Letters (May 2, 2018)

• Thank You From Bill & Wanda
• Paper Or Plastic?
• Community Park Upgrades
• We Don’t Want To Be Malled
• Parcel Tax Is Not Enough
• 18 Innings
• Wildflower Show 2018
• Guns Will Be The Death Of Us All
• 29% For Trump
• Quite The Fandango
• Make Bikes Part Of Trails

THANK YOU FROM BILL & WANDA

Editor:

We want to thank all the Anderson Valley people who wrote letters to the court for our son, Ricky. We are deeply grateful to live in a place where our friends and neighbors were willing to step up to help in our time of need. We know Ricky is as grateful as we are.

Thank you all,

Bill and Wanda Owens,

Boonville

PAPER OR PLASTIC?

Editor

How things work in the good ole USA.

Back in 2014 Mendocino County passed Ordinance No. 4325 prohibiting Plastic Carryout Bags.

Having recently noticed that most if not all grocery stores were again using plastic carryout bags, I looked into what was going on. The clerks all said that they were “recyclable” but as it turns out recyclable has nothing to do with it. The loophole is a semblance of “Reuseable”.

* * *

Mendocino Ordinance Chapter 9.41:

Sec. 9.41.010 - Findings.

(A) The use of all single-use shopping bags (plastic, paper, biodegradable) has severe environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, litter, harm to wildlife, water consumption and solid waste generation. …

(D) Billions of single-use plastic bags are used annually in California but only a small percentage are recycled.

(H) Of all single-use bags, single-use plastic bags have the greatest litter impacts.

(K) There are alternatives to single-use carryout bags which are readily available.

Sec. 9.41.030 - Carryout Bag Regulations.

B. Plastic Single-Use Carryout Bags are prohibited.

Sec. 9.41.020 - Definitions.

"Reusable Carryout Bag" means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse, does not contain lead, cadmium, or any other heavy metal in toxic amounts as established by the United States Pharmacopeia Convention (USP), and …. . (is) Made of durable plastic that is at least two and one-quarter (2.25) mils thick and is specifically designed for multiple reuse, meaning manufactured to carry a minimum of twenty-two (22) pounds for at least one hundred twenty-five (125) times over a distance of at least one-hundred seventy-five (175) feet.

* * *

Stores are required to charge a minimum of $.10 per plastic bag the same as for a paper bag. A mil is 0.001 of an inch (one thousandth). Single use grocery bags are between one half to one mil. At 2.25 mils the new bags are still pretty thin and unlikely to be used up to 125 times. From my limited observation at Safeway and Raley’s, those who bring home the bacon in these new bags haven’t been taking them back to the store for reuse even when they must pay a whopping $0.10 for each. I’m quite certain the environment is not jumping for joy.

David Severn

Philo

COMMUNITY PARK UPGRADES

Hi Folks,

I wanted to update you on the community park.

We met with the Chloe and Fabi at the clinic and discussed asking for support from the community organizations and agencies to cover the costs of the cleaning the porta-potty that the Lions Club is donating, along with paying for a maintenance person to mow and maintain the park. Jackson Keys is going to limb up the pine trees and Fabi will ask them if they can come another day this year in order to repair the fence. Sueño Latino will pay for the fence materials.

There is a volunteer, Lama Lasser Gammett, who is willing to collect and empty the trash from the park and dispose of it in the high school dumpsters. Sueño Latino has purchased the trash and recycling cans.

There is a group of young parents, Elizabeth Jensen is their spokesperson, who are interested in making improvements in the park and doing fund-raising. They are planning a workday in May and will request CSD insurance coverage through the Recreation Committee and are planning an organization meeting before the workday for anyone interested.

A big thanks to the mower(s) of the park area; I think there were several.

Donna Pierson-Pugh

Boonville

WE DON’T WANT TO BE MALLED

To: Scott Perkins, Special Projects Manager

Fort Bragg City Staff

Greetings:

Please consider my comments on the proposed Hare Creek Maul.

There is nothing more precious to the look and feel of a town than open space. People don't come to an area to see shopping malls and dented canned goods stores. They want the solace and beauty of open spaces. So many of our visitors come from crowded, ugly strip mall infested towns and cities.

