Mendocino County Today: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017

• Luis Ferreyra
• Thursday Rain
• Prison Expansion
• Woodhouse Crazymaking
• Electric Rates
• Shelter Assessment
• Mikey's Rep
• Cannabis Hour
• Forty Inches
• Thumbs Up
• Little Dog
• Mendo Football
• Police Reports
• Yesterday's Catch
• Liberal Nixon
• Smitty Recognized
• Mikey's Skeptical
• Vegetable Gardening
• Barefoot/Pregnant
• Part-time Position

A GUALALA MAN with family ties to the Anderson Valley was killed when his truck hit a tree Monday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol has reported. According to the CHP, 30-year-old Luis Ferreyra, the sole occupant of a 2006 Toyota Tacoma was driving on Pacific Woods Road west of Friendly Avenue around 4:20 p.m. on Monday (February 6th) when his truck left the roadway for unknown reasons. The truck continued on the shoulder for about 100 feet before being turned sharply to the right, returned to the roadway with its rear tires sliding to the left. The truck then crossed the roadway before its driver's side eventually crashed into a tree. Emergency personnel transported Ferreyra to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he died from his injuries. According to the CHP investigator, Ferreyra was not wearing his seatbelt, but there was no indication that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

BAY AREA NEWS outlets have been reporting that a very large rain system is heading for California on Thursday. But the latest on-line forecasts show only an inch or two for the North Coast, much like the other moderate rains that we’ve been experiencing this winter. (The difference may be due to different estimates of the speed of the storm system and the amount of time the system will hover over the Bay Area.) Clearing and colder for the weekend and into next week with more rain expected late next week.

THE NAVARRO HAS ALREADY FLOODED again this week with Highway 128 closed on Tuesday, and expected to stay closed and flood again Thursday evening.

THE SUPES have instructed staff to proceed with an application for $25 million in prison construction funds to expand space for ever more inmates, and space for additional inmate services.

THE COUNTY JAIL is overcrowded and falling apart. If the money is forthcoming, construction could begin in 2020.

ACCORDING to the Sheriff's Department, more than 22 percent of inmates are mentally ill, among them older inmates suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. Presently, there are only a few iso cells available to house a large number of these vulnerable inmates and the small number of extremely psychotic prisoners who must be housed apart from other inmates for their own safety and the safety of others.

FORMER SUPERVISOR WOODHOUSE is applying through the County for Worker's Compensation on a claim that the job drove him crazy.

HISTORICALLY CONSIDERED, and offhand, I can think of at least five supervisors who would be considered mentally ill any place but Mendocino County. These people were more or less functioning in that they were able to make their way to the County Admin building for meetings and, once in the building, find their way to the big leather chairs on the dais up front. But their public behavior and statements were not tethered either to the subject under discussion or the broader reality as most of us share it.

MENDOCINO COUNTY is far too lax in doling out early retirements on the basis of "stress." Cops get these tax-free gifts of public funds all the time around here. Two that I know of are simply scams, and never should have been granted. A person becomes a cop knowing the work is stressful, and unless he's been shot up or otherwise suffered consensus trauma on the job, he or she should not even attempt a "stress" out, let alone be granted one.

WOODHOUSE? Like everyone else I'm sorry that he lost his mind. I hope he can be medicated back to a semblance of normal functioning. But his family, early on, hired a lawyer, Chris Neary, to get Woodhouse a range of lucrative County benefits he was not entitled to from less than two years on the job. It took the threat of prosecution by DA Eyster to finally persuade the Woodhouse family to give up their agitation for the gamut of County employee benefits. The prosecution would have stemmed from the episode where the berserk Supervisor was choking his wife when a pair of cops arrived at Woodhouse's home, only to have Woodhouse attack them. The two officers were kicked and bitten, and had quite a struggle to finally subdue the Supervisor. By that time, Woodhouse already had twice been hospitalized in out-of-County psych facilities at great cost to County taxpayers.

CENTRAL AMONG the reasons for recent hikes in our power bills is explained by a recent story in the L.A. Times: "To cover the expense of new plants whose power isn’t needed — Colusa, for example, has operated far below capacity since opening — Californians are paying a higher premium to switch on lights or turn on electric stoves. In recent years, the gap between what Californians pay versus the rest of the country has nearly doubled to about 50%.

