and in the winery. Despite the increased risk of spoilage and other issues, many winemakers embrace the complexity it adds to the finished wine.

“I’ve been doing native fermentations for 20 years, and it works out 99 percent of the time,” Hall said. “As long as your equipment is extremely clean and you keep a very close eye on fermentation, the results are worth it.”

In 2022, Seawolf produced a semi-carbonic Zinfandel with whole clusters of French Colombard and Muscat. Gently fermented in a sealed tank for 23.5 hours a day, the wine finished ultra-fresh and juicy at just 11% alcohol.

“We didn’t even have to add sulfur because the wine is naturally protected,” Hall said. “It has these delicious notes of cranberry and pronounced spice. It’s been a very popular wine.”

Variety in the vineyard

Initially planted to 14 acres, the Seawolf vineyard now comprises about eight acres of fruit-bearing vines. Among them are some of the original plantings, including nearly 40-year-old Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Last year, Hall grafted 18 new varieties into the vineyard. A “dream project” years in the making, the field blend includes familiar and uncommon grapes, such as Carignan, Gamay, the red-fleshed Petit Bouschet, and Black Prince, a rare variety known for its dark, plump berries.

“I also added a bunch of French Colombard, which has some of the highest acidity of any white grape,” said Hall. “It really adds a fresh pop of brightness to wine.”

A passion for the sea

Outside of managing Seawolf or spending time with family, Hall still surfs about two days a week.

“Sometimes if the waves are really good, I go surfing a couple of days in a row — that really drives my wife crazy,” Hall said, laughing. “But I get so much enjoyment from it. Sitting on your board in the ocean and listening to the waves is one of the most Zen things you can do.”

Open daily, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tastings are $25 per person and last about 1.5 hours. Reservations recommended.

Seawolf Wines: 17770 Highlands Ridge Road, Yorkville; 707-494-0312; seawolfwines.com

(Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

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CATCH OF THE DAY, Wednesday, February 18, 2026

JAMES BRAY JR., 65, Fort Bragg. Failure to appear, probation revocation.

MANUEL GONZALEZ JR., 27, Covelo. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

MARVIN JOHNSON JR., 47, Ukiah. Controlled substance, domestic violence court order violation, probation revocation.

NATHANIEL KUGLER, 22, Fort Bragg. Failure to appear, probation revocation.

ROSA RODRIGUEZ, 39, Rio Dell/Ukiah. Trespassing.

JONATHAN YOUNG, 45, Willits. Petty theft with two or more priors.

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UKIAH, HERE I COME!

Identifying with the Nameless Formless Absolute


Warmest spiritual greetings,

The time has come for global eco-revolution, in response to the existential threat of these times, which is global climate destabilization. The key is for the individual to be identified with "that which is prior to consciousness" which Absolute works through the body-mind complex without interference. It's simple.

I am ready to leave the Washington, D.C. homeless shelter, and be available for frontline direct action, emphasizing bringing in the spiritual mojo for effectiveness sake. This is the way.

There is $5,100 in the bank account, a sufficient balance on the EBT account to ensure sumptuous meals, and enough health care insurance for a family of four.

I look forward to your association in this last abominable phase of the Kali Yuga, as it segues into the Satya Yuga, or the Age of Truth and Light.

Thank you very much,

Craig Louis Stehr, [email protected]

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BILLIONAIRES COULD…

Editor:

Wealth advisers suggest that billionaires avoid a proposed tax on them by reducing insurance on their fine jewelry, moving art works out of state or buying real estate. Why is philanthropy not an option? Imagine tens or hundreds of millions of dollars poured into solving California’s myriad problems: housing, education, health care, mental health care, transportation, energy, etc. Billionaires escape additional taxes and California thrives for all. Win, win.

Ellen Obstler

Petaluma

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PALESTINIAN VOICES


Two Lutheran ministers and a Muslim walk into a…(well, not a bar, maybe a cafe).