Let Fort Bragg be different. We don't have to follow suit with all the other ruined communities that have succumbed to the pressures of developers resulting in cheap commercial development, congestion on the roads, and dead and dying downtown areas.

Please do all you can to preserve Fort Bragg as it is — a pleasant, attractive easy-to-get-around-in town, a place that cherishes its scenic beauty, recreational opportunities in nature’s splendor and open space.

The developers only care about money. We all know that. Tell them that we don't want their project.

Thank you.

Louise Mariana

Mendocino

PARCEL TAX IS NOT ENOUGH

Editor,

At the last hospital planning meeting, Trustee Steve Lund said that no strategic plan would be worked on until December when the new hospital board is in place. This insures eight more months of catastrophic financial chaos, with no real oversight or plan in place to turn things around. We, the community, are asked to fork up 1.7 million if Measure C passes, yet the hospital administration has done nothing to demonstrate a willingness to correct the practices that led to the first bankruptcy. Parigi's four month financial analysis and findings were virtually ignored by the administration and he was promptly fired.even before a new CFO could be transitioned in. Though the firing was a "personnel issue" which the board cannot discuss, I think the community deserves an explanation was to why Parigi's findings are not being acted upon. The Board's pretense of transparency is just that. 

I recently learned that the traveling nurses and technicians cost the hospital a small fortune. One technician I spoke with recently said that her company, Trustaff, is paid $150 per hour for the employment of their personnel at MCDH. At a recent Rotary meeting when I asked Steve Lund and the Head of Nursing what the hospital's rationale is for these exhorbitant costs, I was informed by the Head of Nursing that it was only $135 an hour. I was also told that there were no local people to fill these positions. Spread out over a year, it's $65,000 more than the CEO's salary, which itself is exhorbitant. This is just the tip of the iceberg. With no real oversight on spending, I shudder to think of the myriad of wasteful spending that is bringing MCDH to its knees once again. 

I cannot in good faith vote Yes on Measure C until the current CEO is fired and real change is initiated. Otherwise, it's just good money after bad. 

Margaret Paul

Fort Bragg

18 INNINGS

Dear AVA,

As a former jock and still athletic supporter, you, I'm betting, can answer this question. Why does the Giants' play by play guy and former second baseman Duane Kuiper invariably state "And that ends the inning" at the end of the top half of every inning? He often says "and that ends the inning" eighteen times a game. It's confusing me. Shuldn't it be simply "side retired" or "bottom half coming up"?

Please help.

Phil

ED REPLY: You're right, Phil. It is confusing, but you may be the only guy in the world who listens closely enough to notice. I watch with the sound off, myself, but I'll bring it up with Kuip next time I see him.

WILDFLOWER SHOW 2018

Dear Editor,

Every year is a little different. This year the flowers were a bit late in blooming, but we were still able to have a beautiful sampling. Our show this year was dedicated to Robin Lindsey, a most beautiful lady, who helped make our past shows so successful. We dearly miss her humor and can do spirit.

We would like to thank everyone who made the 2018, Wildflower Show such a success. The Sanhedrin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society returned this year and had books and posters to offer and was kept busy with many visitors questions. There was also an Edible Native Plant table with recipes, samples, and lots of information about foraging.

New this year, a display of bryophytes; which are mosses, liverworts and lichens. Jade Paget-Seekins was responsible for this extensive display and along with a detailed poster, showing these miniature wonders of the plant world.

Thank you to Anderson Valley High School’s art instructor, Nadia Berrigan, whose students produced stunning photos and paintings for display at the show. The Garden Section Club voted on the art and photos and the top three winners received $50 each.

An invasive plant table with specimens, pictures and information regarding the damage these plants cause to native species provided a necessary counterpoint.

Another component for the show was a Lyme disease exhibit presented by Sue Davies. Many brochures and even live ticks (in a covered jar), were available offering extensive information about preventive measures and dangers associated with Lyme.

We continued our speaker program this year presenting a variety of talks. We thank Mary Pat Palmer for her presentation on medicinal plant preparations; Jade Paget-Seekins for her talk on bees and use of a key in plant identification, and Lee Siri and Barbara Deutsch for information on butterflies with a beautiful live Dutchmans Pipe Vine Butterfly in attendance.

