Mendocino County Today: Thursday, Aug 6, 2015

• Rocky Cooler
• Forest Fires
• Laytonville Grief
• Scientist/Farmer Arrested
• Catch of the Day
• FB Pursestrings
• Screener Wanted
• Gargoyle
• Military Culture
• Clinton & Trump
• Mendo Blob
• Social Media
• Fake Courage
• Rugby Honors

SOMEWHAT COOLER CONDITIONS have allowed the 3500 firefighters and support crews to gain some ground on the giant Rocky Fire overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday. By Wednesday evening Calfire reported about 30% containment, but significantly increased the number of structures destroyed to 43 residences and 53 outbuildings, much of the increase was attributed to discoveries in burn areas that were previously inaccessible, not to significant new fire expansion. Evacuation orders and advisories remain in place. As of Wednesday evening Calfire reported that about 70,000 acres were now burned, including parts of Yolo and Colusa counties, with the 30% containment: “A history of high temperatures, low humidity, changing winds and poor overnight recovery continue to contribute to the future possibility of significant fire activity. Firefighters continue to work aggressively to build control lines and sustain perimeter control. Barring further fire spread damage inspections are complete. Residents are urged to stay vigilant and adhere to any changes in evacuations and road closures. Fire activity and direction can change at any time, be prepared and stay informed. With the elevated fire danger, we are asking everyone to use extreme caution, “Ready, Set, Go”. For more information on how to prepare for wildfires, go to www.readyforwildfire.org.”

And as one local firefighter reminded us: Fires can create their own wind. Some weather forecasts mentioned the possibility of thunderstorms in the area which could bring some rain but could instead bring more lighting fires.

CLEARLAKE WIND FORECAST:

MENDO NATIONAL FOREST FIRE UPDATE:

As the Mendocino National Forest nears containment on the three fires from last weekend’s lightning, firefighters are preparing for storms predicted for the next several days.

The Etsel Fire on the Covelo Ranger District is approximately 32 acres and 85% contained. Full containment is expected later this evening. It is located in the Yuki Wilderness and is burning in heavy timber and brush.

The Boardman Fire is approximately 95 acres and 40% contained.

The Deer Fire, burning southeast of Lake Pillsbury, is approximately 100 acres and 40% contained. It is burning in mixed conifer. There are three structures threatened. Two engine crews and one Type 1 handcrew are working on the fire with the help of various air resources.

As dry conditions and hot temperatures continue, combined with an increased chance of lightning, firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in coming days.

Forest visitors are asked to be aware of their surroundings and be prepared for changing conditions. This includes reporting visible smoke that could be from a wildfire.

To report a fire, please call 911.

As a reminder, the Mendocino National Forest is currently under fire restrictions. Visitors are asked to follow regulations and be careful with anything with a flame or that can throw a spark in the forest. For more information, please visit www.preventwildfireca.org/OneLessSpark/.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino. Updates are also available on Twitter @MendocinoNF.

GRIEF SUPPORT CIRCLES WILL CONTINUE AT HARWOOD HALL IN LAYTONVILLE

Dr. Norvell to take year-long leave from clinic

by Jane Futcher

Cindy Norvell, M.D., a physician at Long Valley Health Center for 16 years, will take a one-year medical leave from the clinic, according to the clinic’s executive director, Rod Grainger.

Grainger made the announcement at an emotional community healing circle Monday, Aug. 3, at Harwood Hall in Laytonville, More than 40 people gathered to share and sort out their feelings about the Norvell/Palmieri family tragedy.

Grainger said the clinic will hire a temporary replacement immediately and may seek another permanent physician even if Norvell, now discharged from the hospital, returns to work.

On July 19, Norvell, 54, and her brother Theodore Norvell, 52, a professor of computer engineering from Newfoundland, Canada, were attacked by 19-year-old Talen Clark Barton of Laytonville.

