Mendocino County Today: Tuesday, June 20, 2017

• Waggoner Memorial
• Rasta Turnout
• Killer Heatwaves
• Toddler Injured
• Eel Fouled
• Man Injured
• Bazillionaire Ranch
• Little Dog
• Mental Money
• Legal Money
• Rasta Dog
• Tribe Sued
• Yesterday's Catch
• Drug Sport
• Labor Troubadour
• Local Movement
• Universal Vibrator
• Incompetent Impotence
• Propagation Workshop
• Museum Party
• Groundfish Recovery

JUDY WAGGONER’S memorial gathering is this Saturday, 24 June, 3pm, at the redwood grove at the Navarro Store. Pastor Willie Roberts will preside at the inurnment at Evergreen Cemetery, Boonville, preceding the potluck assembly of family and friends in Navarro.

THE RASTAFARIANS and their fans and bands arrived in Boonville in great numbers Friday and even greater numbers Saturday and Sunday. Businesses throughout Mendocino County’s most happening venue, the Anderson Valley, were packed throughout the weekend, although the restaurants noted not much of a customer increase, probably because so much food is sold inside the event. Lizbby’s Mexican restaurant in downtown Boonville arranged outdoor dining beneath a canopy in front of the restaurant, and inside dining for regulars. Saturday, with temperatures soaring, large numbers of concert goers availed themselves of the cooling and re-hydration tents. Attendance seemed up all weekend. One arrest for drunk in public, and one ugly, low-energy incident at Pic ’N Pay where a Rastafarian stood at the counter for a good twenty minutes trying to cheat Irene over a twenty dollar purchase. People in line were yelling at the oaf to get it moving, but he wouldn’t leave until his sadistic little game was completed.

KILLER HEATWAVES ON THE RISE

Three quarters of the world’s population faces exposure to soaring temps each summer by the end of the 21st Century

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4611578/Deadly-heatwaves-affect-75-cent-planet.html

HIGHWAY ONE COLLISION SUNDAY

James Belch age 52 of Leggett was driving a 2000 GMC northbound on Highway 1 near milepost marker 1 MEN 84.5 (near Rockport about 15 miles north of Fort Bragg) at approximately 35-40 MPH. Raeanna Baumann age 20 of Myers Flat was driving a 1998 Toyota southbound on SR-1 north of the GMC. Belch was approaching a right hand curve in the roadway when he allowed his vehicle to drift to the left and cross over the solid double yellow lines. It proceeded into the southbound lane while traveling directly towards the Toyota.

Baumann was driving through the same curve at that moment when she saw the GMC traveling directly towards her. Due to the limited space of the roadway and minimal time to react, Baumann was unable to avoid a collision with the GMC.

The front of the GMC collided into the front of her vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest within the roadway of SR-1 on their wheels.

Michael Baumann III age 1 was transported from the scene and taken to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

It is undetermined at this time whether the toddler was properly secured in his child seat at the time of the collision.

Belch was determined to be driving while under the influence of alcohol and placed under arrest. (CHP presser)

A STOLEN 18-WHEELER has fouled the cleanest stretch of the South Fork of the Eel west of Laytonville near the Heath Angelo Preserve. The stolen truck collapsed the old Jacks of Heart bridge and went into the water of the creek, which flows into the South Fork. Then, doubling down on the disaster, the thieves stole a tractor to try to pull the truck out and it also went into the creek. Locals suspect tweakers working on a nearby pot plantation.

MAJOR INJURY ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 128

IN OTHER NEWS from the North County, Jack Ma, a Chinese national assumed to be the richest man in the world, now owns the 18,000-acre Shamrock Ranch south of Laytonville, known to many in the county as home to a large herd of elk. On a visit to his new holdings a couple of months ago, Ma, and a heavily armed cohort of body guards and employees, managed to get themselves lost on the Shamrock, finally emerging from the trees near Dos Rios.

