Mendocino County Today: Thursday, Oct 22, 2015

• Finding Brett
• Misdemeanor Camp
• Mental Maze
• Tussin Love
• Norman Forum
• Progressive Politics
• Empty Niners
• Gun Restriction
• Stoners Rising
• Michael Hedges
• CO Healthcare
• Yesterday's Catch
• Toxic Plant
• Biden's Past
• City Lights
• Ukiah Women
• Piano Concert
• Montessori Benefit

FINDING BRETT

ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015 at 7:04 PM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a reported missing child from a residence located in the 27000 block of Fox Road in Willits, California. The residence was located in a remote rural portion of the Brooktrails subdivision.

Upon arrival deputies learned Brett Paul Brown, 5-years-old, left the family residence at 4:30 PM indicating he was “going on a field trip”.

Brett was last seen by a sibling walking uphill in a southwestern direction into a heavily wooded area adjacent to the family’s residence. Brett was with the family’s dog “Tank” described as being a 5 year-old black Labrador retriever wearing an orange collar.

Brett was described as being 4 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 50 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Brett was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans and orange style tennis shoes.

Deputies began an immediate search of the area with the assistance of personnel from the Brooktrails Fire Department and Mendocino County Search and Rescue.

During this time a reverse 911 notification call was sent out to the surrounding areas near where Brett was last seen.

Due to the circumstances of Brett’s disappearance a mutual aid request was made for further assistance which included personnel from CALFIRE, Marin County Search and Rescue, San Mateo Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol, Willits Police Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), REACH air ambulance, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA), Bay Area Mountain Rescue, Sonoma County Search and Rescue, California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and Falck ambulance service.

ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 at approximately 7:55 AM search teams found Brett in a heavily wooded area approximately two miles from his family’s residence. Brett was alive and appeared to be in good health.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all the personnel and public safety agencies that assisted in the search operation.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office press release

ALMOST 60 YEARS LATER, and still no “suitable place”

Editorial by AVA Editor Homer Mannix, June 4, 1957

The question of where to locate an "honor camp" in the county has come up several times recently. Everyone agrees that something has to be done to relieve the badly overcrowded county jail. There is over double the number of inmates than the jail was built to handle. Most of us will agree that the best thing for all concerned is to take the misdemeanor cases out of the cells and allow them to be doing some useful work. Both the prisoners and the County would gain from this. It seems that no matter where the supervisors turn to set up an "honor camp" local opposition sets up a big howl and run the supervisors off of the chosen spot. Sure they are all for it, as long as it is somewhere else. Almost any community in the County must have plenty of work on roads, parks, etc. that could be performed by the inmates of the jail, work that would go undone because of the lack of funds to do it with regular labor. The board has assured the people that the only inmates who would be assigned to these camps would be misdemeanor cases. No sex or violent cases would be confined there. In most cases it would be the fellow from down the road a ways who was sent up for drunk driving, beating his wife, non-support, or writing a bum check. There is one thing for sure. We the taxpayers are going to have to let our sheriff set up camp somewhere at a cost of $30,000 or $40,000 or we are going to have to foot the bill of several hundred thousand dollars to build a bigger county jail. So far, Anderson Valley has not even been considered for the honor camp location. But three of our local organizations — the Lions, the Oddfellows, and the Farm Center — have endorsed the location of a camp in this area. In fact the Farm Center went on record endorsing a camp wherever the supervisors decided to locate it. We would like to see the Supervisors take more action in locating a spot and spend less time talking about it. No matter where they look they are going to find some opposition. And after a little time, hysteria might set in and opposition could grow into a pressure group in short order. Faulkner Park was mentioned as a possible location but since that it has since come to light that this land was deeded to the county as a park and for camping purposes only. But we are sure a suitable place can be found.

THE MENTAL HEALTH MAZE

Quotes & Notes From The September 16 Mental Health Board minutes. (And a lamer bunch of “advisors” would be very hard to find.)