Barton, who was living at the Norvell/Palmieri home, pled “not guilty” Tuesday to the attempted murder of Norvell and her brother, as well as to the fatal stabbings of Norvell’s son, Teo Palmieri, 17, and his father, Coleman Palmieri, 52. Barton was also charged with false imprisonment of two teenage girls — Norvell’s daughter and niece.

The first community healing circle was hosted by Laytonville Healthy Start Family Resource Center and Long Valley Health Center, which will hold similar circles every Monday night in August at 6 p.m. The gatherings will continue “for as long as people need and want to gather,” said Traci Pellar, a Laytonville resident and KPFN FM radio host, who organized the event.

With pillows to hug, plenty of tissues and dinner provided, people were able to share their shock and grief at the violent tragedy in a nurturing environment.

Counselor Ben Anderson, a social worker and primary care counselor from Mendocino Community Heath Clinic in Ukiah, facilitated Monday’s healing circle.

Anderson described as “fluid” the stages of grief outlined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross — denial, anger, bargaining (“Maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow and find out this didn't really happen”), depression and acceptance. If not expressed in a healthy way, Anderson said suppressed shock and grief may lead to anxiety and depression. Connecting with others, he said, is an important part of recovery.

Anderson urged those gathered not to blame themselves for what happened.

“The take-away is to take care of yourself and take care of each other,” he said.

Many of those attending Monday’s meeting said they had personal and professional ties to the Norvell/Palmieri family. According to a Healthy Start staff member, Teo Palmieri had just finished volunteering for a children’s summer program in which he made “a huge impact” and touched kids’ lives. His father, Coleman, an electrician, was also remembered for his good humor and community involvement.

Several said Barton had visited their homes, spent time with their children and received extra encouragement from the entire community.

After the murders, Barton was persuaded by Norvell’s daughter and niece to call 9-1-1 to report what he’d done; he is now in Mendocino County Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing Sept. 16.

One woman described the tragedy as “unfolding like a bad dream” as she gradually learned from friends and the media what happened at the Meadow Lane home of the Norvell/Palmieri family some time after midnight July 19.

“You might feel like you are the only one going on this roller coaster, but you‘re not,” Anderson told the group.

A woman from the Mendocino coast said that Laytonville is not alone, that people from across the county and beyond are sending their love, support, prayers and sympathy.

“There is something very dark happening; this is part of our culture,” she said. “We must go on.”

Several in the audience wondered what they or the community might have done to prevent the tragedy and to ensure similar events don’t happen in the future.

Providing better county mental health services was one suggestion. Ensuring that all children have safe, loving childhoods, particularly during their first five years of life, was another.

One participant suggested that community members who want to make a difference might volunteer in school classrooms.

Many expressed gratitude to Healthy Start and to the Laytonville community for providing love and support in times of sorrow.

Grainger said cards of sympathy and support can be addressed to Dr. Norvell at the Long Valley Health Center, PO Box 870, Laytonville, CA 95454.

Need Support?

Mendocino County’s 24-hour crisis line can be reached at (800) 555-5906 or (707) 463-4396.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) holds support groups for caregivers, survivors and families at Harwood Hall on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m.

Long Valley Health Center and Laytonville Healthy Start Family Resource Center are providing mental health support for anyone affected by the recent tragedy. For information, call Laytonville Healthy Start at (707) 984-8089 or Long Valley Health Center at (707) 984-6131.

(Jane Futcher lives near Laytonville.)

ON MONDAY, August 3, 2015, at approximately 8:30 AM, Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies, assisted by California Department of Fish Wildlife Wardens, served a search warrant at a residential property located in the 40000 block of Mountain View Road in Manchester, California. Deputies located and eradicated 94 growing marijuana plants, and also seized another 18 pounds of processed marijuana. Evidence was located at the scene indicating that a "Butane Honey Oil" laboratory was in operation at the location. In excess of 200 empty 300ml canisters of butane were located at the scene, along with additional items used in the BHO process. (Butane Honey Oil [BHO] refers to the use of butane fuel to chemically extract the resinous THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] or hashish from marijuana.) Butane Honey Oil (BHO) extraction is an extremely dangerous activity due to the unconfined use of butane, a highly flammable and explosive substance which also contains harmful chemicals, which is allowed to vent into the atmosphere as part of the process. Kenneth Elder, 25, of Manchester, was arrested for Manufacture of Controlled Substance by Chemical Extraction and booked into the Mendocino County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. Additionally, charges of cultivation and processing marijuana are being sought.

