Mendocino County Today: Thursday, July 26, 2018

• Bridge Fatality
• Picking Defenders
• Gull
• Periodical Deliveries
• Lieutenant Eliminated
• Ed Notes
• Jenny Burger
• Cannabis Hour
• Quiz Night
• Doomsday Moon
• System Approach
• Utility Liability
• Dada Tubs
• Elbert Howard
• Yesterday's Catch
• Political Suicide
• Flashing Lights
• Zaragoza & Gallon
• Past Indifference
• FB Market
• Chinese Airhogs
• Joyce Edits
• Chomsky Interview
• Liberty Kid
• MCDH Board
• Cancer Resource
• Pomo Basketry
• Foot Doctor
• Four Fathers
• Trumpty Dumpty
• Answers
• Bluhm Benefit

FATAL JUMP OFF HWY 1 ALBION BRIDGE WEDNESDAY?

MSP was away from the scanner, but received a report from a viewer just after 2:00 pm saying: “11-44 (deceased) off the Albion bridge. They don’t know if it was accident or intentional. Woman was in her 20’s, she went over bridge railing hitting the ground below.”

More information when we receive it.

(MendocinoSportsPlus)

THE HIRING PANEL FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER

As we already know from the appalling dearth of competence in every office from the Presidency of the United States on down to the lowliest County official here in Mendoland, the question is never about who can best do the job, when a vacancy occurs, but rather who is the best “presenter,” that is, who has the higher skills at landing the job, who is the better schmooze, the glibbest flatterer, the more assiduous nuzzlebum, the better bootlicker, the best lickspittle out of all the candidates; for it must be said that the awful game show our awful president used to star in about job applicants — and forgive me if I’ve forgotten the name of such memorable entertainment — is just about the final word, the lowest common denominator, as it were, when it comes to what successful job application and hiring panels have finally all boiled down to in this country, the envy of the world.

So when it comes to the applicants for Mendocino County Public Defender, the contestants, which includes three local lawyers, Jan Cole-Wilson, Douglas Rhoades, and Christiaine Hipps, along with an as-yet untold number of out-of-area applicants, we fully expect the process will be very similar to the defunct game show mentioned above, with Carmel Angelo presiding over a panel that will include one County Supervisor (probably the most malleable of the bunch), one “representative” from Human Resources, one “person” from out-of-county (to forestall favoritism and nepotism, presumably) and ___________!

The rest, we don’t know who they will be, although I’ve been assured that County Counsel Elliot will have already have had her say. I asked Judge Ann Moorman who would sit on this hiring panel and she said she didn’t know. “But you and the other judges will surely be the most directly affected by the decision, won’t you?” I asked. She thought about it a second and decided she was going to go find out and get back to me. So: I’ll keep you updated. (Bruce McEwen)

* * *

BACK IN 2004 when Jim Andersen was Chief Administrative Office of Mendocino County (before they switched to the “CEO Mommy Model" of management), the then-Board of Supervisors and the CAO were tasked with the selection of a new Chief Public Defender.

AT THAT TIME WE WROTE:

“WES HAMILTON, Alternate Public Defender, has been appointed as the County's new Public Defender. Hamilton was chosen from six applicants for the position, three of them from Mendocino County and three from out of the County. The candidates included acting Assistant Public Defender Linda Thompson. Hamilton was recommended for the position by a special ad-hoc local lawyers committee who screened the applicants. Of the six, only Hamilton has any significant amount of felony jury trial experience (mostly from Yolo County). Hamilton is described by people who know him as a "nice guy." But nobody would offer an opinion of his legal acumen or his administrative skill.”

(LIKE the local medical profession, Mendo's legal community silently and tacitly endorses drunks, howling incompetents, dummies and so on through the list of disabilities that would disqualify practitioners any place else.)

SO IT WAS REASONABLY decided in back in 2004 that it would be a good idea to have an ad hoc local panel of judges and senior attorneys screen and interview the applicants and give the Board of Supes a recommendation. There were six applicants, including the one the panel of attorneys ultimately recommended and hired, Wes Hamilton (who subsequently retired after only about a year in the job) and the now-recently retired Linda Thompson. One of the panel members, then-Assistant DA Rick Martin, told me at the time that the decision to recommend Hamilton was easy: Hamilton was the only applicant who had jury trial experience, a feature the panel thought to be essential to the job of Public Defender, since jury trial experience is the only way an attorney to accurately assess the case against a defendant in front of a jury. Linda Thompson, both then and now, had no jury trial experience to speak of because most of the time she simply arranged plea deals (mostly favorable to the prosecution) so the cases seldom went to trial. And in the few cases where Thompson went to trial Thompson made technical, legalistic arguments such as Miranda violations (which never stuck) or other procedural arguments, not forensic defenses, tight cross-examinations or alternate theories of the crime.