Sounds like the beginning of a joke you might hear in a seminary school.

But today, on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for Christians, and the second day of Ramadan for Muslims, I offer you some new video interviews with two real life Lutherans and a Muslim -- all of them Palestinian -- who live in Bethlehem or East Jerusalem.

These are more samples from the documentary film I'm directing, Last Christian in Bethlehem.

In this season of reflection and contemplation, I hope you'll find their comments illuminating and thought-provoking.

Rev. Mitri Raheb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl0lrY033EI

Ahmad Muna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETFdHuyixFw

Rev. Munther Isaac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NG5fnIBOU8

Stephen Talbot,
Director, Last Christian in Bethlehem (work in progress)
Producer and Director, The Movement and the "Madman"

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A BAY AREA MOB DROVE THEM OUT IN 1924. NOW THEIR DESCENDANT IS SUING THE CITY.

The history behind a dark chapter in a wealthy Bay Area enclave's history.

by Olivia Hebert

In 1924, a mob surrounded the home of Piedmont’s first Black homeowners and demanded they leave town. Over a century later, their great-granddaughter is suing the wealthy city, alleging that officials used violence, intimidation and a false public-works claim to force the family out of a property now worth over $2 million.

Jordana Ackerman filed the complaint on Feb. 2 in Alameda County Superior Court against the the city of Piedmont, according to Ackerman’s attorney. The suit accuses Piedmont of fraudulently condemning her great-grandfather Sidney Dearing’s home under the pretense of building a public road that was never constructed. The lawsuit alleges violations of the California Constitution’s equal protection clause, arguing that the city forced Dearing to give up his home “solely for the reason” that he and his family were Black. The legal team is arguing that the statute of limitations should not bar the case.

Ackerman is seeking compensation that “at minimum” reflects the value of the home today, currently estimated to be over $2 million, according to the complaint. Her attorney Leah Aden, a senior attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, told SFGATE that one reason the suit was filed this year is that key documentation surrounding the city’s eminent domain action was not uncovered by Ackerman until 2025.

“This history has been largely hidden,” Aden said. “It’s no small thing that people, for buying a home, were threatened to be lynched, had a 500-person mob come to their door and threaten their existence.”

Sidney Dearing, a successful Black businessman who owned a popular jazz club in West Oakland called the Creole Cafe, purchased a two-story house at 67 Wildwood Ave. in January 1924. According to the lawsuit, he became the first Black homeowner in the wealthy East Bay enclave after his mother-in-law purchased the house with his money. She then transferred the home ownership to Dearing and his wife.

But Dearing and his family only lived in the home for a year before being driven out by racist and violent actions from the city government and citizens of Piedmont.

“When traumatic things happen to people, it is very reasonable that it’s not known or widely shared,” Aden said, noting that Ackerman learned key details about what happened to her family in recent years. “You lose out on knowing your history when the past isn’t passed along.”

According to the complaint, within weeks of the family buying the home, Piedmont residents protested the sale after realizing the race of the owner and sent threatening letters from groups like the Ku Klux Klan. They also demanded that Dearing sell the home and leave.

By May 1924, the hostility had escalated into public violence. A crowd of roughly 500 people gathered outside the house, threatening to riot unless the family agreed to move. Dearing refused. Soon after, gunshots struck the home and cars parked outside, bricks were thrown through windows, and bombs were placed on or near the property.

The police department did not intervene as violence intensified, the lawsuit alleged. Historical accounts have documented that Piedmont’s police chief at the time was a member of the KKK and was “not interested” in protecting the family.

Weeks later, city officials formally advanced a plan to construct a road through the property. In a letter from May 16, 1924, City Attorney Girard Richardson offered Dearing $8,000 for the property and warned that if he refused, the city would begin condemnation proceedings.

