Mendocino County Today: Tuesday, September 9, 2014

• Bad Hombres
• Home Invasion
• Female Quarterback
• Cloverdale Pitcher
• Criminal Investigation
• Animal Control
• Volleyball Machine
• Logging Redwoods
• AVHC Update
• Police Reports
• Catch of the Day
• Ride Needed
• Trivinformation
• Climate Rally
• Political Posts
• Tunnel Debate

SHERIFF TOM ALLMAN told a Laytonville audience last week, “I've never arrested a card-carrying cartel member.” He meant, of course, a person who could be linked to a drug cartel. Doubt any cartel people carry membership cards, and who knows if there are cartels at work on the Northcoast in the sense of the Mexico syndicates that decapitate rivals and shoot up cities. We do know that there are groups of people who grow and sell marijuana in tandem, people like the Bulgarians who pop up in the Sheriff's Log from time to time, but why would a Bulgarian, who barely speaks English, work with people of other ethnic groups he barely knows and can't understand? When excitable hill muffs talk about “cartels” they seem to mean “menacing” hombres driving through the outback that they don't know and have never seen before, like home invaders, that annual menace to Mendocino County's outback people this time of year. Some of them are very bad hombres indeed. As are some growers, especially the new ones with no prior connection to Mendocino County.

ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2014 at 5:32am Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a residence located in the 7000 block of East Road in Redwood Valley, California in regards to a reported home invasion robbery. Upon arrival Deputies contacted an injured adult male who was the homeowner of the residence. The Deputies learned at approximately 4am the home owner was confronted inside his home by 4 to 5 suspects described as being white adult males in their 20's (age). One of the suspects was armed with a handgun while the suspects demanded marijuana and money. For approximately 1 hour the suspects ransacked the inside of the residence while physically assaulting the home owner and interrogating him at gun point. The suspects eventually departed the residence in an unknown vehicle that was last seen traveling southbound in the 7000 block of East Road. During the robbery, the suspects took several firearms (handguns and a rifle), miscellaneous personal belongings, and a few marijuana plants growing outside of the home owner's residence. Investigators noticed the presence of approximately 15 marijuana plants that were being grown at the location (inside and outside) and it is unknown at this time if the plants were being grown for commercial or medical reasons. The home owner sustained facial/head injuries as a result of the physical assault but ultimately refused medical treatment at the scene. Sheriff's Detectives were summoned to the scene and are currently conducting follow up investigations into the robbery. At this time Sheriff's Detectives do not believe this home invasion robbery is connected to the home invasion robbery that occurred at a residence in the 9100 block of Colony Drive in Redwood Valley, California on 08-21-2014 (MCSO Case# 2014-22388). Anyone with information that would aid Sheriff's Detectives in this investigation is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office Tip-Line by calling 707-234-2100.

WELL, WE THINK it's news. The Covelo football team is quarterbacked by — gasp! — a girl.

IN OTHER SPORTS NEWS, the kid out of Cloverdale, Robby Rowland, was released by the Pirates a few days ago. Redwood Empire’s number one all-time scorer in basketball, son of ex-big leaguer (Tigers, Red Sox) Rich Rowland. Robby had been pitching out of the bullpen in West Virginia for a Pirate minor league team.

THE SUPERVISORS' insulting response to the Grand Jury's criticism of the privatization (give away) of County mental health was way outtaline. Please. Something's wrong with the Grand Jury for pointing out this obvious conflict of interest? — A guy named Pinizzotto, working for a private company in Yuba City, magically gets himself a mental health boss job with Mendocino County's public health apparatus. Pinnizotto takes over Mendo’s mental health and then functions as broker for the sale of Mendocino County's public mental health services to the private company he worked for in Yuba City. That private company is called Ortner Management Group. The sale is worth about $7.9 million annually to Ortner. And the supervisors denounce the Grand Jury for saying that it all looks like a conflict of interest on the part of Pinizzotto.

