Mendocino County Today: Tuesday, June 16, 2015

• River Killers
• REMCO Proposals
• Concert Going
• Intern Sarah
• West Paintings
• Wooden Cross
• Pinot Points
• Flower Garden
• GP Cleanup
• Waugh Diaires
• PA Board
• Bolinas Graffiti
• Wrong Station
• Catch of the Day
• Not Fair
• SNWMF 2015
• Snyder Recognised
• New Nixon
• Acoustic Cafe
• Algal Blooms
• Library Events
• Community Service

RIVER REPORT

by David Severn

"We need the jobs" is not a good excuse. We need Earth, Air, Fire and Water. We need food, clothing and shelter. Jobs are a part of a social order imposed on us by wealthy people wanting to create and maintain a superior position over most of the other humans on this planet. The economic system thus created is called trickle down economics and it is destroying our world as well as what we used to think of as "our humanity."

Vineyards are emblematic of that process. Their psychotropic drug keeps us light headed and in line as well as drastically negatively impacting the world that feeds us. Yet they, the wealthy, suck and suck and suck. This Monday afternoon I am rattling with emotion amongst the need to get off this report and at the same time make a potato salad for tonight’s abalone feed with friends on the coast.

Whether the USGS gauge is 100% correct or not, what is observationally evident is that the Navarro River flow is plummeting. The USGS "provisional" data show the decline from about 10 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 0.4 (that's 0 point 4) this week. The previous record minimum in the state was in 1977 at 5.2 cfs. Last year when the River went underground during the summer, the flow rate on this date supplied by the USGS was 1.85 cfs so I suppose as I mentioned last week that we can't be all that trustful of what the Feds say. Duh!

What I'm seeing is places where the flow is close to being underflow. Walking along the banks there are stretches of dried algae "sidewalks" where the water has receded in just the past couple weeks since the algae explosion. There is more algae every day and the Water is noticeably warmer every day.

Besides Timothy Mullins at Balo and Roland Wentzel, I now find another close Philo neighbor pumping out of the River. Jeff Skoll, the billionaire owner of Shenoa, has reinstalled his river pump and has been moving water to "green" his for-sale, unoccupied property. There sits eight houses and 13 two bedroom, two bath cabins, unused for the nine or so years the man has owned them and he has the gall to sit in his castle wherever that is and have his trickle down recipient henchmen help to suck our River dry. I'd like to point out that Skoll was the first employee of Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, and he worked only two years organizing the business end of the company before retiring as one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

The amazing thing about Water is that even as it is withering it remains beautiful. Even one drop can be held before the sun so that it sparkles like a diamond.

WILLITS’ ALTERNATE REMCO PROPOSAL

by Linda Williams

The Willits City Council heard two different proposals for reuse of the REMCO site on Highway 101 and Franklin Street at the June 10 meeting.

While the Skunk Train has the first position in the sale of the property by the Willits Environmental Remediation Trust, the terms of the REMCO settlement agreement could potentially allow the city to nix that deal and endorse an alternative.

The council has asked its legal representatives to clarify its legal boundaries before its next meeting.

The second alternative, currently in the second position in the sale, was offered by Ed Mitchell from BEMCORE Enterprises--including the Haehl Creek housing development and Bruce Burton, Willits mayor and owner of Willits Redwood Company.

Mitchell-Burton would create a business park within the shell of the REMCO building. Mitchell’s son James and Burton’s son Ernie would also participate in the enterprise.

Mayor Burton recused himself from the council chambers before discussions of the alternative proposals of the site were broached. Mitchell and Tom Herman of SHN Consulting presented the proposal to the council.

The proposal would convert the building into a combination of commercial, light industrial and government space. Occupying the Main Street frontage would be a brewery and pub, although the proposed proprietor was not named.

The area fronting Franklin Avenue would be devoted to a 200 plus space parking lot.

Mitchell said Willits Furniture’s Mike Smith has expressed interest in using about 12,000 square feet of the building to fabricate redwood furniture and Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman has expressed interest in leasing an 11,000 square feet complex for a public safety training facility.

Herman, who is a member of the Little Lake Fire District Board, spoke of the potential for locating a new Little Lake firehouse inside a 12,800 square foot area within the building.

Mitchell advised he could build the firehouse and sheriff’s training facility and then lease or sell them to the fire district and sheriff’s office.

The rest of the building would be subdivided into commercial spaces. Mitchell expected the complex had the potential to create 40 to 50 new jobs.

Willits Environmental Remediation Trust currently owns the site, and will continue to be responsible for the groundwater cleanup until it is deemed complete by the court. Trustee Dr. Anne Farr advised the groundwater conditions under the site continue to improve but that the Trust would still need to operate the small groundwater extraction and treatment system on the property and “could need a few more injections” of molasses and will need access to the monitoring wells for sampling about twice per year.

She said there is a deed restriction on the property precluding its use for residential or day care purposes, but it could be used for commercial use, including restaurants.

Farr said she has signed contracts with both the Skunk Train and Mitchell-Burton to purchase the property. Currently the Skunk Train is in first position to purchase and only if it falls through will the Mitchell-Burton offer be entertained.

The main issue for the Trust is a provision in the REMCO settlement which gave the city a unique oversight role in the cleanup. This provision gives the city a chance to approve the potential reuse of the building s on the property.

Should the city not approve the potential reuse, the trust is required to remove the building and foundation within 15 months of the court approval of the final remediation plan.

The final remediation plan is set to be sent to the court on Monday.

This means the city has until about July 28 to approve the building reuse or the trust will proceed with demolition.