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “He probably thinks I didn't see him sneak in here to sleep and take a dump in the corner of our property last night, but I snitched off Captain Fathom first thing this morning. We're hospitable to a point, but I ask you?”

REDWOOD QUALITY MANAGEMENT, a private for-profit business, will get $15.4 million for mental health services from July 2017 to June 2018. “Item 4(r) Approval of Agreements with Redwood Quality Management Company for Specialty Mental Health Services in the Amount of $9,481,381 for Children and Youth 24 Years and Under; and $5,869,000 for Adults 25 years and Older for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017-18.” Redwood Quality is based in Ukiah. This sum is basically forked over for services which may or may not be rendered. We won’t know because there’s no meaningful accounting and the Supervisors just wave this big number on through.

MENDO has agreed to pay — brace yourselves — $250K, at the exorbitant rate of $350 per hour, to an LA law firm to conduct the County’s simple, uncontested labor negotiations. “Item 4(v): Approval of Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore for an Amount up to $250,000 for the Period of July 1, 2017, Through June 30, 2018, to Provide Contract Negotiations and Employer-Employee Relations Services with the County’s Eight Bargaining Units and Other Legal Representation as Needed.” The County maintains its own office of six attorneys, plus the lead Counsel. It’s called the County Counsel’s Office, and one has to wonder why the County pays a quarter of a million dollars to an LA firm for “services” that should be rendered in-house.

* * *

$250k FOR OUTSIDE LAWYERS?

TO: Mendocino County CEO Carmel Angelo <angeloc@mendocinocounty.org>

Re: $250,000 contract with LA lawyers to negotiate County labor contract.

Greetings from Boonville:

I hope one of you can explain why you felt it necessary to spend a quarter million dollars for outside attorneys to negotiate a basically uncontested pay raise for County employees.

Respectfully,

Bruce Anderson, AVA, Boonville

* * *

Hello AVA,

Carmel asked me to answer you regarding the cost of the LCW agreement for 17/18.

I have attached a spreadsheet showing estimated LCW costs for the current fiscal year which ends July 30, 2017. Based on these costs, the fact that we have only negotiated and settled with three of our nine bargaining units, and that we still have three open and on-going investigations, I estimated a cost of $250,000 for the upcoming fiscal year.

Please contact me if you have any additional questions.

Heidi M. Dunham, Director
Human Resources Department
County of Mendocino
(707) 234-6600

* * *

ED NOTE: We’ll have some comments on Ms. Dunham’s unconvincing spreadsheet tomorrow. But for the time being: It’s not reassuring or plausible.

(BONUS LD)

LITTLE DOG GETS INTO RASTA-FEST MOOD

PINOLEVILLE TRIBE SUED OVER FAILED HOPLAND RESTAURANT, BAR

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7099146-181/pinoleville-tribe-sued-over-failed

CATCH OF THE DAY, June 19, 2017

MARTIN BALL, Ukiah. Domestic battery, protective order violation, probation revocation.

JAMES BELCH, Leggett. DUI causing injury.

TRAVIS BENEVICH, Willits. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, resisting, probation revocation.

IGNATIO BERMUDEZ, Los Angeles/Boonville. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

BILLY EATON, Willits. Failure to register, probation revocation.

CARL FAVIA, Fort Bragg. Touching intimate parts of another against their will.

SYLVESTER GILLON, Kissinee, Florida/Ukiah. Meth sale, pot transportation for sale.

BRODERICK HAZLEY, Tallahassee, Florida/Ukiah. Pot possession for sale, pot transportation for sale.

HEIDI HORNSBY, Ukiah. Domestic battery.

We’ve got a more thorough drug-testing program than the NFL or MLB, which we always brag about. But we’ve still got a drug issue, though a different one than thirty years ago. And this one bothers me more than the dumbasses who got in trouble with recreational drugs.

I’m talking about performance-enhancing drugs — like steroids, human growth hormone, and so on. It’s obvious some of our players are doping. How are some guys getting older — yet thinner and fitter? How are they recovering from injuries so fast? Why the hell are they going to Germany in the off-season? I doubt it’s for the sauerkraut.