WE THINK it looks a lot worse than a mere conflict of interest. We think there should be a criminal investigation of exactly how it happened and exactly who, besides Pinizzotto, made it happen. We also think a criminal investigation should begin by subpoenaing all Pinizzotto's and Ortner's financial records.

WE AGREE with DA Eyster that the Grand Jury was way off by blasting the DA over Animal Control policies. Crimeny, the GJ didn't even seem to know that Animal Control runs out of the Sheriff's Office, not the DA's bunker.

FRONTIERS OF PUBLIC ED: According to the Independent Coast Observer, the “Point Arena Boosters, Rotary and alumni Jamie Leanus” have purchased “a new volleyball serving machine. The shots are fast and accurate, giving more players a chance to handle serves.”

FASCINATING OLD NEWSREEL ON LOGGING REDWOODS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_YNZn_kaQ

AVHC UPDATE

by Lanny Parker

We are very grateful that you now have three medical provider choices at AVHC.

Dr. Mark Apfel and Cindy Arbanovella are continuing their patient care services at AVHC, and our new physician, Dr. Logan McGhan, started seeing patients on August 26th.

Currently the medical practitioners are scheduled to work the following days of the week, but these days may vary throughout the year due to vacations, attendance at meetings, etc.:

Dr. Apfel: Monday, Thursday, and Friday

Dr. McGhan: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Cindy Arbanovella: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

All three providers will be sharing the after hours on call schedule.

Please note our current hours of operation for medical services, as we have additional evening hours:

Monday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday and Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Also, the hours for the Teen Clinic, which is “back door drop in,” are: Tuesday: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

AVHC is very fortunate to have the continuing services of Dr. Mark Apfel and Cindy Arbanovella as well as the new services of Dr. Logan McGhan. Please help us welcome Logan, his wife, Rocio, and their son, Carmelo, to our community.