The demolition is not required for any environmental reasons, it was insurance requested by the city to keep the building from sitting idle and remaining a future eyesore.

The next step, pending the outcome of the council’s request for legal clarification, will be a public meeting or workshop to allow the public to weigh in on the decision. A date has not been set. The Willits Chamber of Commerce has offered to host the meeting.

(Courtesy, the Willits News)

I'M SOOOOO EXCITED. I have a press pass for my first concert since I saw Miss Peggy Lee at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, which would have been 1960 or '61. Peering back through the mists of time, I dimly recall that my girlfriend, otherwise a stone beatnik, had inexplicably come to possess the Miss Lee tickets and had invited me to go along because no one else would. Miss Peggy Lee? I remember a voluptuous woman stuffed into a sequined evening gown breathing late night piano bar-like love laments to an early geriatric audience, a very far cry from this weekend's World Music Festival at the Boonville Fairgrounds featuring the great Jimmy Cliff whose rendition of Many Rivers To Cross is just about the most moving tune you'll hear. Yes, sir, I'm going to see Jimmy.

Getting myself some fake dreads and maybe a psychedelic tie so I can fit in with the trendo-groove-o's and, as the young people say, “get down.” Or get the heck out, depending on the vibe and other intangibles. (Never have been a mob scene guy.) I realize my concert bona fides are pretty thin.

The music part of the Sixties went right by me. I can tell the Beatles from Jimmy Hendrix, but the only act I deliberately attended in that period were two performances by Lenny Bruce, the first one hilarious and absolutely brilliant, the second unfunny as he performed loaded and went tediously on about his multitudinous legal problems. Doubt that Lenny Bruce could work in these preciously correct times, but he paved the way for the rest of the great ones — Richard Pryor, George Carlin and my latter day fave, Chris Rock. (Where did all the prigs come from all of a sudden? This used to be a fun country, but then these uni-sex Madam Defarge personality types ran in and put the kabosh on the laughter.)

SARAH KREIENHOP, now a senior at Anderson Valley High School, is a summer intern here at your beloved community newspaper. She's sponsored by the Anderson Valley Educational Foundation, and please put on hold whatever concerns you may have for the child's welfare in an office of cynical old bolsheviks until she has passed through the crucible. Ms. K is already holding her own, as her report on last Thursday's graduations makes clear. I also attended the ceremony in my capacity as front man for the Miner-Anderson Foundation and dispenser of its annual scholarships. I thought it was a pleasant and even, at times, lively event, although the venue, the sweatbox of the Boonville gym, is never conducive to early summer graduations or any other non-athletic occasion. Mr. Negative also has to wonder why the strings of cliches called graduation speeches must also be translated into Spanish, twice boring the many bilingual people in the audience and coma-tizing both sets of monolingual attendees. The medium of instruction being English, English is enough. If the medium of instruction were Spanish, Spanish would get 'er done, and us English speakers could be bored by proxy, so to speak. All-in-all, though, the overall agony was minimal, the students, as always, handsome and bright. (I was fortunate to be seated next to Len Feinstein who kept us both us abreast of the Warriors-Cavs game. Thank you, Len.)

MARGARET PICKENS called to remind me that the watercolors of the late Malcolm West were on display at the Scharffenberger Winery, Philo. Margaret knows her art so I hustled right off and darned if she wasn't absolutely correct. The guy could paint, and much of his work is of local vistas and landmarks, which makes it twice as interesting to this particular rustic. If you're looking for something in the way of a family heirloom, something to prominently display in your livingroom, you will want to have a look at Malcolm's exhibit, and maybe even buy a painting or two. All of them are reasonably priced.

ON THE SUBJECT of aesthetics, that wood cross in front of Boonville's Assembly of God church is nicely done, complete with a replica crown of thorns perched on top, but to anchor it in a white paint bucket?

(I JUST READ some place that the Romans, and I guess everyone else in the days of the more primitive deterrents, drove their crucifying nails through the wrists, the hands not being strong enough to hold the body on the cross.)

HA-HA. That sign on the gate of the Greenwood Ridge Winery promises “100 Point Pinot.” (From Greenwood’s website: “2012 Hundred Point Pinot Noir — The Hundred Point name comes from a rocky promontory on the nearby Mendocino coast, where, legend has it, one hundred ships have been wrecked. Only two barrels of our 2012 Pinot Noir were selected for the Hundred Point Pinot Noir blend, so we were able to produce just 50 cases.” The rest of Anderson Valley’s wineries boast scores in the 90s. But Greenwood does indeed offer perfect pinot — Greenwood 2012 100 Point Pinot.

THIS CONTAINER GARDEN, tended by an elderly woman, surrounds her tiny room at the Boonville Apartments, an old motel re-done as subsidized housing. The garden is one of many maintained by people of modest means that brighten Boonville's main street.

GEORGIA-PACIFIC has completed the draft cleanup plan for the upland area of the Georgia-Pacific Mill Site. 
The Department of Toxics and Substance Control will hold a public hearing on the proposed cleanup plan on July 9th at 6:00 pm at Town Hall in Fort Bragg. In order to learn more about the proposed Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in advance of the meeting, please click on the link to read the fact sheet (http://ca-fortbragg.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/4634). 
You may also review the complete Draft RAP during the 45-day public comment period. Interested persons can review the documents at Fort Bragg City Hall, 416 North Franklin Street, and/or the Fort Bragg Library, 499 East Laurel Street.