This year we had a bounty of raffle prizes provided by our members. In addition to the members donations we wish to thank the Sanhedrin Chapter of CNPS for donating two sling packs with journals and a beautiful Spring Wildflower poster and The Puzzle People for a sweet hummingbird puzzle.

A big thank you to Shirley Hulbert, and company for the delicious food served in the tea room.

We wish to thank the following people who helped our club members with collections, identification, the raffle, plant donations, set- up or cleanup:, Michelle Hutchins , Jade Paget-Seekins, Sheryl Green, Lynn Halpern, Wally Hopkins, Hans Hickenlooper, Kristy Hotchkiss, Scott Hulbert, Sarah McCarter, Rick Bonner, Melanie Holloway, and Tom Shaver.

Our wildflower collectors this year benefited again from updated and a much improved collection route book courtesy of our own Nancy Wood.

Thank you to Jody and the Fairgrounds staff for all their help. Thanks to Robert Rosen, the Anderson Valley Brewery and the AV Methodist Church for allowing us to place our banners, advertising our event, on their respective fences.

We are extending an invitation to community members to join us in next year’s wild flower adventure. We would love additional collectors, and especially those interested in identifying plants. Contributors with new ideas can only help to improve this community event. We want more of our community members to be an integral part and help make this show even better. Interested? Please contact Robyn Harper at 895-2609.

Robyn Harper, and the Anderson Valley Unity Club Garden Section

GUNS WILL BE THE DEATH OF US ALL

Editor,

Humbled To The End.

As I age, I get times when I remember things that amaze me that I am still alive. Way back in 1976 I was travelling with two redneck drunk, legal gun dealing and illegal dope smugglers up to Summit Lake above Donner Lake. We were outfitted to the max for a daily run up to this lake that really nobody but USGS topo folks knew about. We had a Ford F350 four wheel drive with easy rider rifle racks at the back window loaded with a 410 shotgun, 12 gauge shotgun, and this rather differentiated AR-15. As we drove the backroads, I was in the middle of the seat, and a brother on each side. When we spotted some morning doves, the brother on my right said “stop and let me get those birds.” He reached for the 410, and as he had difficulty in getting the rifle out of the rack, proceeded in stuffing the muzzle into my right ear. Fully cocked, I thought right there I was toast, but at the pleading of the driver to relax and reset the trigger and fully move the muzzle out of my ear, I was spared the moment of instant projection into another sphere. Onward after words, we travelled to the Summit Lake. Still shocked that I had just escaped a cocaine-alcohol death, I somehow rejoined the jubilance of the moment; “Aw hell, pass over the Jack (Jack Daniels)” as we travelled to our destination. Once achieved I witnessed this pristine lake with trout visible to the eye. One of the brothers handed me a rifle, an AR 15 with 8 track cassettes, spring loaded with about 60 rounds, and proceeded to tell me to shoot at this rock feature at the other end of the lake at a certain spot. I used my efforts to accomplish the task, and what happened next is the ricochet from the rapid fire rounds of .233 ammo returned with a vengeance and hit the water in front of me and just about drowned me with the return force. About 5 minutes later a National Park Ranger arrived on a Morgan horse, and said “there is no firing of firearms in this National area.” We said “Oh yes, sir” and ambled down the grade immediately. Haven’t fired an assault rifle, or hand gun since. That piece of rip scarring attitude scared the shit out of me. So Philbrick, go out and be at the other end of a gun if you dare, but trust me dear redneck brother, you will not be the same after the event.

Randy Burke

Gualala

29% FOR TRUMP

Letter to the Editor

I guess my questions got lost in the clutter of your busy days. Have you noticed how when you're old even the same old shit gets harder and harder?

But please say: did Trump carry AV? Did Trump carry Mendo Co? I always assumed he had just as I always assumed that taking after our emperor would cost me some readers. But insurrection of thought precedes insurrection as deed, and the more you know, the more you owe and, besides, as the victims of a counter-revolutionary coup, never in our lives have we been more in need of a backlash. Anyway… if you think it's easy finding that info on the web, I think you are mistaken. Totalitarianism is when you can't even get a straight answer out of your machine. I'll take the horse's mouth any day, any time.