“Larry Ainbinder was introduced as the new Compliance Manager. Larry is an attorney with experience working with mentally ill clientele in San Diego. Some of Larry’s duties will be assuring compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations and training BHRS and ASO staff on items regarding compliance.”

Who does he work for? Why is “compliance” a problem? Who’s paying for him? How does he bill and for how much? Who hired him? San Diego? … Don’t ask. Certainly the “Board” didn’t ask.

* * *

“HHSA Staff Present: Tom Pinizzotto, MSW, HHSA Assistant Director, Bev Rae, BHRS Program Administrator, Karen Lovato, BHRS Program Manager, Jenine Miller, BHRS Deputy Director, Heidi Poor, Office Assistant III, Larry Ainbinder, Compliance Manager”

First, note that according to the minutes the new “compliance manager,” Mr. Ainbinder, said nothing during the board meeting.

Second, recall that Mr. Pinizzotto was supposedly promoted out of his position as “Mental Health Director” the week before to be replaced by Health and Human Services Director and newly re-titled “Interim Mental Health Director” Stacey Cryer. But here is Pinizzotto handling the agenda, orchestrating the meeting, referring to others by their first name — the new “Interim Mental Health Director” Ms. Cryer wasn’t there. Did anybody ask where she was? Not according to the minutes.

* * *

“Agenda Item No 6 - Director Pinizzotto, MSW, HHSA Assistant Director, Health And Human Services To Provide Written Reports – 30 Minutes Or At The Chair’s Discretion — Assistant Director Pinizzotto recognized the Administrative Service Organizations (ASO) for being available for mental health needs at the Red Cross shelter for displaced persons due to the Lake County fires.”

How much did it cost Mendocino County to have Ortner “be available” wherever they were? What did they do?

* * *

“Director Pinizzotto will collaborate with the ASO’s and the Boonville Clinic.”

Why?

* * *

“Ortner Management Group – Handout. Mark Montgomery, Psy D-Vice President of Operations to answer questions – 5 minutes: OMG is also working with Lake County emergency needs. OMG is preparing for the EQRO and DCHS audits.”

EQRO? Not explained. DCHS audit was probably the state audit done a few weeks ago now. Obviously with plenty of time for Ortner to “prepare.”

* * *

“Adult System of Care (SOC) State reporting regulations are changing.”

How are they changing? What impact will they have? Will it cost Mendo more money? No mention.

* * *

“Mark [sic, notice the first name familiarity] acknowledged Manzanita for doing fantastic work with the wellness centers as well as Hospitality Center on the coast. Anna Shaw will be making a presentation before the Board of Supervisors on the new facility on the Coast in October.”

“Fantastic!” How did “Mark” arrive at this conclusion? No need to explain. Everybody was thrilled and didn’t need an explanation.

* * *

“Negotiations with Howard Hospital for mental health services are in progress.”

This has been "in progress" for years and is still far from resolution. Nobody asked when they’d be done.

* * *

“Medications support via ICMS with Dr. Garratt and Tim Jackinsky, NP is working well which has been a great benefit to the adult SOC.”

“A great benefit”? Really? Did they actually say it was a "great benefit" to the system (of care), and not the patients?

* * *

“Mark [sic] asked to refer any supportive housing leads to him.”

“Supportive housing”? Probably a reference to the County’s near total lack of temporary housing for discharged mental health patients. “Mark” hasn’t done anything, so he asks the Advisory Board who obviously is in no position to suggest housing options. But now that “Mark” has referred it to them, the next time it comes up he can say, “Oh! Nobody gave me any leads!”

* * *

“Data [sic]. Advisory Board Member Sutherland asked about the psychiatric response time from first appointment and if medications are being recommended based on costs.”

Finally, a good question!

Answer: “Todd [sic] stated that there is no directive to prescribe medications based on costs. Medications are prescribed based on what is most clinically appropriate.”

Oh sure, cost has nothing to do with it. How dare Ms. Sutherland even imply that!