CATCH OF THE DAY, August 5, 2015

THOMAS BOETTCHER, Fort Bragg. Drunk in public, parole violation.

SONO CARRIGG, Willits. Failure to register as transient, probation revocation.

MEGAN CHAMPION, Ukiah. Burglary.

JAMES DURKEE, Ukiah. DUI-drugs, possession of controlled substance and paraphernalia.

WILLIAM EVANS, Fort Bragg. Failure to appear. (Frequent flyer.)

CHRISTINA GUERRA, Covelo. Pot cultivation, possession for sale, armed with firearm.

RAFAEL MATA, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

JACK MILLER, Redding/Willits. DUI.

MICHAEL NORTH, Ukiah. Burglary, resisting, probation revocation.

AUSTIN ROSEBERRY, Covelo. Pot cultivation, possession for sale, armed with firearm.

MARTIN SCOTT, Laytonville. Failure to register as transient.

CHERYL TOM, Hidden Valley Lake (Lake County)/Ukiah. Petty theft.

ARNOLD WILLIAMS, Fort Bragg. DUI-drugs, court order violation.

CHRISTINA YAKIMO, Ukiah. Under influence of controlled substance.

WHO GETS TO SPEND FORT BRAGG'S MONEY?

(More power to City Manager Ruffing?)

[Proposed] RESOLUTION NO. ___-2015

Resolution Of The Fort Bragg City Council Authorizing Certain Positions With The Power To Invest Funds On Behalf Of The City And To Open And/Or Close Accounts With Financial Institutions

Whereas, the City of Fort Bragg from time to time establishes and/or closes deposit and investment accounts with financial institutions; and

Whereas, these financial institutions often require that the City designate by resolution appropriate persons authorized to establish and/or close accounts and conduct financial transactions on behalf of the City.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the City Council of the City of Fort Bragg that the following positions are authorized to establish and/or close necessary accounts with financial institutions and to conduct financial transactions on behalf of the City; and

Be It Further Resolved that all demand deposit accounts shall continue to require two signatures for the withdrawal of monies and that the authorized signers and those authorized to act on behalf of the City shall be the incumbents in the following positions:

Mayor of the City of Fort Bragg

City Manager,

Finance Director,

Administrative Services Director

The above and foregoing Resolution was introduced by Councilmember ________, seconded by Councilmember ________, and passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Fort Bragg held on the 10th day of August, 2015, by the following vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Abstain:

Dave Turner, Mayor

Attest: June Lemos, Acting City Clerk

HELP WANTED: SCREENER!

“Mendocino County Health & Human Services Agency. Currently recruiting for: SCREENER. For further info OR to apply, go to: www.mss.ca.gov. CLICK on: ‘Career Opportunities’”

SO WE DID. We went to www.mss.ca.gov. There really is such a position and it’s not what we thought:

“Screener — General Description: Under limited supervision, the Screener assists applicants for public assistance programs; explains policies and procedures; gathers and verifies facts and information; initiates cases through an automated system; makes appropriate referrals for health, social and/or employment services; and performs related work as required. The Screener is a specialized clerical classification. Incumbents in this class have primary responsibility for performing the application screening interview and related functions. The Screener differs from the Office Assistant III, in that the latter may perform application screening interviews as a duty, while having primary responsibility for other advanced clerical functions. The Screener differs from the Eligibility Worker in that the Eligibility Worker classification determines initial and continuing eligibility, authorizes aid payments, initiates case changes, performs in-depth interactive interviewing, and applies extensive multiple aid program knowledge.”

