BOB MATHIAS was found dead Monday morning at his ranch six miles south of Boonville. Mathias was a former school superintendent and the founder of the Redwood Classic Basketball Tournament. An obituary will appear in next week's paper.
BOONVILLE was eerily quiet this week, the first week without the Lodge. Central Boonville has a big hole in itself. And The Knitted Brow has closed its doors. Angela Dewitt's fine little yarn shop directly below our offices has fallen victim to the bad economy. Willie Housley’s “Vintage” wine tours kicked off last weekend but no reports yet on how it's doing. Our business? The newspaper biz? The internet hasn't mortally wounded us like it has lots of papers, most of which deserved to die years ago, but what has hurt us is the disappearances of newsstands and book stores. We've lost quite a few of these outlets over the past five years. Our new website at www.theava.com is getting lots of hits, as they say in Cyber Land, meaning people who used to have to buy the print edition now read it on-line. Our general hard copy circulation is down a little as the old beatniks who most admire it shuffle off to their eternal bongos. Sales remain strong in NorCal, however, and, in the Anderson Valley, “total market penetration,” as the pros say, meaning one sale per household. If we could somehow convert *that* stat to all of America, well, goodness, I could spend a lot more time at AT&T Park.
THAT GENERAL LAMENT brings us to a note wafted our way last week: “Got grief? Come to the Anderson Valley Grief Group. Do you have bereavement, loss, pending loss? Come to Via's living room Thursday, January 14th at 5.30pm. It is ok if you are late. The gathering will probably go to 7pm or so. This is a self-guided group. There is no official facilitator. Directions: first driveway north of the Grange 9500 Highway 128 on the same side of the road. Gate may or may not be open; white house with turn around in sheep pasture. Come on in. For more info: Taunia: 272 2414 or Via: 895 2691, or 2204 before 5pm that day.”
ER, IF THE GATE “may or may not be open,” the bereaved could be weeping before they get there.
SOME BOONVILLE sports fans were irked when the crowd in the packed Point Arena gym, PA having defeated Anderson Valley by an easy ten last Friday night, began chanting before the final buzzer, “Drive home safely.” Point Arena always packs the place, complete with a student band, and why can't we?
BOYS AND GIRLS ages 5 and up must sign up for Little League Baseball before January 23rd for this coming season. Erica Lemons is the contact person at erica@pacific.net 489-6626 or 895-3095, and Erica emphasizes that coaches, umpires, concession stand helpers and, probably, cash for bats, balls and uniforms, are also in demand. Sign your kid up Thursday night at the Elementary School cafeteria, 5-6:30, next Tuesday the 19th same place and time, then on Friday the 22nd same place and time. Parents are reminded that they need to bring birth certificates, three (count 'em) “pieces of mail verifying your address.”
WEDDING BELLS will be ringing this summer for Belma Soto and Justin Rhoades who plan to wed on July 17. Belma is the daughter of Jose Soto and Libby Favela of Libby's justly famed Philo restaurant. Justin is the son of Steven and Terri Rhoades. Kati Bradford, the daughter of Peter and Marti Bradford will exchange nuptials with Aaron Arvey in Hopland, also on July 17. Lance Villa and Jamie Bogner of Cloverdale will marry on June 12. Lance is the son of Valley born and raised Julie Villa (nee Pardini) and the grandson of prominent Valley resident, Donald Pardini. Congratulations to all of the happy couples.
GOOD FOOD and good times was had by all on Saturday, January 9 at the home of Steven and Terri Rhoades. Several friends and family members gathered to help Steve celebrate turning the big “Five-O.” Happy birthday, Steve.
TOWARDS the deeper end of the Valley, there was another gathering at Terry “Bubba” Hughbanks' home to celebrate D'Ann Wallace's birthday. It was also opening season for the quest to continue socialization without the Boonville Lodge. Several former Lodge regulars and employees, including Tom Towey himself, feasted on BBQ'd chicken, Tri-tip, birthday cake and other tasty potluck dishes. Bubba Backyard Olympics carried on to the late hours of the night with ping pong, horseshoes and other fun games. Don't let the fun end with last weekend! Rumor has it that there is a sign up sheet for whoever else wants to host the next party.
SEVERAL LOCAL young ladies from AV high school’s volleyball team received All League honors: Sydney Frazier NCL II North Most Valuable Player; Stella Day and Maribel Garcia NCL II North First Team, and Laura Essayah NCL II North Second Team. Congratulations to all, and to the team.