Best regards,

Pat Patterson

Prineville, Oregon

ms replies: We don’t have easy access to the individual AV precinct voting totals for November 2016. But Mendo was about 58% for Hillary, 29% for The Donald.

QUITE THE FANDANGO

Dear Editor,

Crime and punishment?

My name is Gary Blank. I am a single father of a little five-year-old girl. Eve, a veteran from the Navy and a Christian. I am currently incarcerated in Mendocino County for second-degree murder, Penal Code 187. A couple of days ago I asked my attorney that proves my innocence and my attorney "Albert Kubanis," replied that the judge and the District Attorney, David Eyster know you did not kill the victim. This is why he is willing to give you second-degree homicide with 22 years to life. I thought about this and said, So I have three choices — you are telling me that if I go to trial I get life without parole. If I don't do anything you'll give me 26 years to life which is the low end for first-degree homicide. But the district attorney is willing to give me 22 years to life to testify? 

So I then said, "No deal!" I may not be a lawyer or a judge or even the district attorney, but I do know when something is wrong. And I am also good at asking loaded questions. I even asked my attorney why he took on my case. His basic reply was, "I am expected to." Hearing this and more I realized that I am dealing with people who are abusive with power. An inner circle. And people with absolutely no empathy. But they all know I am not a killer!

On the verge of feeling sick and pissed I went back to my cell to read the Anderson Valley Advertiser. While reading the paper I came across a note to the editor and I was reading about Tai Abreu in High Desert State Prison in Susanville, another Mendocino boondock botch of a case! So this is when I got curious.

Later I had a friend Google Mendocino County courts and from my understanding at one point Mendocino was on the top 10 list for being corrupt. Tai Abreu! I feel for you! This is the worst example of justice in America. In fact I feel ashamed of being an American! I feel ashamed of serving our country! I look upon this country with disgust from our bumbling president to the very sheriff who wouldn't save those kids in Florida!

It seems that our price for freedom is concrete walls and razor wire. All of these buffoons in the courts are criminals just like the judge in New York who was drunk driving and ran over a kid and fled the scene! He should have known better!

Wake up everyone because the next thing you know you could be just like me, just like Tai Abreu. These courts do not care. It is like the “Obsolete Man” from the Twilight Zone. We small people need help and we need to work together. Why is Mendocino going to tell me I am guilty no matter the physical evidence! They are not just hurting me but they are tearing apart the life of a family and a five-year-old girl. Yes! God bless America!

PS. SOS. It's sad what happened to Tai Abreu.

But also I want to bring to Mendocino County’s attention something that's very wrong and very disturbing going on in the court system here. I would know because I am crying for help also. Here is a short version of what I am experiencing.

Last week I tried to fire my attorney, Albert Kubanis, due to the fact that I have only seen him nine times in over a year. One of those times was for all of five seconds so he could hand me some paperwork that I have been begging for for the whole year! Also, he claims that me and my father did not have a close relationship which is BULL! Me and my father are very very close! When I told my attorney he did not give me all the paperwork I needed, he argued that he did and that I must have done something with it. "Come on, my cell is 9' x 9'. I can't lose anything.” Well, to make a long story short, my attorney likes to say that he always right and I am forever wrong! So when I tried to fire him Judge John Behnke asked why? My answer was all of these things above and more!

Needless to say my attorney is still being a "Dump Truck." The District Attorney, David Eyster, is still being the "Iceman" and the judge is a joker.

I need help or advice on who to contact that can fix this issue. I am not only being misrepresented but my rights are being infringed upon. I am from Humboldt County but my new house is in Costa Rica where I sell coffee. I am a Navy veteran and a single father with a God-fearing family and I want to see them again. But unlike most court system I have been to this one is putting on quite a fandango.

Please help.