— City of Fort Bragg Press Release

EVELYN WAUGH'S DIARIES

I like Evelyn Waugh's novels, since they are often very funny. Sword of Honor, a trilogy about World War 2, is one of my favorites. But no one but a specialist should bother reading The Diaries of Evelyn Waugh. Waugh himself would surely be shocked that it's been published at all. Most of the entries are about eating and drinking and who he was eating and drinking with. I read it because I knew I would be rewarded by finding nuggets like these:

Saturday 13 November 1943 — …There is a great deal of talk at the moment about the rocket guns which the Germans are said to have set up in France, with a range to carry vast explosive charges to London. This fear is seriously entertained in the highest quarters. I have accordingly given orders for the books I have been keeping at the Hyde Park Hotel to be sent to Piers Court. At the same time I have advocated my son coming to London. It would seem from this that I prefer my books to my son. I can argue that firemen rescue children and destroy books, but the truth is that a child is easily replaced while a book destroyed is utterly lost; also a child is eternal; but most that I have a sense of absolute possession over my library and not over my nursery.

Monday 23 December 1946 — The presence of my children affects me with deep weariness and depression. I do not see them until luncheon, as I have my breakfast alone in the library and they are in fact well trained to avoid my part of the house; but I am aware of them from the moment I wake. Luncheon is very painful. Teresa has a mincing habit of speech and a pert, humourless style of wit; Bron is clumsy and disheveled, sly, without intellectual, aesthetic or spiritual interest; Margaret is pretty and below the age of reason. In the nursery whooping cough rages I believe. At tea I meet the three elder children again and they usurp the drawing-room until it is time to dress for dinner…

March 1964 — Randolph Churchill went into hospital…to have a lung removed. It was announced that the trouble was not “malignant.” Seeing Ed Stanley in White's, on my way to Rome, I remarked that it was a typical triumph of modern science to find the only part of Randolph that was not malignant and remove it…”

— (Rob Anderson, District 5 Diary)

POINT ARENA SCHOOL BOARD STILL DOESN’T GET IT

Editor,

I listened to the May 29^th Board Meeting and would like to make the following statement:

Violations of Brown Act Law:

54954(a) – 54944.2 (a) Public Meeting

Page 5 of the Grand Jury Report states, “The governing bodies indicated above should be aware that the comment or response of the governing body MUST BE conducted subject to the notice; agenda and open meeting requirements of the Brown Act”.

The May 29, Board Meeting ignored this statement and in doing so committed the above Brown Act violations. Although the Board’s response to the Grand Jury was voted on at this meeting, it was not available to the public and/or the board until the agenda item was discussed. The Board did not have the 72 hours required to properly go over the information in order to provide an informed vote nor did it give the public the same 72 hours in which it could make comment. Over half of the responses under “Fact Section” stated “The Board’s response to this paragraph was included in the “Findings” Section” and, yet, the Board voted on the page with no knowledge (so it was stated on the CD) what the Findings Section reported to the Grand Jury!

54954.3 (c) Public Testimony states: “When a member of the public testifies before a legislative body, the body MAY NOT prohibit the individual from criticizing the policies, procedures, programs or services, of the agency or acts or omissions of the legislative body”.

This was violated along with Board Bylaws and/or Government Codes when Trustee DeWilder called Mr. Jacobs names and pounded his fist on the table, coming out of his seat and approached the public. We all know this was not the first time Mr. DeWilder acted in a way unbecoming a Board member. Yet, Mr. Miles, Ms. Bates and others conclude it was due to his “passion”. I am sorry the law prohibits this type of action whether it is for passion, ignorance of the Law or a just plain I don’t care attitude.

Yes, Mr. DeWilder, you do “have freedom of speech”. However, when you take an oath to abide by the laws that govern this Board it makes you accountable for your actions and what you can or cannot say. These are laws each and every member of this Board, after taking the oath, is accountable to abide by. If he is not going to abide by these rules and regulations members of this Board have an obligation to the community and this district not to dismiss words and actions as it has previously been done but he should be asked to step down as a Board member and, at this point in time, I believe he should.

I have to say it was somewhat absurd to hear Mr. DeWilder to tell a parent “you reap what you sow” and “actions have consequences” on the CD. I was stunned – a Trustee who has had absolutely no consequences to his actions certainly is not the ideal Board member to be speaking to a parent that way!

I believe this would also apply to Trustee Cione who needs to keep her words in check. Twice on the tape she clearly states, “Oh Jeez” when Mr. Jacobs is speaking. This also is the above Brown Act Law violation and it needs to be made clear will not be tolerated by this Board for any reason!

I commend Mr. Jacobs for all he has been able to accomplish that I was unable to do in the seven years I attended Board meetings.

He is absolutely right when he states he is not alone in his statements regarding this board. I still have many members of the community approach me thanking me although I do let them know I am not as involved anymore. Also, I believe his job is far from over and I hope he continues to hold steadfast in his quest to make sure the Board abides by the oath they swore to when they took office or they should remove themselves from the Board.

Respectfully,

Suzanne L. Rush, Manchester

IF WALLS COULD TALK

by Steve Heilig

“Graffiti Rampage Strikes Bucolic Coastal Village” was the headline in the local paper. And by local standards it was a rampage, one supposes, as a wall, a street, and even a car were hit by the usual undecipherable "tagging." One local said the images were "very disturbing" — presumably the crude middle finger extended. Shocking. At least one TV crew appeared in town, looking for the story. The cameraman, a jaded but friendly African-American, was asked what he thought of the hullaballoo and if his crew were here due to the proverbial "slow news day?" He just rolled his eyes, affirming without words, but then added "Nice town, man." But from some of the resulting reports one would have supposed a nuke attack or murder had destroyed the town, and one local wag remarked, "What might these dear people do if dropped into East Los Angeles, let alone, say, Syria?"