“This translates into a staggering bill. Although California uses 2.6% less electricity annually from the power grid now than in 2008, residential and business customers together pay $6.8 billion more for power than they did then. The added cost to customers will total many billions of dollars over the next two decades, because regulators have approved higher rates for years to come so utilities can recoup the expense of building and maintaining the new plants, transmission lines and related equipment, even if their power isn’t needed.

“How this came about is a tale of what critics call misguided and inept decision-making by state utility regulators, who have ignored repeated warnings going back a decade about a looming power glut."

ANIMAL SHELTER DIRECTOR RICH MOLINARI told the Supervisors on Tuesday that UC Davis’s veterinary school will do a three-day assessment of County Animal Shelter on March 14-16 to review animal health and welfare.

DANIELLE BRADLEY is State Senator Mike McGuire’s new “district representative” for Mendocino and Lake County. She’s probably in her 20s, but she looks and sounds like a high school kid. Apparently she’s from San Diego and is a 2016 UC Davis grad in political science with a minor in human rights.

JOHN MCCOWEN ON CANNABIS HOUR THURSDAY, 9 A.M.

Confused, curious, intrigued by the medical cannabis cultivation and business regulations soon to be passed by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors? Tomorrow morning on the Cannabis Hour, BOS Chair John McCowen will discuss some of the basic and more controversial points in the draft ordinances. We'll take on-air questions at 9:45 a.m. on 707 895-2448. That's Thursday, Feb. 9, 9 a.m., on KZYX FM. Stream live at kzyx.org. Or, if you miss the show, listen later at jukebox.kzyx.org. (Jane Futcher)

MARSHALL NEWMAN points out:

Those who have only lived in Anderson Valley during the past decade or two may be surprised to learn that this year’s rainfall was essentially the norm during the 1950s and 1960s. Indeed, the average rainfall from 1937 through 1998 in Boonville was 40 inches, and that average was pulled lower by several dry years from the late 1970s through the 1990s.

THUMBS UP!

Editor,

Why does President Tweety Bird frequently display his erect thumbs in public? Is he looking for someone to goose?

And why two thumbs? Is there such a thing as a multiple goose right-left combo?

A word to the wise is sufficient. Don't turn your back on Tweety Bird.

He's the funniest president we've ever had, and his FDR-styled "Fireside Tweets" are looney to the max.

Saturday Night Live's master mimic, Alec Baldwin, is now guaranteed full employment for the next eight years — the only private sector job that President Tweety Bird has created.

Cheers,

Don Morris, Cranktown/Willits

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “I'm jealous. The cop dogs get all that cool protective gear while all I get is three squares and a dog house!”

COLLEGE TO END FOOTBALL PROGRAM

Mendocino College has decided to end its football program, according to college President Arturo Reyes.

In a letter to the Ukiah Daily Journal in Wednesday’s edition, Reyes explains that after lengthy in-house discussions and a review of the program, college authorities came to the conclusion that the program not only costs the college money, but that the football players themselves were not getting a positive outcome either.

“The early data show that over the past several years the program has attracted fewer students overall and out-of-state students have come to compose a greater proportion of the team. The data also show that students who participate in football are succeeding at a lower rate than most students,” Reyes writes. He adds that fewer than usual football players finish their degrees as well.

Reyes says also a disproportionate number of football players are using student loans to get through school. Add to that the housing problems that have been at the center of local controversy, and the program is a deficit for both students and the college.

Reyes says the football program brings in $256,000 and costs $275,305, not including the cost of the Athletic Director, and department assistants, counseling services, financial aid services, and all the other costs the come with any student. In short, the college loses $19,000 a year on the football program.

“While this may seem like a significant amount, it would be well worth the cost incurred if we were able to see students achieving consistent academic success,” Reyes writes.

The evaluation of the football program actually began three years ago, Reyes told the Daily Journal.