JOE TORRE, the famous baseball guy, founded and largely funds the Safe at Home Foundation. Last week Torre told a rapt Frisco crowd of some 400 people who'd assembled to raise money for groups devoted to bringing attention to domestic violence why he'd begun Safe at Home. “My dad abused my mom. He wasn't a drinker. ... He never physically hurt us. But there was a lot of whispering going on in my house. I felt I was doing something wrong.” Torre remembered one particularly terrifying incident. “My mother was standing behind my sister who had a knife in her hand to protect my mother. He was heading for the drawer. My dad was a policeman. He had a gun in the house.” Torre managed to defuse that situation and his older brother persuaded his father to leave the house. Torre's creates safe rooms in schools for children from families like his. “Baseball's been my life,” Torre said. “My mom, Margaret, lived her life for us kids. ... If she were with us today, she wouldn't allow me to do what we are doing today,” that is speak out about an issue sadly too common here in Mendocino County and everywhere else. “My two sisters were horrified that I was going public, but they realized how necessary it was.”
AV BREWING has become the first craft beer to be officially imported to Brazil, specifically Boont Amber, Hop Ottin’ IPA, Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Poleeko Gold Pale Ale, Extra Special Boont, and High Rollers Wheat. The beers will be available in Brazil in both 12oz and 22oz bottles, and by golly can Belize be far behind?
AN MTA PASS to ride the bus from Boonville to Ukiah and back costs $60 a month, which would easily fund the fuel for my old Honda to make the same commute. If public transportation isn't cheaper than private, what's the point?
A FLIER announcing a Boonville High School presentation of “High School for Dummies, a comedy in one act for all ages by Bradley Hayward” comes with the sad parenthetical disclaimer “This play is not intended to offend anyone!”
WHICH ONLY CONFIRMS my ancient opinion that the dead hand of The Nice People, Anderson Valley branch, is so thoroughly oppressive that even a bunch of kids feel compelled to reassure the cringing fools that they won't be upset by a high school play.
WHICH, BY THE WAY, occurs at Lauren's on Friday, January 29th at 9pm and Saturday the 30th at 4pm, the performances preceded by a tapas party and silent auction at the Boonville Hotel, Sunday, January 24th, 4-6pm, a bargain at $35 in support of Teen Drama “started in 2009 to support, inspire and encourage Anderson Valley High School students in gaining theatrical experience through actor's training and performance.”
A WOMAN terrified not to be named told me that KZYX had exerted unseemly pressure on a dying Ukiah woman to redeem a pledge the dying woman had made to the station for $20,000, a pledge the dying woman's care providers resented because the care providers felt they had not been fairly compensated.
KZYX'S MARY AIGNER REPLIED: “Andrea Jacobson, whom you may remember from her tenure as one of the proprietors of the Philo Café back in the '70's, was host of Terminal Whimsy Friday evenings on KZYX. She left the airwaves in June due to a recurrence of cancer. We had hoped that it would be a sabbatical, but that was not to be. When Andrea learned that her time was limited, she made a very generous pledge to KZYX.
The station never exerted any pressure on Andrea. In point of fact, John Coate tried to talk her out of it. Andrea was rather adamant — no surprise to those who knew her. Andrea also wanted the station to use her donation in whatever capacity we could to encourage others to support the station — especially those with deep pockets who can afford to make large donations. She did request that we use part of the funds to purchase a decent chair for the studio. We are shopping for something that would please her and meet her standards. There were concerns about whether her financial resources would last long enough to cover her very expensive hospice care, as Andrea lasted about three times longer than the 5 weeks they gave her when she left the hospital. Andrea died this past Friday, January 7th. To my knowledge, there were enough funds to cover her care through her final days. I think Andrea would be shocked and dismayed by these accusations. They are a disservice to her intent and her memory. Perhaps you'd instead like to print Andrea's obituary. She was a long time Valley and county resident with many friends, acquaintances and radio fans. I've attached a photo. ~ Mary Terminal Whimsy show-host Andrea Jacobson was lost to cancer on January 7th. Andrea always said her show wasn't about music, but about ideas. One show, called 'twinkling pianos,' was dedicated to piano pieces that featured arpeggios. Another show featured acoustic guitar solos by musicians with 'smiles in their fingers.' Andrea Jacobson was involved in many different kinds of activities. She was a valued player on the 4-person bocce ball team, called Fore Play, of course. She has friends from her stay at Pomo Tierra Ranch in Yorkville. Andrea had a graphics business, Curlymind Productions, which featured her intricate and 'curly' designs. In the 70's she was part owner of the Philo Cafe, and had another business in Ukiah, the Sewing Corner. Andrea taught math in the ROP program at Ukiah High and was treasurer of her teachers' union, the Mendocino County Federation of School Employees. In her last days, she helped start up the new 'Lovin' Blooms' nursery in Anderson Valley. Andrea is deeply missed by her singing co-horts, the 'Bronnettes,' as well as her many colleagues at KZYX-Z. Andrea was born in New Jersey in 1944. She was a disciplined scholar as well as a creative artist. She won a full scholarship to Cornell University, where she got her masters degree in Home Economics and Design. Andrea is survived by her two brothers Stephen Jacobson and David Jacobson who live on the east coast, and former husband Thomas McClaskey. There will be a celebration of her life on Saturday, January 30th at 1:30 pm, 845 Dora Avenue, near Todd Grove Park in Ukiah.”
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