The Bolinas Graffiti Wars were already well underway when this latest incident inflamed the press and a few locals. Very little such "street art" had appeared in the reclusive village's streets before, and no car had been tagged, thankfully (unless, perhaps, by the mythical and now seemingly moribund Bolinas Border Patrol, long ago self-appointed to keep undue nonlocal influence from invading the town). But there had long been at least a couple of enduring examples on the seawalls down by the famed beach.

A beautiful black mushroom stood alone there for many years there on the white "Airplane House" (Grace Slick and Paul Kantner of the Jefferson Airplane lived there almost half a century ago, and the name has stuck) seawall, and it even marked a gathering spot — "I'll meet you at the mushroom," we would say, and that was enough. A bunch of us even stayed there all night at least once. Some said it was by a famed graffiti artiste, but nobody seemed to know for sure. And it didn't really matter — it was striking, and cool, and again, was the only "street art" on that wall for a long time.

In more recent years there was more graffiti on other parts of the beach too. Down the sand from the Brighton ramp there was a fair bit of paint on the lower parts up the wall. But it too was relatively low key.

Some of it was even fairly accomplished and cool — surfing dragons, other creatures, etc. (Raquel Welch and her prehistoric fur bikini with a surfboard was nice enough too). Some of this other stuff was said to be by "name" artists too, but who knew, and who really cared?

Eventually this all changed, of course. Bolinas was "discovered" online as a hotspot for graffiti artists to ply their trade. In retrospect it seems like almost overnight the paint spread, on the seawalls over by the groin and beach ramps, and on the Airplane House wall itself. Then it hit the big beautiful fallen beach tree and even the cliff itself, and spread up the rest. Eventually even the original mushroom was covered over.

Now, no need to get all academic here, but this whole scenario recalls at least two landmark intellectual theories. The first is the "broken window" concept which originated in the 1980s and is, according to Wikipedia, "a criminological theory of the norm setting and signaling effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime and antisocial behavior. The theory states that maintaining and monitoring urban environments in a well ordered condition may stop further vandalism and escalation into more serious crime." More specifically, a broken window in a building leads to more breaking of windows and worse, whereas if all windows are in tact, they tend to stay that way.

This is controversial stuff and has been used to justify repressive policies, but it is still a popular concept. The parallel with the beach graffiti seems valid, at least — when there was no graffiti or even just one mushroom, it stayed that way, but once more was added, it, well, mushroomed.

The other relevant theory is the "Tragedy of the Commons," the title of a paper by (in)famous biologist Garrett Hardin of UC Santa Barbara (he was my undergraduate advisor so his ideas kinda lodged in my head). This theory has also been controversial ever since — Hardin applied it to overpopulation and questioned the "right" to reproduce, for example — but it certainly applies in places. The commons concept is that a resource "owned" by everybody — or nobody — tends to be overused, exploited, even ruined, unless managed to avoid that. Water supplies are one very relevant example. Clean air is a commons, as is open space, etc. The Medicare program is a commons. And public streets, parks and beaches are commons.

Blank space on walls seemed to be a commons in many places. So, once the "window" of graffiti gets breached, it tends to spread. Is this a problem?

For some people it is. One can take a position that there should be none allowed at all or that anything goes, or something in between. But if any "street art" is to be allowed, then what are the limits?

I don't know much about art, but I know what I like, or don't like, or — well, sometimes. "Tagging" graffiti, the kind where just a kind of signature is written, often illegibly but known to the tagger and his colleagues or competition, I don't much like. It has always struck me as really a form of adolescent acting out — but does that mean I'm turning into a COP (cranky old person)? Gawd, I hope not — but that's happened to better people than me.

But how about what more people might call "art"? — skilled painting of all manner of realistic or surrealistic or whatever images? Bolinas has had a bunch of it. Other parts of the world have had, say, pieces Banksy, whose "pieces" are now worth piles of money (and thus often stolen as soon as they appear). Barry McGee is justly famed for his art and has been rumored to have done public work in Bolinas (although he has privately denied this). But it must be said that most graffiti is neither Banksy or Barry.

What the "canvas" of the seawalls and ramps and such have become is an ever evolving "gallery" of public work. The exhibit changes constantly. Right now I think the overall quality is relatively low — lots of plain old initials and urban-looking tagging there. But it's colorful at a minimum, it changes, and who am I to say? Or anybody? Who decides what is allowed?

How to enforce whatever rules? Is painting over anything we don't like okay? Or maybe that's just another form of competitive tagging? Don't taggers do that to each other? Is the paint toxic to any creature? Is this much ado about next-to-nothing? What limits are okay on what right now is called "free speech"?

Below one beach house the signs reading "Please limit painting to lower vertical concrete wall" seemed to have worked for many years (surprisingly?). Hardin proposed that only "mutual coercion, mutually agreed upon" would work in a commons to preserve things. But who agrees on what? Maybe I just miss my mushroom?

I don't have answers to these concerns. Regarding the latest incident, one suggesting was 'Just check to see which kids have recently charged spray paint on their parnents' accounts and there are your perps."

Probably so. But then, what sentence should apply to these hardcore (probably adolescent) criminals? Make them clean it up (already done, quickly). Some other form of community service, such as frisking other kids on the beach for spray cans — as some local cops have already done? I don't know. Nobody else seems to either. But consider this wisdom from the great American cultural critic, Bart Simpson: "One man's art is another man's fart, man!"