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 at about 1200 AM, Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a parking lot in the 1400 block of North Bush Street in Ukiah, California to contact the victim of a reported domestic violence incident. Deputies arrived at the location and learned the male victim and Amanda Cotner, 27, of Crescent City were currently engaged in a dating relationship. Both subjects had been in a field directly behind an apartment complex on North Bush Street when they became engaged in a heated argument in regards to their relationship. During the argument, Cotner threw a soda can at the victim striking him in the face causing a visible injury. Cotner was subsequently arrested for Corporal Injury to Spouse/Cohabitant and transported to the Mendocino County jail where she was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 at approximately 8:00 P.M., Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to a domestic related altercation which occurred at a residence in the 100 block of Acorn Drive in Laytonville, California. When Deputies arrived at the location they came into contact with an adult female victim and learned she had been involved in a verbal argument with her cohabitating partner Jeffrey French, 36, of Laytonville which turned physical. The argument escalated into French grabbing a hold of the victim by the throat and pushing her into a wall, making it hard for the victim to breathe. Deputies observed the victim had visible injuries to her throat area consistent with that of a physical assault. Deputies then made contact with French, who had been stopped in a vehicle by Cahto Tribal Police, as he was trying to leave the location. Inside French's vehicle was a 7mm rifle with eleven live cartridges (bullets) for the 7mm rifle. Deputies learned French was a convicted felon and unable to be in possession of a firearm, or ammunition. Deputies also learned French was on active Mendocino County Probation with a term of obey all laws. French was placed under arrest for Corporal Injury to Spouse/Cohabitant], Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Loaded Firearm, Violation of Probation and transported to the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, at about 9am, a Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic enforcement stop of a moving style rental truck in the area of East Commercial Street and Bray Road in Willits, California. The truck was stopped for speeding and because the driver, Agustin Luis Martinez, 22, of Talmage was using a cellular phone while operating a motor vehicle. As the Deputy was contacting Martinez, the Deputy was able to smell a very strong odor of marijuana coming from the rear of the truck. During the contact it was also determined that Martinez’s California driver’s license was suspended. When checking the cargo box of the truck, the Deputy located 21 budding marijuana plants in pots ranging in height from 7 feet to 8 feet. Martinez disclosed that he had been hired to transport the plants to a non-disclosed location. Martinez was arrested for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended driver’s license and the unlawful transportation, or sale, of marijuana. Martinez was booked into the Mendocino County jail where he was to be held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 at approximately 10pm, Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of North Bush Street in Ukiah, California regarding a domestic disturbance. Deputies arrived at the location and learned the male victim and his wife, Valeria Maldonado, 33, of Ukiah had been engaged in an argument that escalated into a physical altercation. During the altercation, Maldonado punched the male victim in the face and bit him on one of his arms causing minor visible injuries. Maldonado was arrested for Corporal Injury to Spouse/Cohabitant and transported to the Mendocino County Jail where she was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 at approximately 4:38pm, Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on a silver Dodge pickup, near the intersection of Highway 20 and Babcock Lane in Fort Bragg, California. The driver of the silver Dodge pickup failed to stop and abruptly turned northbound onto Boatyard Drive. The vehicle accelerated to speeds of about 40mph on Boatyard Drive attempting to elude the Deputy. The vehicle then made a sudden turn on the frontage road located to the east of McDonalds. The vehicle continued on the frontage road for approximately 40 yards and then came to a stop in the middle of the roadway. The driver of the vehicle, identified as Richard Olstad, 20, of Fort Bragg immediately fled from the vehicle on foot in an easterly direction down the embankment toward the Noyo River. Two adult females and a minor child remained in the vehicle. Olstad’s driving privileges had been suspended and he was wanted for a felony probation pickup order issued by the Mendocino County Adult Probation Office. Responding Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies and Fort Bragg Police Officers were directed to the area of Olstad’s last known location. Olstad was subsequently located and arrested just west of the Noyo Bridge after approximately 20 minutes of search efforts. One of the female passengers in the vehicle, Jamie Barajas, 37, of Fort Bragg was found to have a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest for possession of controlled substances. She was placed under arrest and was later released with an issued citation at the scene. Olstad was arrested for Evading a Peace Officer, Child Endangerment, Resisting/Obstructing Arrest, Driving with a Suspended License and Violation of Probation. Olstad was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the above violations where he was to be held on a no-bail status.

CATCH OF THE DAY, September 8, 2014

TRACY BECK, Fort Bragg. Possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, driving without a license.

ELIU CANTU, Bakersfield. Unspecified misdemeanor.

JESSE GIBSON, Redwood Valley. Vandalizing phone/cable lines, drunk in public, probation revocation.

BRUCE HOLMES, Fort Bragg. Failure to appear.

REMO McOSKER (with haircut), Ukiah. Drunk in public, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

CRYSTAL WILLIAMS, Redwood Valley. Possession of controlled substance.

I NEED A RIDE

Dear Legal Aid Person,

I called a week ago about an assault on myself that I now have been papered to death with Eviction papers delivered minutes ago. I have had to go to the ER three times and am currently wating for my doctor to order the proper imaging to see how much damage has been done. I expect to be ordered back to the ER again. There are three interapartment complaint forms I have asked for since I've been here, TRO paperwork, and eviction notice that will end my Section 8 funding. I also have no worker right now to even get food into the house as for many years my blackouts and dizziness have not allowed me to drive for over a decade and I have a hard time getting to the mailbox! My DOB is 6/23/60, last four 1905. Please call me soon so I can find a ride.

Sincerely Grateful, Mark Donegan, Ukiah

ON-LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY: Post-Gutenberg, information cost no more than ink on paper; it could not be hoarded and so the monopoly of the priests and bishops was ended. Because information on a page could be filed and accumulated, the amount of information within the reach of a literate person exploded … along with the numbers of literate persons! As an unintended consequence, the human capacity for memory and the oral tradition became diminished, then largely disappeared. It was unnecessary to recall Beowulf from memory, only remember where to find it on a shelf.