Gary Blank

Mendocino County Jail

Ukiah

* * *

ED NOTE: Gary Blank is one of the four remaining suspects who have not taken plea bargains in the case against the seven pot trimmers who were jointly charged with the murder of Laytonville pot grower Jeffrey Settler in November of 2016. Blank was the last of the seven to be arrested. According to a Sheriff’s press release in March of 2017:

"In late February and early March of 2017, Detectives from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office were in communication with numerous state, local and federal law enforcement agencies in multiple states in efforts to try and locate and arrest Gary Louis Blank III (AKA Cricket). This included agencies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as information had been provided by anonymous sources that Blank had been provided a ride from Southern California towards the northeast.

On March 10th, 2017, at approximately 9:07 PM (Pacific Standard Time), Mendocino County Sheriff’s Detectives were notified by Detectives from the New Jersey State Police that they had good information about Blank’s whereabouts. At 9:21 PM (Pacific Standard Time) the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the New Jersey State Police that they had located and arrested Gary Blank III at a residence in the Borough of Red Bank, New Jersey. Blank was arrested without incident and subsequently booked into the Mercer County (NJ) Jail on the Mendocino County Superior Court NO BAIL arrest warrant, for murder.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office detectives traveled to New Jersey to follow up on the arrest. This arrest concludes a 4 month apprehension effort to locate and arrest the seven suspects."

According to a September 13, 2017 report by AVA Court Reporter Bruce McEwen:

“The preliminary hearing for the four remaining defendants in the murder of Jeffrey Settler ended Thursday morning with holding orders handed down for Gary Blank, Michael Kane, Frederick Gaestel and Jesse Wells. Among the counts they were held on were murder in the commission of a robbery and burglary of an inhabited dwelling, with several special allegations that add severity to the punishment of the crimes if the defendants are found guilty at trial. Mr. Blank’s was the simplest case, as he had confessed to stabbing the victim when he was interviewed by homicide detectives early on…”

MAKE BIKES PART OF TRAILS

To the Editor:

Dear Senator McGuire:

A few years ago in a letter to the Ukiah Daily Journal I mentioned the idea of converting the rail line north of Willits to a trail. I know this has long been on the minds of others too.

I am more than pleased that you are working on this, and I that it happens sooner than later. I hope that it can include a well conceived bicycle component. Besides regular bicycle touring, a self propelled “Redwood Run” race would be a great thing.

That said, preventing accidents between hikers and bikers would have to be a paramount concern on the trail north of Willits. Getting first aid in such isolated areas will always be challenging.

There will need to be a lodging/services component along the trail north of Willits. This could include campgrounds, hostels, or perhaps even B&Bs as well as suppliers of food and drink. While for the cyclist in great shape the trip could be done in a day, most would want more time, hikers would of course take longer, and some of both types of travelers would undoubtedly want stop somewhere for a few days. The Emandal Resort at Hearst on the Eel comes to mind as well as the various state parks to the west and the KOA north of Cloverdale.

The bicycle component could also be greatly enhanced by improving a connecting route to the bay area south of Willits. if the improvements below were added to what currently exists this route could become a popular destination on its own as well as the entry route to the spectacular Eel River canyon trail, and encourage visitors to the whole area.

• Build a bike trail along the rail line between Cloverdale and Hopland, or alternately one along the 101 freeway, though the latter would be much less attractive for cyclists.

• Build a bicycle bridge across the east fork of the Russian River so as to connect Redemeyer Road and Eastside Calpella Road. This would allow cyclists to proceed north from Hopland on the east side of the Russian River and then up towards the Tomki pass north of Redwood Valley

• Improve Tomki Road north of the pass near the junction with Cave creek road to its junction with Canyon Road east of Willits to eliminate the need to ford the creek and to improve the surface so it cold be used by road bikes as well as mountain bikes.

• Sign the route from Hopland to Willits to alert motorists to watch for cyclists

With these four improvements, and a trail including services along the way north of Willits to Eureka, we will see a large number of new visitors to our area. Besides whatever dollars they spend, a side benefit will be increased attention on visiting the Mendocino/Humboldt area, which will be a boost for our economy that will endure. In the face of economic uncertainty caused by the ever changing cannabis situation, tourism is a sure thing we need to expand in creative ways. Your bold move to begin the rails to trails conversion is the most important step!

Michael Toivonen

Redwood Valley