OOPS, WRONG STATION

Editor,

After a healthy hiatus I mistakenly turned on NPR at 5am this morning. It has really given me a fresh perspective on the cunning plot hatched by these neophytes.

Whoever says that NPR is not thoroughly lobotomizing and wholly evil is an obvious shill to the darkside.

Three stories on “Morning Edition” illustrate my point perfectly.

First a seven minute fluff piece on how former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is actually an Hispanic called “He Was Born Republican Royalty, But ‘Jebcito’ Is From Miami.” Among other fine and prescient points made by the piece are; he has completely embraced Hispanic culture, he knows “their” idioms, he makes a mean guacamole, he pronounces Spanish words like cilantro with a fancy accent, he lives the immigrant experience everyday, he can make his way effortlessly through many “different” Spanish food menus, he married a Mexican “girl,” his kids are little brown ones, he called himself the first Latino Governor of Florida, he fits in quite well in the fascist enclave of Cuban Miami where Reagan is the godfather, Chicano people say they love little Jeb (at least the lady gushing in the story), his twitter handle is “honorary latino.” Oh, wait for this one: he once mistakenly filled out Hispanic for race when he was voting. (Aw shucks. That’s really cute!) Among other marvels, the dude majored in Latin American Studies. Well, what the fuck did he learn? How to conquer? Find the thoroughly embarassing Mara Liasson (really, she's the son of a liar) fluff piece about Jebcito Bush on NPR.org. It’s borderline Onion quality satire.

If I was not tortured enough at this point this fine Monday morning, I listened on much to my chagrin.

On “Planet Money” (really?!?) they run a five minute salutation and lionizing of Tom Burrell called “How An African-American Ad Man Changed The Face Of Advertising.” It was the legendary Tom Burrell who “revolutionized” advertising by bringing cultural depictions of black people into the mainstream. He brought us things like rap music in commercials which basically marked the death of hiphop culture, which began as a resistance culture and not the consumer and entertainment culture of violence it has become. This among other thoroughly exploitative and destructive bloodsucking tactics to sell more unhealthy shit to more and more people. So we can thank Tom Burrell for increased cancer rates in the black community because he developed the black urban Marlboro man. Black people won't buy cigarettes from a white cowboy. The story actually has the audacity to call all this advertising “positive” depictions of black people. Really? It was really just a strategy; don't attack the black community, let’s make a shit-ton of money off them, now that's progress, American Style. Oh the marvels of minority targeted advertising. The ad in the right column as I type this missive is a Walt Disney ad with a black father and son. Is that supposed to make everyone feel better? Wasn't Walt Disney a notorious racist and xenophobe?!?

There's more. Rachel Dolezale head of the Seattle chapter of the NAACP is being denounced (by her parents of all people) that she is not actually black, she has been pretending. You don't say. Why do I identify with her plight? No seriously, that's just bad science. For Christ's sake Irish, Brits and Scots have vast black ancestry. You mean to tell me that other immigrants who eventually found there way here are not a vast assortment of racial mixing? No, they are. Our society suffers dementia when it comes to our cultural and racial past. It’s really basic science.

Oh, don't forget this story brought to you by Your Health.

Breaking News: Golf is good exercise for Americans, whether they use a golf cart OR walk. I guess we all know who's health and which Americans they are actually talking about. Yep. This is not my morning edition, not my planet money, not my health or yours, so NPR is certainly not my radio station. It is a bad habit that you should drop as well. The only thing NPR is good for is ripping.

That is unless you care to be lobotomized.

Nate Collins, Oakland

CATCH OF THE DAY, June 15, 2015

AGUSTIN AGUILAR, Ukiah. DUI, battery on peace officer, resisting.

TRACI BLAND, Covelo. Under influence and possession of controlled substance.

JUAN CALDERON-UGALDE, Willits. Domestic battery.

MICHAEL DONAHE SR., Ukiah. Drunk in public, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

MICHAEL GULARTE, Willits. Domestic battery.

BRETT HOAGLEN, Covelo. Failure to appear.

JOSEPH HOAGLEN, Covelo. Suspended license, probation revocation.

ROSAMOND OWSTON, Point Arena. Possession of nunchuks and drug paraphernalia.

BRIAN PALMER, Ukiah. DUI, misdemeanor hit&run.

MICHAEL WARD SR., Ukiah. Burglary, vandalism, probation revocation.

SCOTTY WILLIS, Ukiah. Domestic battery, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

THE WORLD ISN'T FAIR

When Karl Marx was a boy

He took a hard look around

He saw people were starving all over the place

While others were painting the town

The public spirited boy

Became a public spirited man

So he worked very hard and he read everything

Until he came up with a plan

 

There'll be no exploitation

Of the worker or his kin

No discrimination 'cause the color of your skin

No more private property

It would not be allowed

No one could rise too high

No one could sink too low

Or go under completely like some we all know

 

If Marx were living today

He'd be rolling around in his grave

And if I had him here in my mansion on the hill

I'd tell him a story t'would give his old heart a chill

It's something that happened to me

 

I'd say, Karl I recently stumbled

Into a new family

With two little children in school

Where all little children should be

I went to the orientation

All the young mommies were there

Karl, you never have seen such a glorious sight

As these beautiful women arrayed for the night

Just like countesses, empresses, movie stars and queens

And they'd come there with men much like me

Froggish men, unpleasant to see

Were you to kiss one, Karl

Nary a prince would there be

 