Dearing declined. One of his attorneys at the time, John D. Drake of the NAACP, accused the city of hiding behind “the flimsy subterfuge of a public necessity that does not exist” and acting “simply on the ground of his color.”

The City Council then unanimously approved a resolution declaring the Dearing property necessary for a public street connecting Wildwood Avenue to Fairview Avenue, and the city filed a condemnation action in state court. The complaint noted that then-Mayor Oliver Ellsworth was quoted in the Oakland Tribune, in which he said that condemning the Dearing home to build a street would be “for the improvement of the city as well as to make the negro move from Piedmont.”

As threats of violence escalated, Dearing’s wife Irene and the couple’s children left Piedmont for their safety, according to the complaint. He remained in the home, hiring private protection while continuing to contest the city’s condemnation effort. Multiple bombs were found on or near Dearing’s property during this time, including one time when he reportedly saw a bomb’s “fuse sputtering,” according to the lawsuit.

In late 1924, the court accepted the city’s assertion that the property was needed for a public street and struck references to racial discrimination from Dearing’s legal filings. In early 1925, Dearing agreed to sell the home for $10,500, according to the Piedmont Historical Society.

No road was ever built, and the city later sold the home to a private individual.

Shortly after the forced sale of their home, Sidney and Irene Dearing divorced. Dearing later died in Oakland in 1953 of “inanition,” a term used at the time to describe death by starvation, and was buried in an unmarked grave.

Aden said the harm extended beyond the loss of property and was generational.

“They lost the safety of home. They lost the ability to get to the very well regarded schools in Piedmont. There’s something to be said about being evicted from your home and unjustly losing your home, losing safety, losing access to education,” Aden said. “Had this [property] remained in the family, it would have been passed on to their children, and then those children’s children.”

The Dearing’s story resurfaced in the news around 2020, following nationwide protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd. That August, the Piedmont City Council passed a resolution formally acknowledging what happened to the Dearings. They committed to review its policies and ordinances through an anti-racism lens.

In 2020, the council publicly acknowledged the city government’s role in the Dearing family’s removal and moved forward with plans for a permanent memorial near the former home.

In a statement, Piedmont city spokesperson Echa Schneider told SFGATE in an email that the city is aware of the lawsuit but has not been served.

“What Sidney and Irene Dearing experienced 100 years ago was abhorrent, and is a shameful chapter in the community’s history,” Schneider said. “It does not reflect the values of the community today.”

Schneider said the city remains committed to building the memorial. While Ackerman does not oppose the memorial, she believes it is “insufficient” on its own, adding that symbolic acknowledgment does not equate to meaningful repair, according to her attorney.

“This is justice, a little bit of justice for her great-grandparents, and for herself,” Aden added. “Two American citizens who had every right to live in this community were denied the ability to live there, and the city was part of forcing them out.”

Aden said Ackerman continues to deal with the aftermath of the events from a century ago.

“It impacts the family today,” Aden said. “We cannot lose sight of that.”

(sfgate.com)

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AS THE CROW FLIES

As the crow flies, baby
Well I ain't too far from you
As the crow flies, baby
Well I ain't too far from you
Yeah, but since I don't have wings
Well I can't get home as fast as I want to

Well, you don't know, baby
I've missed your sweet caress
Well, you don't know, mama
I've missed your sweet caress, oh yeah
Yeah, now when I'm in your lovin' arms
Oh, I'm at my very best

In a dream last night
Well I heard you call my name
In a dream last night
Well I heard you call my name
Yeah, I took it as an omen
And I jumped on the very fast freight train

As the crow flies, baby
Well I ain't too far from you, oh no no
As the crow flies, mama
Well I ain't too far from you
Yeah, but since I don't have wings
Well I can't get home as fast as I want to

— Tony Joe White (1971)

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JESSE JACKSON, PRESENTE!

photographs by David Bacon

For a while it seemed like Jesse was everywhere. In the last years I worked as an organizer he ran for President, and the first picture I took of him was speaking at a Labor Day picnic - all the big labor leaders behind him - Jimmy Herman, then president of the ILWU, Jack Henning, our rebellious leader of the state labor federation, and others. We organized our labor committee of the Rainbow Coalition, and it was not hard to convince our unions that he was the one. The idea of running for president by bringing in the excluded, enfranchising the disenfranchised, was our touchstone from then on.