More likely it’s for the newest, hard-to-detect blood boosters and PEDs they have in Europe. Unfortunately, drug testing always seems to be a couple steps behind drug hiding. Lance Armstrong never failed a drug test. I think we want the best athletes to succeed, not the biggest, richest cheaters employing the best scientists. But I don’t know what to do about it.

George Karl in “Furious George: My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs, and Poor Shot Selection:”

ANNE FEENEY IN MENDOCINO, JULY 2

Singer songwriter Anne Feeney is performing at the Community Center of Mendocino on July 2 at 7PM. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Feeney is the granddaughter of an intrepid mineworkers organizer, who also used music to carry the message of solidarity to working people. After two decades of community activism and regional performances at rallies, Anne took her message on the road. Since 1991 Anne has traveled to the frontlines in 40 states, Canada, Mexico, Ireland and Sweden. Her anthem “Have You Been to Jail for Justice?” has been performed by Peter, Paul and Mary. Dubbed the “minister of culture” to the movements for economic and social justice and human rights, Anne is “the best labor singer in North America,” according to late, great Utah Phillips. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at Brownpapertickets.com. The Community Center is located at 998 School St., behind Friendship Park. Information 937-0334, Music, videos, photos: http://annefeeney.com/press-kit/

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

Maybe people out in the boondocks are ‘moving on’ in their own subtle, but real ways. One real positive outcome of people becoming more conscious about what they are eating is the growth of locally made foodstuffs. I’ve really seen an uptick of that trend in my area. Along with a rise in neighborhood breweries, something that hasn’t been seen in a very long time. So, I think strengthening our local communities in regards to a local economy or politically – is the way to go.

ANARCHY

by Manuel Vicent

Translated by Louis S. Bedrock

One could live without politicians, but not without doctors; one could live without the military, but not without teachers; one could live without judges and policemen, but not without scientists; one could live without priests, but not without workers. Nevertheless, in the Merry Kingdom of Anarchy, some politicians, judges, and urban police might be able to contribute to the collective well-being as long as they passed the test of the Universal Vibrator.

The implementation of the test of The Universal Vibrator consists of applying a powerful vibration to any work, behavior, profession, ideology, or beliefs of people: anything that falls off is superfluous. Less is more.

This minimalist philosophy that the architect Mies van der Rohe infused into his buildings can be applied to any facet of society. If in the midst of a debate about the State of the Nation, Congress was submitted to the Law of the Universal Vibrator, which politician would remain on his feet to speak from that forum?

If this extremely powerful vibration was applied to the stupid and superfluous nonsense heard and read everyday in the media, which words would retain their purity and importance—and have the right to defy the beauty of silence?

If the ideology of the right or the left was submitted to the Universal Vibrator, the citizens undoubtedly would be free from fanaticism, sectarianism, and stupidity and would be prepared to elect a leader who was intelligent and honest—and who didn’t owe any favors to anyone.

Furthermore, large amounts of rubble would be shaken off from the churches, the universities, and the art world.

In the wake of this aesthetic earthquake, society would be composed of doctors, teachers, researchers, forest rangers, and cultivators of cereals and grains. They’d be assisted by a handful of traffic cops that emerged unscathed from the purifying rays of the Universal Vibrator and could form a part of the Moral Kingdom of Anarchy.

ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE

by James Kunstler

It ain’t bragging if it’s true. I’ve said repeatedly for years that the federal government would only become more impotent, more incompetent, and more ineffectual as The Long Emergency rolled out. And here we are now, at just such a pass in history.

The process has been well underway since the beginning of the century. Even the attempts to expand its scope and reach — such as the post 9-11 addition of God-knows-how-many new intelligence services — has only produced an epic clusterfuck of cross-purposed mission creep that threatens the federal government’s existential legitimacy.