Fast forward and with the Internet has arrived with the thump-and-drag of the one-legged John Silver. The quality of information has relentlessly deteriorated even as it has become ubiquitous. Our smart phones know in advance what we want for dinner or where to park but nothing tells us what is really happening with our country! The information we need to thrive … or even survive … does not fall to hand. With the incoming tides of ‘trivinformation’ comes a decreasing ability to comprehend. We have no need to learn because we can find an app that does it for us. As a consequence … we have become bereft of the ability to make good judgements. We equivocate, rationalize every evil, we compartmentalize … our moral compasses are shut off, we drink the Kool-Aid and beg for more. With time, appreciation for all non-consumable things vanishes because our capacity for empathy is exhausted, what remains is the immediate-term stimulus of acquisition and little else. We have come full circle; from beasts, to partly civilized due to our mastery of spoken language, to print-educated, civilized literates … to machine-dependent incompetents and back to beasts. Consequences emerge to take the form of a post-Warholian dark age of electronic dazzle; the deathly white light where Candy Crush™ stands as equal to Milton. We have become our appetites and nothing more … (Steve Ludlum)

SIX DEGREES CELSIUS

by Tom Melcher

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” — Frederick Douglas.

In some circles of this country, citizens understand that 600,000 billion tons of CO2 poured into the atmosphere since 1750 has shifted Earth’s natural greenhouse effect and set in motion changes in climate. Seeing California, and in particular Mendocino County, as breeding grounds of awareness, I presumed I lived in a hotbed of activism.

Now some people here may know that in New York on September 21st, two days before the UN Climate Summit, a huge citizen march is planned to push world leaders to commit to meaningful change. For weeks various groups I support have flooded my inbox with updates about the march and announcements about 350.org’s film “Disruption,” which was made to increase participation.

If flying to New York didn’t generate significant CO2, I would attend the march in a… well, a New York minute. Looking for a way to connect, I clicked on the links for local showings of the film, then did a double take. California had perhaps ten sites, the closest to Boonville being a home in Healdsburg. (The second closest was Arcata.) No problem, for gathering with people dedicated to saving the earth, I would sacrifice the gas to get there. Future generations living free of soaring temperatures would forgive the paradox of my driving.

When we knocked last night at the appointed hour, the couple took a while to respond. No one had emailed them to say they were coming, they said, but we were welcome to join them to watch the film. (I had emailed.) We settled down to a big screen presentation (I thought, ‘energy suck’) of the history of science discovering climate change and saw countless pictures of smokestacks, withered corn, military campaigns, freeways choked with cars and hurricane-flattened coastal cities, places where the poor feel the rashness of the assault first and deepest. Only the dullest of viewers could not understand the flywheel effect of the polar icecaps melting and the oceans heating up, meaning that even if not another ounce of fossil fuel is burned starting at noon today, the junk we have already spewed into the air will continue to heat us up for a generation. Hoping to look optimistic, scientists face the camera with Charlie Brown’s beleaguered expression as he drops the ball yet again.

Sobering. But what makes this activist crazy and paints the future of the world black is that residents, of California at least, were content to stay home and barbeque steaks shipped from New Zealand, while their air conditioners made the dining room comfortable. In these last years, lift a glass of wine to the sunset and prepare for a rise of 6 degrees Celsius and the vanishing of species. Take heart that we alone among the earth’s creatures are immune to the consequences of 250 years of material progress, courtesy of the wholesale torching of ancient sunlight preserved as coal, oil and gas. It will be good to have the bees gone and the trees defoliated. Better to see the view.

For the few who can’t quite squeeze themselves into this mold, there is a gathering planned in Oakland on September 21st, from 2-5 pm at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater. Search for Norcal People’s Climate Rally.

GOVERNOR BROWN MAKES FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT TUNNEL PLAN DURING DEBATE

by Dan Bacher

The Republican and Democratic Party establishments have been steadfast supporters of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the peripheral tunnels, so Neil Kashkari, the Republican challenger to Governor Jerry Brown, surprised many when he attacked Brown's tunnel plan during the debate in Sacramento on September 4.