“Regarding the response time Todd explained that the data is provided by EQRO standards and may show a low percentage due to no shows or cancellations being included. Any concerns please refer to Todd [sic] or Mark [sic].”

Is this supposed to be an answer?

“Board Action: No Action Taken.”

Of course not. The pesky Ms. Sutherland will probably now be asked to step down as an advisory board member.

* * *

“Agenda Item No. 10 – Discussion Regarding Bylaws Changes Steering Committee - Discussion & Action - 5 Minutes Or At The Chair’s Discretion. Issues: a) Name Change, b) Why or why not amend bylaws, c) Add new members to Steering Committee.”

Now they’re getting down to business! Something they can actually do! (Although we remain unaware of exactly what the Mental Health Advisory Board’s “Steering Committee” does or why they need one.)

“Board Action: The Board directed Chair Wetzler to table item (a) of this agenda item until the October meeting.”

What about (b) and (c)? (Not even mentioned.)

THREE STUDENTS from my dear alma mater, Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, were hospitalized this week when they conked out after pounding down bottles of cough medicine. In my day, exactly one guy smoked pot and we were all in awe of how far out he was. There was weekend drinking, of course, and I recall a girl with a locker next to mine spraying gin into her mouth between classes with a perfume atomizer. My pals and I, inspired by the song White Port and Lemon Juice drank a little of that stuff but, cough-cough, I don't remember anyone getting drunk.

* * *

The 'tussin, the 'tussin - put it down like it was nothin

RoboCop couldn't stop me from pukin and flushin

No balls to be bustin, no fightin, no cussin

Just love for a drug called Robitussin

NORMAN DE VALL

Come to the community meeting with former 5th District Supervisor Norman de Vall, 6 p.m., Friday, October 23rd at Town Hall, corner of Laurel and Main in Fort Bragg.   A community leader active with CASA, a sailor for teens in trouble, a proponent of student loan relief, single payer health care, and a variety of environmental concerns, Norman will speak on local and national issues. Don't miss it! Admission is free.

BERNIE SANDERS: Independent In Name Only

by Alexander Cockburn (October 2000)

Take this as a national parable. Once upon a time–in the early eighties, actually–there was a progressive coalition in Vermont designed to become a third force in politics. One of its prime spokesmen was Bernie Sanders, who became mayor of Vermont’s largest city, Burlington. Sanders duly became a leading proponent of the idea that America needed a third party of the left.

In 1988 the coalition backed Sanders for Vermont’s single seat in Congress. Then as now, orthodox Democratic liberals accused the radical progressives of being wreckers. The radicals said that yes, some creative destruction was necessary. A Sanders candidacy might put Republican Peter Smith into Congress over liberal-populist Democrat Paul Poirier, but that wasn’t the concern of an independent force. Just as he’s now bashing Ralph Nader, Barney Frank bashed Sanders’ candidacy as bad for gays (whose legislated well-being Frank regularly conflates with the fortunes of the Democratic Party) and liberals. And so it came to pass. Sanders swept up Poirier’s liberal base and denied Democrats the victory they would otherwise have obtained. Smith won with less than 50 percent.

The progressive coalition had a long-term strategy. It knew Sanders would not win on that first outing. The essential victory was to persuade progressives to vote, finally, for their beliefs, to stop deluding themselves that the Democratic Party would fulfill even a sliver of their expectations. Two years later, Sanders again made a bid, this time against the incumbent Republican. The Democrats effectively quit the field. Sanders swept to victory.

Creative destruction worked. The progressive coalition matured and expanded. It replaced Sanders with Peter Clavelle as mayor of Burlington and took numerous seats throughout the state. Last year it formally constituted itself as the Progressive Party of Vermont and put up Anthony Pollina, a leftist with years of grassroots activism in the state, as its gubernatorial candidate for November 2000.