Oh Karl the world isn't fair

It isn't and never will be

They tried out your plan

It brought misery instead

If you'd seen how they worked it

You'd be glad you were dead

Just like I'm glad I'm living in the land of the free

Where the rich just get richer

And the poor you don't ever have to see

It would depress us, Karl

Because we care

That the world still isn't fair

— Randy Newman

SIERRA NEVADA WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND. COME CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF GATHERINGS IN MENDOCINO COUNTY

We are all very excited about the 22nd annual Sierra Nevada World Music Festival taking place at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California this weekend! SNWMF features 3 Days of the Very Best Roots Reggae and World Music. With 2 stages, along with a "Jamaican-style" Late-Night Dancehall, SNWMF is a great way to kick off your summer. Our festival is very "family-friendly" with an extensive array of children's activities, including arts and crafts, bounce houses, dance & music workshops, a festival parade and family and alter-able camping. With its beautiful streaming colors and exotic aromas, the international festival village is an attractive marketplace of food and craft booths.

SNWMF 2015 ~ RUN OF THE SHOW

The festivities kick off on Friday afternoon with a Native American blessing from Pomo elder Clayton Duncan. The Valley Stage will be thumping all night long with pop, rock and roots music. Getting things started musically will be the soulful voice of Hawaii’s own Hirie whose song “Sensi Boy” tore up the charts a few years ago. Next up will be Stick Figure, the brain-child of Massachusetts’ Scott Woodruff. The Pacific Island vibes will be in full effect when Common Kings take the stage on Friday night. Legendary Birmingham roots reggae band Steel Pulse will close out the music on the Valley Stage on Friday night.

Roots reggae music from Jamaica will be in full effect on the Village Stage on Friday night with rising star Hempress Sativa. She will be followed by the band Pentateuch who will be making their California debut at the festival. Conscious dancehall singer Admiral Tibet will also perform on the Village Stage just prior to the “King of the Dancehall” Yellowman gracing SNWMF for the first time ever. Meanwhile, things will be jamming in the dancehall on Friday night, with Comanche High Power laying down some serious grooves for your listening pleasure. And the dancehall will be hopping until the wee hours of the morning with Scotland’s Mungo’s Hi Fi who will be bringing Señor Wilson and Solo Banton with them. Yellowman will also be making an appearance in the dancehall on Friday night.

Saturday has always been roots reggae day at SNWMF, and this year will be no exception. The morning will get started with some Solstice Yoga after which The Itals will get the music going on the Village Stage. Performing next will be Meta & The Cornerstones, a roots reggae band whose lead singer was born and raised in Senegal.

Jesse Royal is a part Jamaica’s new talent often dubbed “Reggae Revival” artists, and he will be bringing his musical message to get things rolling on the Valley Stage on Saturday. Nattali Rize has previously performed in Boonville as the dynamic front woman for Australia’s Blue King Brown. She’s spent the past year living and recording in Jamaica and the fruits of that labor will be revealed when Nattali Rize & Notis take the stage. Taj Weekes is a musician, singer, songwriter, poet and humanitarian. He is St. Lucia's native son and we are pleased to have him returning this year. Next up will be Epiphany Artists’ recording band Soul Syndicate. Fronted by Fully Fullwood and Tony Chin, this legendary band will not only be doing their own set they will also be backing 4 additional artists including Jamaica’s consummate cultural DJ, Big Youth, along with his son, Tafari. Performing next will be the internationally recognized reggae musical titan, Ken Boothe. His more than 50 years of musical contributions recently earned him Jamaica’s Order of Distinction. Soul Syndicate’s set will reach a crescendo when they back none other than the mighty Max Romeo, whose album “War Ina Babylon” is still considered one of the best reggae albums ever recorded. Though still active in Jamaica and Europe, Max Romeo will be making his first U.S. appearance in over 25 years. Reggae Ambassadors Third World will be returning to Boonville again this year. Rounding out the Valley Stage lineup on Saturday will be Jimmy Cliff who rose to international fame by starring in and contributing songs to the movie “The Harder They Come.”

The Solstice Stage and Kids Zone will be active on Saturday afternoon with dance workshops and children’s activities before Trinidad’s Asehba takes to the Village Stage to perform for children of all ages. World music will be highlighted on that stage with Bustamento who hails from Australia. They will be followed by Oakland’s own La Misa Negra, who will be bringing their unique blend of 1950's and 60's style cumbia and high-energy, Afro-Colombian dance music. The Village Stage’s festivities will close out with Bixiga 70. With their genre-spanning mix of afro-beat, Guinean malinké, Brazilian candomblé, samba and cumbia, Bixiga 70 are a welcome addition to any party. The dancehall will be rammed on Saturday night when SNWMF presents a very special Dancehall Session with Nattali Rize, Hirie, Ras Muhamad and members of No-Maddz and Pentateuch pass the microphone around backed by Jah Warrrior Shelter Hi-Fi. The dancehall will be capped of when Rory returns to SNWMF as Rorystonelove Black Dub.

Sunday’s musical festivities will begin with some uplifting conscious music courtesy of Mendocino County’s own Joseph Israel. He will be followed by what is sure to be a very entertaining set from another new band out of Jamiaca, No-Maddz. Evening time will see the return of ‘vintage music’ on the Village Stage compliments of Monty Morris and B.B. Seaton, who was a founding member of The Gaylads. The blast from the past will continue with the return of Keith & Tex who blew away those that witnessed their performance at SNWMF in 2013. The Melodians will bring down the curtain on vintage night on the Village Stage.