“Over the last three and a half years we have been concerned about the academic success of the students who participate in the football program,” Reyes said. “For the past three years we have been monitoring academic achievement patterns for these student athletes. Our initial review three years ago informed our decision to hire a new coach and to layout higher expectations for the program in all areas. Our review also moved the college to target student support services to many of the football student-athletes.”

The football program found itself in the spotlight last year when a large group of college football players moved into a former old age home on Ukiah’s west side. Reports of noise, partying, overflowing garbage finally ended in the eviction of all the 30-odd players, who were packed into a space made for no more than 24, where even hot water was unavailable for some of the time. Some players left the program, others moved to other short-term rentals, but 20 of the players were taken in by a local church and community service groups and others helped with supplies. Again, however, problems arose from the make-shift dormitory where the large group was disruptive. Most the athletes were evicted again, and found housing in smaller groups with community members, which seemed to work on a short term basis. By year’s end, however, all the athletes were on notice that they would have to find other housing for the new year and many of them left the program, some to invitations from other community colleges, and a few to four-year colleges.

Under state college rules, no college can provide housing or other benefits to one group of students that it does not offer to all students, Reyes points out. The college has no housing program for any of its students. The football players did get a kind of help from former coaches who made arrangements at local motels for football players and last year, arranged for the rental of the old age home.

(The college will host a board workshop to which the public is invited Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the college board room for a discussion of student housing for Mendocino College.)

In the next few days, Reyes, says, the college Program Advisory Team will pass its recommendation to end the football program to the college’s Educational Action Plan committee.

“The EAP will review the recommendation, consider input from their members, perform their due diligence, and forward a recommendation to the college planning and budgeting committee. The PBC will review the recommendation, consider the broader college interests, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent. In the end, the board may have an opportunity to weigh in on this matter,” Reyes said. “The entire process could take up to one academic year depending on the amount of data considered and the impact that a change to the program would have on the entire institution. In this case, I believe the final decision to make any change to the football program will be made by March or April.”

If the consensus is to end football at Mendocino College, Reyes said, then the college will proceed to try to find other schools for football players to go to, or, if they want to stay, help them with their academics.

(Assembled by the Ukiah Daily Journal)

ONE TO THE CHEST, BUT HE WON'T SAY WHO PUT IT THERE

On 02-07-17 at approximately 2:36 P.M., deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Covelo Volunteer Fire Department at 75900 Highway 162 for a reported gunshot wound victim. When the deputies were responding, they were informed that the victim was being transported by ambulance to Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits,. MCSO detectives responded to the hospital and attempted to interview the victim, who was identified as Jefferey Joaquin (22, of Covelo). Joaquin refused to cooperate with this investigation and did not provide any possible suspect information or a possible location where this crime occurred. Joaquin appeared to have been shot in the chest or torso area with a large caliber firearm, which was believed to possibly be a handgun. Deputies responded to Covelo and met with Round Valley Tribal Police officers who were in the 22500 block of Refuse Rd. where Joaquin was reportedly found after the shooting. Deputies searched the area for possible evidence related to this investigation, but were unable to confirm the exact location of where the incident may have occurred. This incident is currently under investigation and anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the MCSO Tip Line at 707-234-2100 or by email at crimetip@mendocinosheriff.com

* * *

$30,000 FOR HITTING A WOMAN FROM BEHIND WITH A HEAVY METAL OBJECT

On 02-06-2017, at about 8:30 PM, a woman called and reported that she had been assaulted at a residence in the 40000 block of Comptche Ukiah Road, Mendocino. Deputies arrived and contacted the involved parties and witnesses. The victim reported that she had been watching television with her children and their father, Anthony Dahl, 24, of Mendocino, in a shed on the property. The victim got up to leave the shed and was struck on the head from behind. The victim saw that Dahl was wielding a heavy metal object and he demanded that she stay with him in the shed. Later the victim used a ruse to escape the shed and call 911. Upon the conclusion of the investigation Deputies arrested Dahl for Assault With Deadly Weapon Other Than Firearm, Domestic Battery, False Imprisonment and he was lodged at the Mendocino County Jail with bail set at $30,000.

CATCH OF THE DAY,

JOHN BOLTON IV, Willits. Drunk in public, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

ELISA CERVANTES, Boonville. Under influence.