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

The militarization of this country can be witnessed on multiple fronts, pun intended. From the mundane and incongruous: football stadium flyovers, BDU inspired baseball game uniforms, go-ruck runs, spartan races… everything becomes a celebration of the warrior culture (totally disregarding the inconvenient fact that this nation has not been on the victorious side of a war since WWII). This has seeped into everything from video games, films, books and an entire prepping culture which mostly seems like a middle-aged loser’s excuse to buy military inspired gear and weapons. We have a police force that has taken training cues from the military with a culture that emphasizes survival over all else. The problem is that the inherent difficulty of police work is making the split-second decision that preserves both justice and life. When you have police that train like soldiers, dress like soldiers (it’s not only the SWAT teams dressed like DEVGRU), and drive militarized vehicles (Texas DPS has vehicles outfitted with Punisher logos… yes, municipal vehicles with aggressive paint schemes and a comic book logo). When I was young there were whispers of a Delta Force, now, kids that grew up during the bogeyman of Osama know all about the SF heros and even play them in Call of Duty games. The culture is infected deep into the marrow. It’s sad that you can’t stroll around town without seeing a constant reminder, but now we are living in the 3rd-worldization of America, we are unmoved by police carrying automatic weapons in public and by soldiers off parade. There was time when both of these were met with disgust, when a soldier was prohibited from wearing uni in public… problem is, we are all soldiers now.

CLINTON, THE CURSE THAT NEVER ENDS.

Bill Clinton called Donald Trump this spring and "encouraged Trump’s efforts to play a larger role in the Republican Party," the Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing five people familiar with the exchange. Clinton's personal office confirmed the call occurred. Trump aides claim their boss was "candid about his political ambitions and his potential interest in seeking the White House during the talk...." Clinton "analyzed Trump’s prospects and his desire to rouse the GOP base," according to Trump allies.

A READER WRITES

Editor: I can't give you my name because I work for the county, but I can tell you most of the county's big shots check out your website every day, and a few are even brave enough to be seen with the hard copy. I hope Mr. Marmon will excuse the cuss word here, but the reason the dependency attorneys simply go through the motions is, basically, the Mendocino County Courthouse, and Mendocino County government generally, is your basic clusterfuck, and has been for years. It's all one big CYA blob. The judges could demand honest representation in custody cases but they're the biggest blobs in the blob, so to speak. County Counsel, Doug Losak, for instance, is a key blob in custody cases, and he's incompetent even by Mendo standards, and most of the rest of the blob is afraid to say anything about anything because the blob will eat them. Losak survives by running errands for Supervisor Hamburg, easily the most corrupt individual in the history of this county to hold public office.

ED NOTE: Most corrupt? There's a lot of competition for the top spot. The Fort Bragg City Council of the early to mid-1980s was corrupt in the old fashioned sense of the term. Some of them took "loans" from Dominic Affinito they didn't have to pay back in return for approval of development deals like the Glass Beach project. The Mendocino County Office of Education under Jim Spence was a nest of thieves and pervs, not enough of whom went to jail and weren't in jail long enough when they got there. And there are hundreds of people who've made lots of money in the dope biz, and were making big money from dope way before it became a cancer cure-all. Mendo is, in lots of ways, like a giant mafia operation, with illegitimate drug money recycled through legit businesses. For instance, Wavy Gravy's operation north of Laytonville was built on recycled dope money unless, of course, you think he pulled in the big bucks doing exactly what? I agree completely about Hamburg.

THE FAKE COURAGE OF CAITLYN JENNER

by John Eskow

I believe it was Shakespeare who said “a dick by any other gender is still a dick,” and now we have Caitlyn-formerly-Bruce Jenner to “live out her truth” and prove it. Celebrated for her “courage” by no less a moral arbiter than ESPN itself, lionized even by Diane Sawyer, the slow-witted ex-Olympian – who of course has absolutely no idea what true courage it takes to survive one day of homelessness in America — has created a sad little furor by telling her girlfriends on TV that those bums on the street, those war veterans and street kids and whatnot, don’t want to work because they’re too happy getting government handouts.