With the music slated for the Valley Stage on Sunday, you’ll be able to travel around the world without leaving your seat (except to dance of course). First up will be the self-proclaimed Reggae Ambassador of Indonesia, Ras Muhamad. From there, you’ll jaunt over to England with the horn-infused sounds of Gentleman’s Dub Club. And things will really be in a frenzy when another dozen horns are added as Melbourne Ska Orchestra takes to the stage. From there, the stage will return to the capitol of reggae music, Jamaica, for what is sure to be an outstanding set from “Jah Messenjah” Luciano. Malawi and London will be fused together when the award-winning group The Very Best step onto the Village Stage. Though just a duo at their core, over the years, Thievery Corporation has become known for the carnival like atmosphere of their live shows, during which they bring out a 15-member live band of musicians and vocalists. Their live performances exude a playful and intense energy that can only be fully understood in person, and the good people of Boonville will get their chance to experience just that when Thievery Corporation closes out the Valley Stage on Sunday.

BIG TIME AWARD FOR BOONVILLE TEACHER, JIM SNYDER

This year’s Senior Division Teacher of the Year Award recipient has inspired students at his school to authentically pursue science. Not a science teacher by training, this educator learns science alongside his students, offering that maybe the thing students appreciate most about their teacher is that their teacher didn’t actually answer any of their questions, but were encouraged to find out more using scientific help and collaboration, even if that led to even more questions. It is this practice that leads the educator to believe that his nomination came from his students recognizing their teacher as a collaborator and a true partner in their learning. This genuine curiosity aligns with our winner’s philosophy of science — inquiry, inquiry, inquiry.

Without a science class of his own, this teacher has dedicated time on Saturdays to run an after school program, which he founded in 2011, that would not compete for students’ interest or time in sports during the week. After many multi-year projects, and learning from students, this underlying emphasis in inquiry has now changed the way this teacher designs his other courses, which includes math and music. Beyond the school grounds, this educator’s involvement in inspiring and encouraging student scientists has become a huge part of his life, often driving hundreds of miles on the weekends to recover equipment students have sent into the atmosphere as a part of their projects. And all of this is 100% voluntary for this educator.

This year’s Science Fair Teacher of the Year plans to continue to build a collaborative community of student scientists, and is aiming to increase involvement of girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, all while developing a new engineering elective for his school.

Please join me in congratulating our Senior Division Teacher of the Year, from Anderson Valley High School in Boonville, Mendocino County — James Snyder!

James Snyder was named as advisor on the following projects this year: S1719.

— California State Science Fair / 2015 / Science Fair Teacher of the Year — Senior Division

COMMENT OF THE DAY

Meanwhile, Hillary (no last name required) steps out of the starting gate this week, too, pretending to be the incarnation of Robin Hood, as if she would ever shut down the financial rackets that have at once impoverished the former middle-class and enriched grifter opportunists such as Hillary herself. Her event on Roosevelt Island, New York City, looked like unintentional self-satire, as if it were staged by the late-great director Robert Altman for one of his wacky political movies. Hillary’s handlers missed one touch though: a cape would have gone nicely with that electrifying blue pant-suit. As for the speech itself, a bigger bundle of platitudes and insincerities has not been served up since the heyday of Nixon. As the politicians are so fond of saying these days, make no mistake, Hillary is the New Nixon.

— James Kunstler

EARL THOMAS OPENS PARDUCCI WINE CELLARS ACOUSTIC CAFE SEASON

Favorite Summer Concert Starts with a Soulful Sizzle

UKIAH, CA—June 15, 2015—Parducci Wine Cellars will kick off its 5th ANNUAL SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, JUNE 27^th, with Earl Thomas, soul and R & B legend. Tickets are now on sale at www.parducci.com. Tickets may also be purchased in the Parducci Wine Cellars Tasting Room, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (707) 463-5357 for more information.

General Admission is $20 with special discounts available to Parducci Wine Club members. All shows feature general festival seating on the lawn. Performances take place weather permitting.

The Parducci Wine Cellars Patio and Wine Bar opens at 5:30 before each concert. Opening music and food sales start at 6:00. The headliner act plays at 7:00. Concert-goers may also bring their own picnic basket. No outside alcholic beverages permitted.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

NOAA Fisheries mobilizes to gauge unprecedented West Coast toxic algal bloom — Offshore survey will measure extent and severity of largest harmful algal bloom in more than a decade

NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle has mobilized extra scientists to join a fisheries survey along the West Coast to chart an extensive harmful algal bloom that spans much of the West Coast and has triggered numerous closures of important shellfish fisheries in Washington, Oregon and California.

The bloom stretches from the Central California Coast north to Washington and possibly Alaska, and involves some of the highest concentrations of the natural toxin domoic acid ever observed in Monterey Bay and off the Central Oregon Coast. In early June elevated toxin levels led shellfish managers to close the southern Washington Coast <http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jun0515a/> to Dungeness crab fishing, the largest-ever closure of Washington’s multi-million-dollar crab fishery.

“We’re taking advantage of our active surveys to focus research on a serious concern for coastal communities and the seafood industry,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA fisheries. “The better we understand what’s happening out on the water, the better we can address the impacts.”

While localized blooms of marine algae that naturally produce domoic acid are common in spring, the bloom that began earlier this year has grown into the largest and most severe in more than a decade. Sardines, anchovy and other fish that feed on the algae and other microorganisms known as plankton can accumulate the toxin, in turn poisoning birds and sea lions that feed on them.