Kashkari said, “The Obama EPA is saying your tunnel program is fundamentally flawed. That’s your own president, President Obama saying that, not me.”

Brown replied: “That doesn’t make it right, by the way.”

The clash began after the debate moderator asked Brown how the tunnels project could proceed after the Environmental Protection Agency issued a scathing comment letter stating that the tunnels would violate the Clean Water Act.

Brown, clearly on the defensive, used the debate to tout the false claim that the Delta is uniquely threatened by an earthquake or other disaster, even though the exported Delta water goes through hundreds of miles of aqueducts and canals in earthquake and disaster prone areas to reach its destination.

"We have a Delta system that protects the fresh water that goes to the farms, not just to Southern California but to Alameda County and Santa Clara County, and that salt water is only protected by dirt levees. We have to find a way to make sure the conveyance through the Delta will withstand an earthquake or rising sea levels or extreme weather events. That’s why for 50 years people have been trying for either a peripheral canal or tunnels or some other kind of conveyance," Brown contended.

Consulting Engineer Dr. Robert Pyke strongly disagrees with Brown’s claim that a peripheral canal or tunnels are needed to “protect” fresh water in the Delta. In a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board on November 23, 2013, Pyke wrote, “The ‘earthquake bogey’ is a red herring that has been used for some years by the Metropolitan Water District and others to try to scare people into supporting what is now the curiously named Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP).” (http:// nodeltagates.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/pyke_comments_on_cwap.pdf)

He also noted, “In the unlikely but nonetheless possible event of the failure of one or more Delta levees in a major flood, the Delta will be awash with fresh water and, while the demand for exports would likely be small at that time, there would be no reason for exports to be interrupted because of salinity intrusion."

Brown also made the false contention that the Delta tunnels would somehow prevent saltwater intrusion into the Delta when a myriad of scientific studies and reports, including the recent EPA letter slamming the tunnel proposal for potential violations of the Clean Water Act, demonstrate that the Delta salinity would increase - and freshwater outflows to the estuary would actually decrease - if the tunnels were in place.

"If that salt water intrudes, half the water to Silicon Valley will disappear in a matter of days. That would be a catastrophe for the economy of California and I don’t think this man really understands," opined Brown.

Actually, the EPA diagnosis pointed out that operating the proposed conveyance facilities “would contribute to increased and persistent violations of water quality standards in the Delta, set under the Clean Water Act,” and that the tunnels “would not protect beneficial uses for aquatic life, thereby violating the Clean Water Act." (http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/08/29/18760890.php)

The EPA also criticized the failure to analyze upstream/downstream impacts and observed that there is broad scientific agreement that “existing freshwater flow conditions in the San Francisco Estuary are insufficient to protect the aquatic ecosystem and multiple fish species, and that both increased freshwater flows and aquatic habitat restoration are needed to restore ecosystem processes in the Bay Delta and protect native and migratory fish populations.”

Brown also used the discussion of the tunnels during the debate to promote the water bond, Proposition 1, a measure that is strongly opposed by a broad coalition of fishing groups, environmental and consumer organizations and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.

Brown stated, "But I’m telling you the way we protect the water in the middle of California and in the south while balancing what is right for the north and the water rights of the Northern California rights-holders, it’s going to take something like the Proposition 1 that will be on your ballot (in November) and, by the way, I hope people will vote for Proposition 1, the water bond.”

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and other environmental and fishing groups strongly disagree with Brown's contention that Proposition 1 would "protect the water in the middle of California and in the south while balancing what is right for the north and the water rights of the Northern California rights-holders."

On September 2, the CSPA released a 14-Point Statement of Opposition to Proposition 1. After reviewing the provisions of the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, the group concluded that Proposition 1 "represents a grave and insidious threat to core environmental values and principles buttressing protection for fisheries and the environment."