After nearly a year of investigating, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the DIA, DHS, et. al. haven’t been able to leak any substantial fact about “Russian collusion” with the Trump election campaign — and, considering the torrent of leaks about all manner of other collateral matters during this same period, it seems impossible to conclude that there is anything actually there besides utterly manufactured hysteria.

Now, one might imagine that this intelligence community could have manufactured some gift-wrapped facts rather than just waves of hysteria, but that’s where the incompetence and impotence comes in. They never came up with anything besides Flynn and Sessions having conversations with the Russian ambassador — as if the ambassadors are not here to have conversations with our government officials. You’d think that with all the computer graphics available these days they could concoct a cineplex-quality feature film-length recording of Donald Trump making a “great deal” to swap Kansas for Lithuania, or Jared Kushner giving piggyback rides to Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.

But all we’ve really ever gotten was a packet of emails from the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta of the Clinton campaign gloating about how nicely they fucked over Bernie Sanders — and that doesn’t exactly reflect so well on what has evolved to be the so-called “Resistance.”

The net effect of all this sound and fury is a government so paralyzed that it can’t even pass bad legislation or execute its existing (excessive) duties. That might theoretically be a good thing, except what we’re seeing are individual departments just veering off on their own, especially the military, which now operates without any civilian control. Apparently General Mattis, the Secretary of Defense, pretty much decided on his own to dispatch another 8,000 US troops to Afghanistan to move things along there in the war’s 16th year. Or did he get President Trump to look up from his Twitter screen for three seconds to explain the situation and get a nod of approval?

Perhaps you also didn’t notice the news item over the weekend that a US-led fighter plane coalition shot down a Syrian air force plane in Syrian airspace. In an earlier era that could easily be construed as an act of war. Who gave the order for that?, you have to wonder. And what will the consequences be? Reasonable people might also ask: haven’t we already made enough deadly mischief in that part of the world?

With the US military gone rogue in foreign lands, and the intelligence community off-the-reservation at home, and the Trump White House all gummed up in the tarbaby of RussiaGate, and the House and Senate lost in the shuffle, you also have to wonder what anybody is going to do about the imminent technical bankruptcy of the USA as the Treasury Department spends down its dwindling fund of remaining cash money to pay ongoing expenses — everything from agriculture subsidies to Medicare. That well is going dry in the middle of the summer, and without any resolution to the debt ceiling debate, the country will not be able to borrow more to pretend that it’s solvent.

I don’t see any indication that the House and Senate will be able to bluster their way through this. Instead, the situation will compel extraordinary new acts of financial fraud via the central banks and its cadre of Too-Big-To-Fail associates. In the event, the likely outcome will be a spectacular fall in the value of the US dollar, and perhaps consecutively, the collapse of the equity and real estate markets.

The public may not give a shit about Syria, Afghanistan, or federal dairy supports, but they’ll sure perk up and notice that their money is going worthless. I doubt they’ll be clamoring for Hillary Clinton to be installed as the first US Caesar to fix it all.

(Support Kunstler’s writing by visiting his Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/JamesHowardKunstler)

PLANT PROPAGATION WORKSHOP

Saturday, June 24th from 10:00am to 1:00pm in the Gardens Meeting Room at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Join Naturalist and Master Gardener, Mario Abreu for a hands-on workshop and lecture on propagating local native plants, heathers, fuchsias, dahlias, and more. Learn basic techniques of seed collection and processing, cloning plants by cutting and division, and how to grow them for planting. BONUS! Each participant will construct their own mini greenhouse to grow plants provided in this workshop. Bring scissors, hand pruners, and lots of questions. Class size is limited and filling up quickly so sign up now by phoning in your payment at 707-964-4352 ext. 16 or reserve your spot in person at The Garden Store at MCBG. Class cost is $20 for members and Master Gardeners; $30 for non-members (includes Gardens admission for the day). 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.