Once again, the state echoes with the anguished bellows of liberals that Pollina’s candidacy will install Republican Ruth Dwyer and take Vermont back to medieval darkness. The Progressive Party has refused to stand down. Incumbent Governor Howard Dean is a DLC-type Democrat who never met a corporation he didn’t like or a mountaintop he wasn’t willing to sell to a ski-resort developer. Pollina, who had led Vermont’s successful fight for public financing of statewide elections, became the first to benefit from it. As required by law, he raised $35,000 (from donations averaging $22), then qualified for $265,000 in public money, the only funds he can spend. Pollina was on an equal money footing with Dean. But not for long. A court threw out the law’s spending limit, and immediately Dean inoperated years of pious blather about campaign finance reform. Five days after lauding such reform at the Democratic convention, he rejected public financing and put himself back on the block for corporate contributions and soft money from the Democratic Party.

Pollina and the Progressives have taken the Democrats’ scare strategy straight on. They say, Vote Your Hopes, Not Your Fears. The campaign is rich with proposals on healthcare, environmental protection, a living wage, stability for small farmers and small businesses. Pollina has plenty of ammunition against Dean, who has been running Vermont longer than Clinton/Gore have been in the White House. It’s the pathetic national story. In Vermont, 95 percent of men under 22 in prison do not have high school equivalency. In the past ten years prison spending has increased by 135 percent, while spending on state colleges has increased by 7 percent. One of every seven Vermont men between 18 and 21 is under the supervision of the Corrections Department.

And Pollina doesn’t shrink from reminding voters that at the very moment in the early nineties when Vermont was poised to become the first state to have universal healthcare, Governor Dean, a physician by trade, killed off all such hopes, as he did a bill this year that would have established prescription-drug price controls.

Democrats of the stripe of Dean and Gore know how to talk the talk. They don’t move a finger to expand human freedoms or opportunities, then boast that they alone are the bulwark against right-wing attacks on such freedoms and opportunities. After undermining choice and gay rights for much of his Congressional career, Gore now tells women and gays that he is the prime defender of choice and gay rights. At a gay event in Los Angeles, Dean claimed the hero’s mantle for signing Vermont’s civil union law giving gay couples the same state benefits as married couples. But he was never out front on this issue, moved only under direct order of the courts and then, in an act of consummate cowardice, nervously scribbled his signature to the law secluded from press or camera. So what does our Vermont parable add up to? Independent in name only, Sanders sold out to the Democratic machine long ago. He’s no longer part of a movement. He’s not a member of the Progressive Party and has not endorsed Pollina. In his re-election race for November, he’s outflanked on both politics and gender, facing a Democrat to his left (Peter Diamondstone) and a transsexual moderate Republican (Karen Kerin). But the big story is not Sanders’ dismal trajectory; it is that third-party politics in Vermont has moved out of his sad shadow and is changing the face of the state. The Progressives have also endorsed Nader.

“This race, a lot like Nader’s nationally, has posed the question: If we want good people to run, and they get on the ballot, what do we want to do with that? Do we wish to use their campaigns to build up a progressive movement, or do we once again want to squander our power on business as usual?” Thus said Ellen David Friedman, a long-term Progressive organizer in Vermont. “People under 30 don’t give a damn about the spoiler stuff. Most of Pollina’s campaign workers are under 25. They want to be able to work for what they believe in. Demographically, these are the people who will be making the difference, organizing progressive campaigns in the years to come.”

EMPTY STADIUM PORN

Third quarter in last Sunday's game

From Field of Schemes: What if they built a new stadium and nobody showed up...

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I made my living selling guns for years, while I went to school. I own guns. I support, absolutely, the 2nd amendment, and no one I know wants to “ban” guns. However, there is an element of responsibility in gun ownership. Before I could shoot a gun, my Dad made me attend an NRA training class. It was held downtown in a building, hosted by the local gun club. Once certified, Dad was happy to take me to the range and teach me to shoot. Was my Dad banning guns? I think not. And yet, he “restricted” my right to bear arms. If the NRA went back to their training and support role for enthusiasts like me, I would rejoin them. Right now they are a lobby group for the industry, not for owners.