Well, penises come and penises go, but bad taste is timeless, I guess. While she revels in her expensive new state-of-the-art breasts, the Marie Antoinette of transgenders has done us all a favor by revealing just how shallow, venal and corrupt her kind of “courage” really is, and how gullible the media figures who celebrate her.

First came the long, breathless wait to see what Bruce Jenner would look like when he was miraculously transformed into a woman named Caitlyn. When the moment finally arrived, the caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis produced a breathtaking vision – which looked exactly like Bruce Jenner, with fake breasts, in a dress.

This was, as Tom Brady might say, slightly deflating. But for TV and social media it was a virtual second coming. Athletes who dared to criticize ESPN for honoring the rich and privileged Jenner over more deserving candidates were hounded and mocked as transphobic haters.

And then Jenner finally opened her surgically-enhanced lips, and what came oozing out was the politics of identity in its purest form.

First, he told Diane Sawyer, his new BFF, that he didn’t like Obama except for one single thing – and guess what that might be! – “He was the first to say ‘transgender,’ I give him credit for that, but I’m not a big fan, I’m more on the conservative side.”

This seemed to completely astonish Sawyer – but it’s hard to see why, after countless Republican politicians have been outed as cross-dressers; Jenner is building on a long and rich tradition there, and it’s fun to imagine her trading fashion and make-up tips with J. Edgar Hoover.

But Jenner knocking Obama was pretty thin stuff, and very few people – outside of his immediate family, and MSNBC – care to defend Obama anymore, so there was a tiny hubbub about it, and it fizzled quickly.

Then came the bizarre coronation on ESPN, with the stage-managed standing ovations. No “haters” allowed! The king is dead, long live the queen! Of course, Queen Cait could barely deliver her scripted words of inspiration – she didn’t seem to have read them beforehand – but social media was deeply moved.

And, in the ultimate proof that she’s on the right side of history, Caitlin got her own reality show. But no sooner had her show begun than she wobbled off-script for a moment, and our newborn Cinderella proved to be more of an old-fashioned Wicked Witch. When one of her girlfriends talked about the importance of caring for homeless people, Jenner said, with an adorable toss of her bangs: “Don’t they make more by not working – with social programs – than they do with an entry level job?”

The other transgender women on the show – who have lived actual lives – were horrified. When they tried to explain it to her, Jenner finally revealed her true self, the one that even Diane Sawyer failed to uncover: “Oh, you don't want people to get totally dependent on it. That's when they get in trouble – ‘why should I work? I got a few bucks! I got my room paid for!”

Let’s de-construct that little beauty for a moment. As soon as Jenner starts her feeble attempt to role-play a poor person, she junks normal grammar–becuz poor folks iz stupid, lol! – “I got a few bucks.” Then she faults these dumb slobs – you know, these combat veterans and mentally ill and sexually-abused women, men and children – not just for their damn laziness, but for their total lack of imagination, too – for them, a room and a few bucks (for crack, no doubt) is enough. They aren’t even ambitious enough to crave a two-room apartment, much less an L.A. mansion paid for with sex-tape money!

And girlfriend, don’t even get me started on their clothes! Pee-yew!

Here, Jenner finds herself in bed with Earl Butz, the Republican member of Gerald Ford’s cabinet, who disgraced himself with a similar quote. Though it seems too good to be true, this is actually how it happened. In 1976, Butz found himself on an airplane with Pat Boone – in some ways the Kardashian of his day, because he, like Kim, became famous by exploiting black sexuality. Boone, himself a high-level right-wing ideologue, asked Butz why there weren’t more black Republicans, and Butz replied (I quote accurately, if reluctantly): “Pat, the only thing the coloreds are looking for in life are a tight pussy, loose shoes, and a warm place to shit.”