ANNUAL JULY FOURTH BBQ & LAWN PARTY

Kelley House Museum, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Tuesday, July 4. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Veggie Burgers, Beer, Wine, and more! Dance to the music of The Mixed Nuts. Come early for the best parade seating. 45007 Albion Street, Mendocino, 937-5791 or info@kelleyhousemuseum.org

TWO IMPORTANT WEST COAST GROUNDFISH STOCKS REBUILT

PORTLAND, OREGON – Two important West Coast groundfish stocks that were formerly overfished have now been rebuilt.

Bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish, which are managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, were under strict rebuilding plans that have constrained West Coast fisheries for more than a decade. Bocaccio was declared overfished in 1999, and darkblotched rockfish in 2000; both were rebuilt well before their original target dates.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils that manage ocean fisheries in the United States. Altogether, the Pacific Council manages more than 100 species of groundfish.

Managing groundfish fisheries under rebuilding plans has been an immense challenge for the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). These plans required sharp reductions in commercial and recreational fisheries targeting groundfish, which included widespread fishing closures through the establishment of Rockfish Conservation Areas off the West Coast and other measures. Since 2003, managing overfished species through area closures such as the Rockfish Conservation Areas has helped to reduce fishing impacts and rebuild overfished groundfish species. In addition, the groundfish fleet has had to limit fishing for other more abundant species to avoid unintentional catch of the overfished stocks.

“The rebuilding strategies used to achieve this conservation success, coupled with favorable environmental conditions for groundfish productivity, have paid huge dividends in rebuilding our overfished groundfish stocks and resurrecting West Coast groundfish fisheries,” said Council Chair Herb Pollard.

The successful rebuilding of these species reflects the support and sacrifice of West Coast ports and fishermen who recognized the difficult actions and fishing cutbacks necessary to restore the stocks. The rebuilding of bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish will lead to increased harvest opportunities beginning in 2019.

“By working together, we’ve brought bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish back to where they will again be part of a sustainable West Coast groundfish fishery that creates renewed opportunity for the fishing fleet, as well as more options for seafood consumers,” said Barry Thom, Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region.

Between 1999 and 2017, ten West Coast groundfish stocks were declared overfished, as surveys documented their declining numbers. Pacific whiting, for example, was declared overfished in 2002. The Council, working with NOAA Fisheries and the fishing industry, reduced commercial harvests. Combined with strong reproduction and recruitment, the fishing cutbacks led to the rapid rebuilding of Pacific whiting by 2004. The Council and NOAA Fisheries developed rebuilding plans for the other nine overfished stocks—bocaccio, darkblotched rockfish, lingcod, canary rockfish, cowcod, Pacific ocean perch, widow rockfish, petrale sole, and yelloweye rockfish.

Lingcod was declared rebuilt in 2005, and widow rockfish in 2012. Both petrale sole and canary rockfish were declared rebuilt in 2015. Rebuilding plans remain in place for three remaining overfished species: cowcod, Pacific ocean perch, and yelloweye rockfish. New assessments for Pacific ocean perch and yelloweye rockfish will be reviewed this summer and may be adopted in September. Cowcod is expected to be rebuilt by 2019.

“The Council is a transparent, science-based, inclusive approach to fisheries management,” said Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy. “Our progress in rebuilding overfished stocks shows the effectiveness of this approach. West Coast fisheries are a model of sustainable resource management, and they will continue to provide healthy seafood, jobs, and support for coastal communities, as well as access to this resource for all Americans.”

Process

The bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish assessments were developed by scientists at NOAA Fisheries and were reviewed by the Council’s scientific advisory bodies. NOAA Fisheries confirmed the stocks’ status as rebuilt on June 16.

Council Role

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 nautical miles offshore of the United States of America coastline. The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

On the Web

Pacific Fishery Management Council: http://www.pcouncil.org


Bocaccio stock assessment: http://tinyurl.com/yaycynmq


Darkblotched rockfish stock assessment: http://tinyurl.com/ybzm3ob6


NOAA Fisheries article on rockfish rebuilding: https://go.usa.gov/xNvCV