MARIJUANA USE IN U.S. DOUBLED OVER RECENT 10-YEAR PERIOD

http://www.wsj.com/article_email/marijuana-use-in-u-s-doubled-over-recent-10-year-period-1445439752-lMyQjAxMTE1NjIzMTAyNjE1Wj

REMEMBERING MICHAEL HEDGES

Thinking of Michael Hedges, today. Don't know why.

I guess I do know why. Time passes. Love fades. It's that time of year. Autumn.

I remember while I was a student at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore in the early-1970s watching Michael Hedges perform in a little basement dive called the Peabody Book Store and Beer Stube. It was demolished years ago for a parking lot.

Another time, I heard him perform at the iconic Fells Point pub, Bertha's. The filmmaker, John Waters, was in the audience.  Hedges had been a composition major at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and he supported himself by playing and singing in pubs and restaurants in the Baltimore Metro area during his tenure at Peabody.

I think he dropped out of Peabody. I'm not sure.

Michael Hedges died around this time of year in 1997, at the age of 43, in a car accident along State Route 128 right here in Mendocino County, near Boonville.

He posthumously won a Grammy. His record "Oracle" won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.

Here's his last concert, two weeks before his death: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4AysS-WN0A

An absolutely masterful performance. Michael Hedges was touched by fire. On fire. Torched. A human torch.

On fire with Kundalini.

The Kundalini Awakening, I'm told it's called by hatha yoga practitioners.

R.I.P. Michael Hedges..

John Sakowicz, Ukiah

SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE IN COLORADO?

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/33302-rocky-mountain-referendum-will-colorado-become-the-first-state-to-implement-single-payer-health-care

CATCH OF THE DAY, October 21, 2015

SARAH ALBAVERA, Santa Rosa/Ukiah. Failure to appear.

JAMIE ALONZO, Ukiah. Unspecified misdemeanor.

JAVONTE ASKEW, Ukiah. Unspecified misdemeanor.

ZACHARIA BARBER, Ukiah. Burglary, dirk-dagger, receiving stolen property.

NATHANIAL FYE, Santa Rosa/Navarro. Pot possession for sale, probation revocation.

CALEB MACARTHUR, Willits. Drunk in public, under influence.

LORENZO MARTINEZ, Ukiah. Parole violation.

GREGORY NELSON, Berkeley/Willits. DUI.

TONY PAUL, Ukiah. Domestic assault, probation revocation.

RANDY PIKE, SR., Point Arena. Possession of controlled substance and pot for sale; pot sales, furnish, transport; criminal threats, probation revocation.

TIMOTHY RICKON, Mendocino. Possession of controlled substance and paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, probation revocation.

JUAN RODRIGUEZ, Ukiah. DUI, failure to appear.

BAD TREATMENT, AGAIN

Dear Editor,

Perhaps our county officials didn't understand how toxic the pollution would be from Grist Creek Aggregates' new asphalt plant on Outlet Creek in Longvale when, back in March, the Board of Supervisors decided to exempt the new plant from an environmental development review. The county allowed it instead to go into full production without an assessment of its impacts on nearby residents. Now that the plant has been up and running since mid-September, we all know how bad it really is.

Over a dozen households are being seriously affected by the pollution on a regular basis. At least seven families, including one with young children, are experiencing the common symptoms of exposure to asphalt plant emissions: headaches, nausea, respiratory difficulty and burning of the eyes, nose and throat. Three people have sought medical attention for these symptoms. Dozens of complaints have been filed with the County Air District and dozens of photographs and videos have been taken documenting the pollution.

Yes, many years ago, long before most of us bought land near the Covelo Road, the county permitted asphalt production to another company at the site. But it was a very small operation, so small that few neighbors even remember it. The Grist Creek operation is huge, with giant piles of gravel ready to be used in making asphalt towering over the Covelo Road. Smoke billows up and lingers in the canyon when asphalt is being produced. Then, as now, allowing asphalt production on the banks of a major Eel River tributary, in a narrow valley where fumes and smoke linger, was a bad idea.