RICHIE COBARRUBIA, Boonville. Probation revocation.

BRITTNEY CORRIE, Marysville/Ukiah. Controlled substance, paraphernalia.

JOHN DALKIN, Eureka/Ukiah. Failure to appear, parole resentencing.

TERESA DYSON, Ukiah. Use of somebody else’s access card.

SEAN FLINTON, Drunk in public, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

ANDREW HOLM, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

ROY JONES JR., San Jose/Redwood Valley. Suspended license, failure to appear.

NATALIA OWEN, San Francisco/Ukiah. Criminal threats, probation revocation.

HARLAN WILLIAMS, Covelo. Parole violation/resentencing.

TROY WOOD, Willits. Meth possession for sale, destruction of evidence, evasion.

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

Yup, Nixon, lying imperialist warmonger that he was, was definitely the last liberal president. He proclaimed himself a Keynesian, he implemented massive regulation of the economy, including wage and price controls, he proposed a guaranteed minimum income for all Americans, he signed into law the EPA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and OSHA. As the article points out, it was Carter (who had run in the 1976 primaries as a centrist against liberal opponents in his party like Morris Udall) who initiated the first steps towards neoliberalism with his push towards deregulation. There is no question that Obama was well to the right of Richard Nixon, something that Obama more or less admitted back in 2012 when he said that he was basically a 1980s moderate Republican.

CITIZENS GETTING JUSTICE DONE

by Ralph Nader

Far from the corrosive political circus unfolding in Washington, DC, local citizen groups are improving conditions for the people in their own backyards. Although they receive almost no national media attention, these stalwart citizens work tirelessly to make their country a safer, cleaner and more just place to live. One shining example of such a citizen is Tom “Smitty” Smith of Texas, who has advanced this noble work for the last 31 years.

As director of Public Citizen’s Texas office (see citizen.org), Smitty has an uncanny civic personality that has helped win victory after victory for the people of the Lone Star State.

Here is his basic, motivating philosophy: “The only way to beat political corruption and opposition is with organized people. Time after time I have seen a small group of citizens organize and speak out, and change happens. Our job as citizens is to take back our government and keep our government open, honest and responsive.”

Smitty is too modest to add that this is what he’s done for the past three decades working out of Austin, Texas. He is a symbol of integrity and hard work, walking the corridors of the state capitol with his signature big white cowboy hat.

Smitty practices what he preaches! He has co-founded and mentored 13 nonprofit organizations including Solar Austin, Clean Water Action in Texas, Texas ROSE (Ratepayers Organized to Save Energy) and the Sustainable Energy & Economic Development (SEED) coalition.

He keeps democracy in motion with what Texas State Representative Rafael Anchia calls the “wisdom of Yoda and the dogged determination of the Lorax…together with boundless knowledge, grace, good humor and patience.” Mr. Anchia might have added that Smitty has substantial legislative expertise and detailed knowledge of each legislator’s interests, strengths and weaknesses.

He has testified about 1,000 times before the Texas legislature on reforms that have improved public health, safety, consumer well-being, and have helped make Texas the top wind energy producer in the country, with a large solar energy building boom underway.

Again and again, he and his wife Karen Hadden have championed strategies to curb existing and forthcoming sources of toxic pollution. As just one example, Smitty worked to start the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP), whose awards have replaced 10,000-plus diesel engines and have cut some $160,836 tons of smog-forming NOx from the Texas air.

With Karen of the SEED coalition and local groups, 12 of 17 proposed coal plants and four proposed nuclear plants have been stopped. To replace this generating capacity, Smitty and SEED worked to pass the state’s building energy code and more energy is being saved than coal plants would have produced.

To paraphrase an old adage; a thousand megawatts saved are a thousand megawatts that do not have to be generated.

Spot a consumer rip-off pattern and see Smitty swing into action. Over his career he has backed much-needed insurance reforms, improved the state lemon law (for defective motor vehicles) and pushed through major ethics reforms that also created the state’s ethics commission.