But I remember him best because he came out for workers again and again, long after he wasn't running for anything anymore. I'm sure it's the workers who remember him best, because the photographs show it. The nurses with Rose Ann De Moro at Summit Hospital, the members of my own union, the then-Northern California Newspaper Guild and the other unions of our conference facing the Chronicle, and the farmworkers in that huge march in Watsonville. You can see the way the hotel workers look at him, during the lockout of Local 2. Barbara Lee, then Congresswoman (the only one with the courage to vote against the Iraq war) and now Oakland Mayor, is there with him fighting for the workers in the nursing homes.

He didn't come just for labor, of course. He came for the students, battling the University of California to keep affirmative action. He walked with the women at the head of the National March to Fight the Radical Right. And amidst it all, I sometimes found a man lost in his thoughts, perhaps grateful for a moment out of the crowd.

You were there for us, Jesse.…

https://davidbaconrealitycheck.blogspot.com/2026/02/photos-from-edge-27-jesse-jackson.html

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STEVE TALBOT:

An indispensable young aide to Martin Luther King, Jr., the founder of PUSH in Chicago, a pioneering presidential candidate, an early supporter of people with disabilities and those suffering from AIDS, a promoter of Black empowerment, a powerful orator, Jesse Jackson had many achievements and great causes to his credit. Not least of which was his anti-apartheid campaigning and his support for the release of Nelson Mandela from prison at a time when Reagan and the U.S. government still supported the white minority regime.

As Jackson would always say, "Keep Hope Alive!"

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DOES TONY VITELLO REGRET LEAVING TENNESSEE FOR GIANTS? UNPROMPTED RANT INVITES SKEPTICISM

Giants’ rookie manager Tony Vitello made himself the talk of baseball with his comments Monday

by Ann Killion

Media folks who cover the San Francisco Giants have seen some weird things. After all, they had four seasons of Gabe Kapler — who conducted each dugout interview as though a full-length mirror were perched behind the bat rack.

But Tony Vitello’s media availability on Monday in Scottsdale was certainly one of the odder things we’ve witnessed from a Giants manager.

And it has all of baseball asking: Does Vitello really want to be the manager of the Giants?

Vitello, completely unprompted, opened his Monday morning media session with a long tangent about the way his departure from Tennessee was misreported and all the difficulty that created for him — a development that happened four long months ago.

The Giants skipper sounded a bit like a kid away at college for the first time, feeling homesick and wishing that maybe he’d chosen differently.

Vitello said he was upset that the news that the Giants were pursuing him was tweeted out, but he didn’t know by whom.

“I wish I did,” he said. “It might’ve changed the course of history if I would’ve known who did, to be honest with you.”

The course of history? Meaning, he wouldn’t take the job managing one of baseball’s most historic franchises?

On Tuesday, Vitello seemed to double down on his surprising comments, saying, “I didn’t say anything surprising, that I know of. I was just stating facts.”

You only have one chance to make a first impression. And these first eight days of spring training have been Vitello’s first impression to the major league baseball world. He knew he was coming to Scottsdale under a microscope. That he would be greeted by skeptics, both locally and nationally, who wonder how a guy with zero big league experience is going to win over the clubhouse, and also turn the .500 Giants into winners.

Many of Vitello’s references in these early days have been to the SEC and Tennessee. Understandable — that’s what he knows. But there probably needs to be a moratorium on college references.

That feeling was already growing before Monday’s rehashing of his departure from Knoxville, when he painted a picture of himself feeling stressed in his condo, unable to watch sports with his fellow coaches, because his name kept appearing on the news crawl.