Poor Earl Butz is as dead as vaudeville now, but if he were alive, he’d happily join Lindsey Graham in welcoming Caitlyn Jenner to the Republican party and praising her “courage.” And that’s the core of the problem: across the ultra-narrow spectrum of American media/politics, it’s become way too easy to be “courageous” on LGBT issues. It doesn’t cost anything. Every day and every night, MSNBC “bravely” champions gay rights, and they recently hired the first openly gay news-anchor. Excellent! Now when can we expect to get the first poor news-anchor? The first Native American news-anchor? The first ex-convict? We all know the answer: as soon as there exists a wealthy and powerful group of the homeless, or of American Indians, or of ex-cons, who contribute millions of dollars to the Democrats and Republicans, like the gay rights groups do…and not a day before.

It’s the same old game, and you pay to play.

So in the end Jenner’s “courage” boils down to this: I will fiercely defend the right of obscenely wealthy cultural parasites to have surgeons in Beverly Hills build new breasts for us, and to then have those store-bought breasts draped in the silks of Parisian couturiers.

Well, it’s a program, I guess, and you see some of Caitlyn’s right-on sisters shopping in Beverly Hills every day.

But if I want to see true courage in action, I’ll step outside and watch a homeless woman try to catch an hour’s sleep in an alley off Santa Monica Boulevard.

John Eskow is a writer and musician. He wrote or co-wrote the movies Air America, The Mask of Zorro, and Pink Cadillac, as well as the novel Smokestack Lightning. He is a contributor to Killing Trayvons: an Anthology of American Violence.. He can be reached at: johneskow@yahoo.com. Courtesy, CounterPunch.org)

LOCAL STUDENTS NAMED TO MEN'S 2014-2015 COLLEGIATE ALL-AMERICAN RUGBY TEAM

On Friday, July 31, Ukiah residents, Ryan Morris and Austin Morris, were named to the Men's 2014-2015 Collegiate All-American Rugby Team as Honorable Mention All-Americans.

See: http://usarugby.org/college-news/item/men-s-2014-15-collegiate-all-american-lists-announced

Both Ryan and Austin attend the California Maritime Academy, CSU. Ryan is a senior. Austin is a junior. They are majoring in marine transportation, and will have United States Coast Guard (USCG) Deck Officer licenses upon graduation.

Ryan started his education at the U.S. Maritime Academy with congressional nominations from U.S.. Senator Diane Feinstein and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson. He transferred to Cal Maritime to be closer to home.

This summer, Ryan was named as the Executive Officer on Cal Maritime's Annual Training Cruise aboard Cal Maritime training ship, the Golden Bear.

The cruise began on April 22 with the ship departing Vallejo on April 26. The Golden Bear's first stop was in Long Beach, CA for a fuel stop. The ship transited through the Panama Canal on Thursday, May 7. Their first port-of-call is Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, before heading to Barcelona, Spain. The next ports were Naples, Italy and Marseilles, France, and the change out was held in Boston, Massachusetts, and the cruise ended on June 25.

This summer, Ryan is working as a crewman at Alcatraz Tours-Ferry Service.

Meanwhile, Austin received his congressional nomination to attend the U.S. Maritime Academy from U.S. Representative Jared Huffman. He elected to attend Cal Maritime to study with his brother.

At Cal Maritime, Austin is a midshipman in the U.S. Navy's Strategic Sealift Officer Program (SSOP). He will graduate as a Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade.

See: http://www.csum.edu/web/academics/ssop

Austin is a recipient of the 2013 American Real Cross "Real Heroes" Award. While aboard the research ship, the Kaisei, Austin helped save the life of a crew mate who had fallen overboard about 150 miles offshore Vancouver, Canada. The rescue took place at night, in freezing water, and in 10-12 foot seas and 30-knot winds.

Congressman Huffman also acknowledged Austin with a Congressional Recognition Award in a presentation at a meeting of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.

While in high school, Austin served as an intern at the Mendocino County CEO's Office.

Both Ryan and Austin graduated from Ukiah High School and St. Mary's School. They were varsity basketball players and athlete-scholars. Ryan and Austin are the sons of Shannon Morris and John Sakowicz.