"Among the numerous reasons the water bond is bad for California is that Proposition 1 undermines: the public trust doctrine by purchasing water the public already owns, at inflated prices, to protect the public’s rivers and environment; the principle of beneficiary pays by subsidizing projects that benefit special interests and the core principle that projects should be responsible for mitigating their adverse impacts," according to CSPA.

Furthermore, CSPA says Proposition 1 paves the way for a new era of big dam building; is a pork-filled barrel of special interest subsidies, including BDCP; provides little near-term drought relief; eliminates public oversight; crowds out other critically needed investments in roads, schools and public health and safety; is fiscally irresponsible and sabotages efforts to meaningfully address California’s continuing water crisis.

“Proposition 1 is a poster-child of why California is in a water crisis; it enriches water speculators but accomplishes little in addressing the drought, solving California’s long-term water needs, reducing reliance on the Delta or protecting our rivers and fisheries," said CSPA Executive Director Bill Jennings. "When the public focuses a critical eye on Prop. 1, they’ll realize that it’s just another expensive pork-filled gift basket to special interests.”

Opponents of Proposition 1 include the CSPA, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, San Francisco Crab Boat Association, Restore the Delta, Center for Biological Diversity, California Water Impact Network, Food & Water Watch, Southern California Watershed Alliance, South Delta Water Agency, Central Delta Water Agency, Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fisherman’s Association and numerous other fishing, environmental, water and civic organizations.

To read the complete 14-Point Statement, go to: http://www.calsport.org

Here is the transcript of the section of the debate focusing on the peripheral tunnels, courtesy of Alex Breitler of the Stockton Record (http://blogs.esanjoaquin.com/san-joaquin-river-delta/#sthash.8zSY2UDw.dpuf)

Brown: “I’ve lived in Southern California and I have a ranch in Northern California. I was born in San Francisco. It is true a lot of our water is in the north, and a lot of the people are in the south. That’s why my father passed Proposition 1 on the 1960 ballot and that’s been a marvel for California. It has created jobs and abundant agriculture, ranking California No. 1 in fruits and vegetables. But we have a problem here. We have a Delta system that protects the fresh water that goes to the farms, not just to Southern California but to Alameda County and Santa Clara County, and that salt water is only protected by dirt levees. We have to find a way to make sure the conveyance through the Delta will withstand an earthquake or rising sea levels or extreme weather events. That’s why for 50 years people have been trying for either a peripheral canal or tunnels or some other kind of conveyance. We now have a plan and the plan is going through the environmental impact process. Very extensive. 75,000 pages of analysis. It’s not cooked yet. We’re still taking comments. So over the next year we will go over that and look for if anyone else has another suggestion. But I’m telling you the way we protect the water in the middle of California and in the south while balancing what is right for the north and the water rights of the Northern California rights-holders, it’s going to take something like the Proposition 1 that will be on your ballot (in November) and, by the way, I hope people will vote for Proposition 1, the water bond.” 

Kashkari: “I’m very concerned about the tunnels. $25 billion for these tunnels and the Obama administration has serious concerns. Look, if you look at Gov. Brown’s legacy of infrastructure projects — take the Bay Bridge, many billion dollars over budget, many years late — if that’s the track record this thing is going to cost $50 or $75 billion by the time we’re done with it. I’m an aerospace engineer. When I look at a big engineering project that’s way over budget and way over-delayed I have real concerns about mismanagement. I’m not going to plow ahead with $25 to $50 billion into the tunnels. We’re going to put a brake on it, study it and make sure we get it right.” 

Moderator John Myers: “So no tunnels?” 

Kashkari: “No tunnels.” 

Myers: “And no tunnels, then, governor?” 

Brown: “This has been on the table for 50 years. If that salt water intrudes, half the water to Silicon Valley will disappear in a matter of days. That would be a catastrophe for the economy of California and I don’t think this man really understands — ” 

Kashkari: “The Obama EPA is saying your tunnel program is fundamentally flawed. That’s your own president, President Obama saying that, not me.” 

Brown: “That doesn’t make it right, by the way.”