Was he missing his fans in Tennessee? Was he deliberately playing to an audience back in Knoxville?

If so, that’s a concern. Vitello has a new audience now. He has to answer to the ownership group that is paying him more money than most managers make. To Buster Posey, who took a huge risk on him. And, most importantly, to the players in Giants camp who do not have much interest in a level of baseball they have left behind and who are fully focused on figuring out how to succeed at the major league level.

He also answers to an enormous Giants fan base, desperate for a team that can rise above mediocrity, a group that — for the most part — couldn’t care less about college baseball, in Tennessee or anywhere else.

Vitello’s Monday comments seem to have been prompted by an interview he conducted with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic shortly before coming into his morning media scrum. Rosenthal was part of a group that originally reported that the Giants had interest in Vitello back in October.

If that conversation fired up Vitello and he had something he needed to get off his chest, he could have made clear his venting was “off the record.” Ron Washington, Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy could all tell him how useful those words are when talking casually to local reporters.

Vitello, who dealt with a lot of media in Tennessee, probably doesn’t need media training. But he may need some of those old hands to tell him about dealing with big league media. It’s a huge part of the job — a major league manager talks to the media twice a day, for 162 games. And one lesson is undeniably true: On a quiet February morning before spring training games even begin and everyone is watching you, you do not want to become the story.

This week, Vitello did.

Vitello is an extremely personable, likable guy and seems to be a bit of an open book. He jokingly admitted on Monday that he was indulging in “therapy, if you will,” and used the term “shrink-wise,” during his deep dive into his departure from Knoxville.

But he was the one who chose to bring up the topic. And his choice of words were, at times, concerning, if you’re hoping for a manager who is fully committed to the Giants.

“The final blow was four days later …” he said about when the decision was made.

Taking the Giants job was a blow?

And before the previously referenced tweet went out, he noted, “At that point nothing was going to happen, but somebody decided it was going to happen, and then the whole world started spinning real quick.”

Does that sound like he was forced into taking the Giants job?

Vitello is learning on the job. That’s what spring training is for. But this weird rehashing moment came on the easiest of days, on a calm Scottsdale morning when baseball is in the air and nothing is yet at stake.

It makes you wonder how Vitello is going to handle the heat of the season, when the Dodgers are in town, speculation is flying, things might be misinterpreted, and he doesn’t have full control over a narrative.

It also makes you wonder: Is Tony Vitello having regrets?

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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY: 1967

During a special softball exhibition game, pitcher Eddie Feigner strikes out six consecutive major leaguers. The victims are Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente and Maury Wills.

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WHY LEBRON JAMES IGNORES GENOCIDE AND STANDS WITH ISRAEL

by Dave Zirin

Twenty-two years ago, I wrote this about a preternaturally mature 19-year-old hoops phenom named LeBron James and his aspirations off the court:

“James has said he has two goals in his life. One is to be “a global icon like Muhammad Ali,” and the other is to be the richest athlete in the history of the world. And while these may be two great goals, they don’t exactly go great together. That’s because people like Muhammad Ali didn’t become global icons because they were rich, but because they were willing to sacrifice everything—including sponsorship deals—to stand up for what they believed in.”

In the last two decades, we have seen how James’s desires have conflicted. During the early days of Black Lives Matter movement, he was outspoken in his support for racial justice. In 2012, he posed with his Miami Heat teammates in hoodies to protest the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and after the police killing of Eric Garner in 2014, he wore a T-shirt that said “I can’t breathe” during warmups alongside Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving.