Smitty has trained over 300 interns to become activists. That project alone has led to the passage of numerous of laws, including a patients’ bill of rights and the smoke-free University of Texas campuses. A state office of administrative hearings also owes its existence to Smitty and his protégés.

“Our goal,” says Smitty, “has been to give the next generation the tools they need to keep perfecting democracy – and to stand up for the little guys.” Such words reveal the depth of his focus on building democratic institutions to forge and utilize the tools of democracy.

Long ago Smitty discovered that “showing up” is the predicate for the pursuit of a more just society. Upon this foundation, he has utilized his wealth of knowledge, data and articulate passion to both inform and hold accountable those who make the public decisions in the state Capitol.

Smitty knows the difference between charity and justice, between discriminatory injustice against certain groups and indiscriminate justice favoring all the people. Opposition is diminished when the latter policies are advanced like clean air, clean water, more job-producing efficient energy investments and open government.

But, you may say, look at Texas, its poverty, its pollution, its oil and gas barons controlling so many politicians, its crumbling infrastructure. Sure. But think how these conditions could be diminished with 1,000 Smitties doing the daily work of democratic citizenship and creative watchdogging.

Full-time citizens like Smitty exemplify the kind of dedication to civic life to which we should all aspire to some degree. Want to guess how many more serious bird watchers there are in that sprawling region than activists? Let’s face it. If It’s time that we join in their efforts and realize that important changes, supported by a public opinion majority, are easier than we think to achieve (See my new short book, Breaking Through Power: It’s Easier Than We Think).

Departing with such plaudits as this observation of Austin Mayor Steve Adler that “his impact on our lives may well live forever,” Smitty is retiring from civic active duty this year. At least he thinks he is.

(Ralph Nader is a consumer advocate, lawyer and author of Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!)

MIKEY'S SKEPTICAL

Senator Mike McGuire, who has been voicing concern over the last several months about the tight timelines associated with Proposition 64, will chair a Senate Governance and Finance Committee hearing next week focused on cannabis business taxes, implementing California’s Cannabis tax collection system and the “track and trace” system which verifies cannabis taxes and product safety – all critical elements of the structure for cannabis that is being developed, and that is slated to go live on January 1, 2018.

Concerns about whether or not these systems will be up and running by this deadline will be addressed and leaders from the Board of Equalization, California Department of Food and Agriculture, local elected leaders, industry professionals and public safety officials will talk about some of the difficulties in regulating an industry that has been operating essentially unregulated for 20 years.

“The California Cannabis industry is worth an estimated $7 billion, and we’re only bringing in a small fraction of taxes the state is due, about 20-30%. The state’s tax collection system is not in place and it will be near impossible to get it up and running by the new year,” Senator McGuire said. “We are building the plane while it’s being flown and we need to start developing a backup plan sooner rather than later.”

The Senate Oversight Hearing: “California Cannabis in a Turbulent Time” will be held on Tuesday, February 14 at 1:30 pm in Room 2040 of the State Capitol.

There are significant unanswered questions as the state moves into a new era of cannabis under Proposition 64 and those questions will be asked and answered at next week’s hearing. Topics include current and future tax compliance rates; obstacles and hurdles retailers will face as they come into the system; how the Board of Equalization will handle the influx of hundreds of millions of dollars in cash; how long it will take the state to get the tax collection and track and trace systems up and running; how the state intends to sign up the hundreds of thousands of growers and cannabis related businesses to start paying their mandated tax and setting some realistic timelines for the track and trace system to be up and running.

“Proposition 64 put a massive requirement on state marijuana regulators and very little time to accomplish the landslide of rules and regulations mandated by the initiative. Some departments who have been working on the licensure issue for the last year may well be ready by January 1, 2018. But we have to face the facts – it’s not realistic that all of the Prop 64 rules and regulations will be in place by the New Year,” Senator Mike McGuire said. “The all-important Track and Trace program, which verifies taxes and ensures product safety, will not be in place by January 1and we have to resolve the massive and uneven tax collection process that currently exists throughout the state. I think it’s important that we are transparent and realistic, and that is why we are holding this hearing to ensure an implementation timeline is put into place over the next several months.”