“This is unprecedented in terms of the extent and magnitude of this harmful algal bloom and the warm water conditions we’re seeing offshore,” said Vera Trainer, manager of the Marine Microbes and Toxins Program <http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/efs/microbes/index.cfm> at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) in Seattle. “Whether they’re related we can’t really say yet, but this survey gives us the opportunity to put these pieces together.”

State agencies monitor toxin levels closely and impose harvest closures where necessary to ensure that all commercial seafood remains safe to eat. NOAA Fisheries and others are also developing advanced robotic systems <http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/datatech/tech/esp.cfm> and models <http://www.cencoos.org/about/news/2015/hab-forecasts-added-portal> to better detect and forecast harmful algal blooms. See state agency websites linked d below for the latest details on closures in California <http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/healthadvisory.asp>, Oregon <http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClosures.aspx> and Washington <https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/eh/maps/biotoxin/biotoxin.html>.

The NWFSC’s Marine Microbes and Toxins Program is working closely with the University of California Santa Cruz, University of Washington, Quileute Nation and Makah Tribe to add scientists to an already scheduled fisheries survey leaving today (June 15) from Newport, Ore., aboard the NOAA research ship *Bell M. Shimada* <http://www.moc.noaa.gov/sh/>. The survey is a partnership between the NWFSC in Seattle and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, Calif., to assess sardine and hake populations on the West Coast. The additional scientists will examine levels of marine toxins and the organisms that produce them.

The researchers will collect samples of water, the microscopic diatoms that produce domoic acid and another form of marine microorganism called dinoflagellates that produce another type of toxin called paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) that have also been detected in some shellfish. Domoic acid and PSTs are rarely found in shellfish at the same time, but they have been this year.

The scientists will also sample plankton-feeding fish such as anchovies and sardines that concentrate the toxins and transfer them to other marine animals.

Research during previous harmful algal blooms found “hot spots” of toxin-producing organisms along the West Coast, Trainer said, and the survey will search for similar concentrations this year.

The Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) Research Program <http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/habs/ecohab> is completing a study of one such hot spot in California’s Monterey Bay <http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects/detail?key=152> and provides funding for UC Santa Cruz to analyze samples that will be collected during the survey. The results will help investigate connections between the current bloom and unusually warm ocean temperatures that have dominated the West Coast since last year, which may offer a preview of ocean conditions likely to become more common with climate change.

California officials have warned against consuming recreationally harvested mussels and clams, commercially or recreationally caught anchovy and sardines, or the internal organs of commercially or recreationally caught crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Officials in Oregon have halted all shellfish harvesting from the Columbia River south to Tillamook Head and closed the entire state coastline to razor clamming because of elevated levels of domoic acid. High levels of PSTs have led to the closure of mussel harvesting along the Oregon Coast north of Gold Beach.

All coastal Washington beaches have also been closed to razor clamming, at an estimated loss of more than $9 million in revenue for coastal communities in the last month alone.

Michael Milstein, NOAA Fisheries, 503-231-6268

LIBRARY EVENTS

Planning 101: An Introduction to Strategic, Business, and Resource Planning for Community Based Organizations

The workshops will be offered at the Ukiah Branch Library, at 105 N. Main St., from 12 noon to 4 pm on Monday, July 13^th, and at the Fort Bragg Branch Library, at 499 Laurel St., from 12 noon to 4 pm on Monday, July 20^th.

It doesn’t matter if you are updating your Strategic Plan, developing a new Business Plan, or figuring out what kind of Resources your organization needs, all planning processes use the same basic steps. The difference is in how you use them.

Planning that shapes an organization’s course and enhances the impact and effectiveness of its work need not follow a set, rigid process. But it does require you to step back from current activities, focus on the big picture, and think about your program in a manner that’s disciplined, rigorous, self-critical, and fresh. It requires asking “What results do we want to produce for our community, and what do we need to do over the next few years in order to achieve those goals?”

The workshops are free, and preregistration is requested.

Interested persons should call 463-4490 in Ukiah, or 964-2020 in Fort Bragg, to reserve a spot.

* * *

KIDS SUMMER READING PROGRAM:

Samurai Origami – 7/7/25 – 10 A.M to Noon

Join Kathy Silva and learn how to make your own Samurai origami. Even if you’ve never done origami before, you’re welcome to join us. Children ten and under need to bring an experienced folder with them, but all ages are welcome.

Northern California Bats – 7/8/15 – 11 A.M.

Join us and the folks from Northern California Bats as we learn about these little superheroes of the animal kingdom and get a chance to meet the bats and the folks who rescue and help rehabilitate them.

Kids Movie Series – 7/8/15 – 2 P.M.

Join us for throughout the summer for movies starring some very different heroes. Popcorn will be provided. All films start at 2 p.m. Our July movie will be on July 8th at 2 p.m. and is rated PG.

Local Heroes – Send a Ranger – 7/15/15 – 11 A.M.

When we think about our State Parks, we think of Park Rangers, the folks who seem to know everything about nature. Come meet one of our local State Park Interpreters from MacKerricher State Park and learn about both our local park and the Junior Rangers program.

Zumba For Kids – 7/21/15 – 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.

Get ready to groove with our Zumba for kids event. Join us to give Zumba a try and have some fitness fun.

ONE DAY a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, “I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.” The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a “thank you” card and a dozen roses waiting for him at the door. Later, a cop came in for a haircut, and when he tried to pay his bill, the barber again replied, “I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.” The cop left happy. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a “thank you” card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door. Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill , the barber again replied, “I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.” The Congressman was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it. As Mark Twain said: “Both politicians and diapers need to be changed often and for the same reason!”