Yet over the last several years, as his fortune has exploded into the 10-figure category, James’s silence has been noticeable. Neither ICE killings nor the Trump regime’s relentless racism has moved him to speak. One perfect encapsulation of this untenable balancing act was in 2022 when he filed a trademark for the phrase “shut up and dribble.” When Fox News’s Laura Ingraham first bleated this at James in 2018, his supporters were enraged, and it became a rallying cry against the racism that Black athletes have long faced. Now, one of James’s corporations is trying to trademark it and says it will put it on items such as "downloadable virtual goods, namely, computer programs featuring footwear, clothing, headwear, eyewear, bags, sports bags, backpacks, sports equipment, art, toys and accessories for use online and in online virtual worlds." The phrase will go from protest cry to branding exercise.

This week, the effort to balance the spirit of Muhammad Ali with his life as a 41-year-old billionaire, tipped away from Ali. Actually, it didn’t just tip. It crashed to the ground. During NBA All-Star weekend, James was asked for his thoughts on Israeli All-Star Deni Avdija of the Portland Trailblazers. He took the opportunity to speak about Israel more broadly, saying, "If I have fans over there, then I hope you’ve been following my career. I hope I inspire people over there to be better in life. Hopefully someday I can make it over there. I’ve heard nothing but great things.”

James always speaks with great intentionality, and no one should think this was an off-the-cuff comment. It was a statement of support during the second year of a genocide in Gaza alongside the accelerating annexation of the West Bank. Israel has launched a project of ethnic cleansing, and James wanted the world to know that he was unbothered by it. Not only that, he seemed to want to follow in the footsteps of his good friend Draymond Green and take a propaganda trip to do public relations for the Israeli state.

If James’s defenders say that he doesn’t know what’s been happening and we shouldn’t expect more from “just an athlete,” they are being as ignorant as Ingraham. James knows what’s been going on in Gaza, and it's absurd to think that he’s heard “nothing but great things” about Israel. He certainly hasn’t heard great things from his old Cavaliers running buddy Kyrie Irving who has not been shy about showing his solidarity with the Palestinian people. He hasn’t heard great things from current and former NBA players like former teammate Dwight Howard or Tariq Abdul-Wahad or Etan Thomas and more who have spoken out against genocide and for a free Palestine. Hell, during this past weekend’s All-Star Game, Irving wore a PRESS shirt in solidarity with the journalists in Gaza killed by the Israeli army and Spike Lee wore the colors of the Palestinian flag courtside.

James knows what’s going on. Instead of fulfilling his teenage goal of being a hero to the downtrodden, he has chosen to turn his back on war crimes, permitting his fans to do the same. Perhaps he fears what a backlash will do to that other youthful dream of unfathomable wealth. Or maybe he just doesn’t care.

In contrast to James, Ali visited Palestinian refugee camps and went to Free Palestine demonstrations in the 1970s and 1980s until he was physically unable to do so. When asked why he would visit a refugee camp in Southern Lebanon, he said he had a responsibility to be there since “the United States is the stronghold of Zionism and imperialism.” Ali knew this would entail sacrifice, and he did it anyway because he both consciously and instinctively sided with the oppressed. And that’s why you can go to any outdoor market on earth today and find a knockoff Ali T-shirt for sale. That’s why he remains adored.

James came to a fork in the road and spit on the path laid by Ali before taking the path most traveled. One wonders what 19-year-old LeBron would think about his current self making this choice: the choice to reject Ali’s legacy and become just another billionaire stepping over Palestinian bodies to praise the Israeli state.

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LETTER from a 14-year-old girl who Trump and Puppy Killer have kept in an ICE jail for 20 days…

(via Jeffrey St. Clair)

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“IT WAS A FACE I’d seen a thousand times at every Derby I’d ever been to. I saw it, in my head, as the mask of the whiskey gentry–a pretentious mix of booze, failed dreams and a terminal identity crisis; the inevitable result of too much inbreeding in a closed and ignorant culture…a symbol, in my own mind, of the whole doomed atavistic culture that makes the Kentucky Derby what it is…

…Thousands of raving, stumbling drunks, getting angrier and angrier as they lose more and more money. By midafternoon they’ll be guzzling mint juleps with both hands and vomiting on each other between races. The whole place will be jammed with bodies, shoulder to shoulder. It’s hard to move around. The aisles will be slick with vomit; people falling down and grabbing at your legs to keep from being stomped. Drunks pissing on themselves in the betting lines. Dropping handfuls of money and fighting to stoop over and pick it up.”