Senator Mike McGuire, who represents California’s North Coast, is Chair of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee. The hearing will be livestreamed and can be viewed at www.senate.ca.gov.

SUSTAINABLE HOME VEGETABLE GARDENING

A four part learning series

FORT BRAGG, February 8, 2017

TAKE YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

This extended learning series offers four classes of hands-on, brains-on training. MCBG Lead Gardener Jaime Jensen teaches the essential skills to develop a strong vegetable garden for years to come. Learn about soil preparation, garden planning, propagation, and harvesting techniques. Course workshops will demonstrate starting with seeds, composting, creating a thriving ecosystem in your own back yard, and fall vegetable gardening know-how. Each class will have a reading and lecture component as well as hands-on training… be prepared to get dirty!

Workshop instructor Jaime Jensen is a passionate advocate for backyard vegetable gardening, delicious fresh meals, food preservation, and health education. She has a taught food literacy to under-served urban youth and managed food production for a local farm-to-table garden and restaurant. She loves teaching and learning about all of the unique relationships that take place between plants, animals, insects, fungus, soil, minerals, water, air, and sunshine. When she is not in the garden, Jaime is cooking fresh, locally grown, organic meals, or illustrating books and painting murals.

Cost is $35 per class (includes Gardens admission for the day) or $120 to attend all four of the classes with the 4-Class Package. Payment is due upon sign-up. Please note, all workshop fees are non-refundable unless the workshop has been canceled or rescheduled by the Gardens. Please reserve space for your preferred date by phoning 707-964-4352 ext. 16 or stop by The Garden Store at MCBG. For more details visit www.gardenbythesea.org.

Schedule Of Classes

Each class runs from 10:00am to 3:30pm (Lecture 10:00am-1:00pm; hands-on 1:30pm-3:30pm)

Class No. 1: Getting Started with Seeds

Saturday, February 25

Each year as the days grow longer the garden offers opportunity for renewal. We start fresh with new seeds and all of the observations from years past to help guide us to success. In this class, we will discuss planning strategies for a successful home vegetable garden, and how to propagate and care for vegetable seedlings.

Class No. 2: Real Dirt

Saturday, April 29

As gardeners, we know that the health of the soil determines the health of the plants growing in that soil. This class will explore different ways to work with and improve the soil in your backyard for optimal vegetable gardening. Compost will be built, smelled, touched, discussed and loved on this day.

Class No. 3: Gardening for a Thriving Ecosystem

Saturday, June 17

Some of the tiniest critters have the largest populations and play the most significant roles in keeping the garden in balance. This class gives you a basic knowledge of plant and insect relationships in the vegetable garden and how they affect the vitality of the entire garden ecosystem. We will discuss companion planting and pest management.

Class No. 4: Giving in to Fall Vegetable Gardening

Saturday, August 26

The end of summer is all about knowing the right time to start your fall and winter vegetable garden. In this class we will discuss timing and fall vegetables. This is also the time to start thinking and prepping for next spring, so we will also cover the topic of saving seeds and fall soil building techniques.

BAREFOOT & PREGNANT -- AUDIO VERSION

An audio version of my latest story, 'Barefoot & Pregnant' can be found here:

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

Marco McClean reads it better than I wrote it.

It's a story about gender treason here and there. The phrase about 'doing it all on their knees' is a reference to Zapata's famous quote<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emiliano_Zapata>;

'I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees.'

You can read the text version here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0Bxf2TM2uxGxFS3dSV05DOUpRZjA

Please forgive my fragmentary composition.

Sincerely,

Scott M. Peterson

Mendocino

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MENDOCINO COUNTY IS SEARCHING FOR AN INLAND PROGRAM OFFICER.

This position is part-time, 20 to 24 hours per week, and reports to the President/CEO. The Program Officer serves as an interface with donors, volunteers, and non-profits to implement, monitor, and update the Foundation's Grant, Scholarship and Technical Assistance programs in Round Valley, Laytonville/Leggett, Willits, and the Ukiah area regions of Mendocino County.

Download complete job description here.

Applications are due by 5:00 on Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

Please direct all queries to Megan Barber Allende, CEO, at megan@communityfound.org, or 707 468-9882.