So why are Mendocino County officials not yet responding to this public health crisis? The State Air Board came all the way from Sacramento to visit families last week, but as of yet not a single county official has visited any of the affected residents. None of our five supervisors, who, led by the 3rd District's Tom Woodhouse, fast-tracked the plant, have come to see us to discuss the toxic plumes of steam and smoke Grist Creek Aggregates generates.

It's one thing to make a mistake, we all do this. But it's unconscionable to make a mistake and then, when the consequences are understood, not resolve things as quickly as possible.

We hope and pray our county officials have the courage to resolve this terrible mistake as soon as possible for the sake of the neighbors who are suffering every day from asphalt plant emissions. We deserve far better treatment from our County leaders than we are getting.

Respectfully,

Lyn Talkovsky, Kirk Lumpkin, Traci Pellar, Jane Hernandez, Sue and Pete Poncia, Kate Black, Meave O'Connor, Nadine Silva, Janelle Elliott, Dwayne and Annette Ladle, Jane Futcher, Erin Carney, Cindy and Rod Panzer, Jackson and Madelyne Count, Robert Davis and Kirk Pelarde.

Cherry Creek Ranches

JOE BIDEN, ANITA HILL & CLARENCE THOMAS

Vice President Biden made the right choice to not run against Hillary. One thing that would have been used against him is the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas issue (Biden's 'Anita' problem): Biden was chairman of the 1991 Senate committee that defamed Anita Hill and put the moron and sexual harasser Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.

— Rob Anderson (Courtesy, District5Diary)

BIG NIGHT AT CITY LIGHTS

City Lights Evening Was Amazing! Just a short email to say that there was an overflow crowd stretching all the way from Kerouac Alley to the corner of Columbus & Broadway Tuesday night, to hear Lawrence Ferlinghetti at his City Lights bookstore.  He read selections from his travel journals dating from 1960 to 2013, which have been published by a division of W.W. Norton.  A delightful, fun evening well attended by the literati and assorted bohemians.  The after-party at Vesuvio's bar was "off the hook", proof that there is still reason to inhabit earth.

Craig Louis Stehr

Email: CraigStehr@inbox.com

POWER LUNCH

October 2015 Networking Meeting Ukiah Valley Conference Center

Date: October 20, 2015 12:00 PM PDT

Join us Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Bring your lunch and be heard!

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Ukiah Valley Conference Center

200 S School St, Ukiah

Brainstorm with us on the future of Ukiah Women in Business Network, there are great ideas being put together. Now is the time to have your say for the best and most impactful future of this organization. See you there--bring a powerful woman who'd like to share. No cost for this meeting, member or not. Welcome returning members and those of you interesting in growing your business. Our lunchtime meeting is a great place to meet other ladies, share who you are and what you do, and build your business connections! More information and online registration: October 2015 Networking Meeting Best regards,

Ukiah Women in Business Network

FRANK WIENS AT THE PIANO!

Fort Bragg Center for the Arts

13110 Pomo Lane, Mendocino, California

Coast Chamber Concerts presents Pianist Frank Wiens performing works by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin Debussy and Rachmaninoff, Sunday November 8 at 3 PM in Preston Hall, Mendocino. Tickets in advance are $20 at Harvest Market, Fort Bragg, and Out of This World, Mendocino and are available at the door for $25.

RISING APPALACHIA

Little Lake Grange - Nov. 10th

Greetings,

I’m writing you today because Rising Appalachia is coming to Willits on their upcoming Fall tour and will be performing at Little Lake Grange on Tuesday, November 10^th! The show is a benefit for a school garden at the Tree of Life Montessori Charter School in Ukiah. I was hoping we could secure some coverage of the event though the Anderson Valley Advertiser. If anyone would like to set up a phone interview with Leah, please just let me know and I can make sure it’s set up. Thank you and hope to hear back from you. -Adam

Adam St. Simons | New Earth Muziq

Marketing Director & Publicist

Email: adam@newearthmuziq.com