— Hunter S Thompson

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LEAD STORIES, THURSDAY'S NYT

U.S. Military Moves Into Place for Possible Strikes in Iran

Defense Dept. and Anthropic Square Off in Dispute Over A.I. Safety

U.K. Police Arrest Former Prince Andrew Over Epstein Ties, BBC Reports

After Avalanche Warnings, a Sierra Nevada Tragedy

South Korean Ex-Leader Is Sentenced to Life in Prison

Russia’s Exile From World Sports Will End Next Month at Paralympics

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"THE MOMENT you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible."

— Salman Rushdie

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"MY ATTORNEY saw the hitchhiker long before I did. “Let’s give this boy a lift,” he said, and before I could mount any argument he was stopped and this poor Okie kid was running up to the car with a big grin on his face, saying, “Hot damn! I never rode in a convertible before!”

“Is that right?” I said. “Well, I guess you’re about ready, eh?”

The kid nodded eagerly as we roared off.

“We’re your friends,” said my attorney. “We’re not like the others.”

O Christ, I thought, he’s gone around the bend. “No more of that talk,” I said sharply. “Or I’ll put the leeches on you.” He grinned, seeming to understand. Luckily, the noise in the car was so awful – between the wind and the radio and the tape machine – that the kid in the back seat couldn’t hear a word we were saying. Or could he?

How long can we maintain? I wondered. How long before one of us starts raving and jabbering at this boy? What will he think then? This same lonely desert was the last known home of the Manson family. Will he make that grim connection when my attorney starts screaming about bats and huge manta rays coming down on the car? If so – well, we’ll just have to cut his head off and bury him somewhere. Because it goes without saying that we can’t turn him loose. He’ll report us at once to some kind of outback nazi law enforcement agency, and they’ll run us down like dogs.

Jesus! Did I say that? Or just think it? Was I talking? Did they hear me? I glanced over at my attorney, but he seemed oblivious – watching the road, driving our Great Red Shark along at a hundred and ten or so. There was no sound from the back seat.

Maybe I’d better have a chat with this boy, I thought. Perhaps if I explain things, he’ll rest easy.

Of course. I leaned around in the seat and gave him a fine big smile … admiring the shape of his skull.

“By the way,” I said. “There’s one thing you should probably understand.”

He stared at me, not blinking. Was he gritting his teeth?

“Can you hear me?” I yelled.

He nodded.

“That’s good,” I said. “Because I want you to know that we’re on our way to Las Vegas to find the American Dream.”

— Hunter S Thompson

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SELF-PITY

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.

— D.H. Lawrence (1929)

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I IMAGINE THE GODS

I imagine the gods saying, We will
make it up to you. We will give you
three wishes, they say. Let me see
the squirrels again, I tell them.
Let me eat some of the great hog
stuffed and roasted on its giant spit
and put out, steaming, into the winter
of my neighborhood when I was usually
too broke to afford even the hundred grams
I ate so happily walking up the cobbles,
past the Street of the Moon
and the Street of the Birdcage-Makers,
the Street of Silence and the Street
of the Little Pissing. We can give you
wisdom, they say in their rich voices.
Let me go at last to Hugette, I say,
the Algerian student with her huge eyes
who timidly invited me to her room
when I was too young and bewildered
that first year in Paris.
Let me at least fail at my life.
Think, they say patiently, we could
make you famous again. Let me fall
in love one last time, I beg them.
Teach me mortality, frighten me
into the present. Help me to find
the heft of these days. That the nights
will be full enough and my heart feral.

— Jack Gilbert

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