THOMPSON was later appointed as Public Defender by default after Hamilton retired because she had been Assistant Public Defender and the Board/CAO made no effort to use a panel of senior attorneys to make a recommendation.

NOW HERE WE ARE IN 2018 and nobody’s talking about asking a panel of senior attorneys and judges to screen, interview and recommend the next Public Defender. Instead we hear about Supervisors and the CEO and County Counsel doing the screening — which means the criteria will probably not include either experience or general fitness.

(Mark Scaramella)

INTO THE FOG 3

(Photo by Dick Whetstone)

DELIVERY DELAY PROBS

Editor,

This week’s (July 18) AVA has not yet arrived by mail (as of Saturday, July 21) at my address. I’ve noticed in the past that occasionally an issue will not arrive until the following week.

I’ve brought this up to you before and you’ve blamed the postal service which makes sense considering that the USPS can be quite lame.

I’m guessing that the AVA pays a certain rate to the USPS to deliver the papers. Could the AVA pay the USPS a higher rate to ensure that issues won’t sometimes arrive until Saturday or the following week? Perhaps you could charge subscribers outside Mendocino County a higher subscription price? I know I’d be willing to pay a higher price for this reason.

Sincerely,

Keith Bramstedt

San Rafael

Mark Scaramella replies: We pay the going periodicals rate which is reasonable for in-county and already exorbitant for out-of-county (which goes up every year; the cost per paper is based on zipcode zones and varies depending on distance). Theoretically, we could send papers first-class, but that would require that the first class papers be separately handled for mailing which would take more time on this end for us (i.e., me) to keep track of and account for, further delaying all the papers. The last time we sent a paper first class to an out of county address it cost almost $2. Which also seems prohibitive. And in most cases wouldn’t be much faster than the periodical rate and delivery which is supposed to be “time value” material.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES AT FORT BRAGG POLICE DEPARTMENT

On Monday night (July 23, 2018), the Fort Bragg City Council held a Closed Session and reported out regarding its unanimous vote to eliminate the Police Lieutenant position. The City’s Municipal Code provides that departmental reorganization is at the sole discretion of the City Council. By eliminating the Lieutenant position, the City is able to move resources from department administration personnel to shift personnel. Savings from salary and benefits of approximately $200,000 from the eliminated position will enable the Department to add a Community Service Officer (CSO) as well as "unfreeze" the Police Officer position not funded in Fiscal Year 2018-19, due to budgetary constraints. More "boots" on the street and increased police presence to ensure the continued safety of our City are key priorities for the City Council.

Charles Gilchrist, who held the position of Lieutenant, has accepted the recently vacated position of Police Sergeant, effective September 2, 2018, and is expected to remain with the Fort Bragg Police Department.

Questions regarding this information should be directed to Tabatha Miller, City Manager, at (707) 961-2829.

(Fort Bragg City press release)

ED NOTES

I LIKE the wavy striping on the Boonville-Ukiah Road, and am absolutely chagrined to learn that it's temporary. Of course whimsy has no place in the CalTrans mission statement, and not much place anywhere else anymore in our standardized, one size fits all world.

* * *

A UKIAH RESIDENT called to complain, with more than ample reason, about the gang presence in her neighborhood. She wondered if the Ukiah Police Department had ceased paying close attention to the gangs, citing the recent shooting murder by a 17-year-old of another gang mope. The shooter, for no valid reason at all other than his age, has not been named. (I was in the Marines at 17 and have never held with the arbitrary notion that a 17-year-old is somehow equivalent in ability to tell right from wrong to a 12-year-old. Of course I was a sanctioned killer...) Sorry for the detour, but you may agree that in our mawk-drenched society we don't have to look far for abdications of personal responsibility, and this is one example — pretending a 17-year-old is a child. Anybody over the age of 14 who's driving around looking for someone to shoot ought to at least be publicly identified.

SO, the caller told me the gang mopes immediately created a shrine to the fallen mope at the corner of Empire and Bush, where they'd assembled in vivid red for a group-send-off. But as the caller pointed out the shooter was a student at Ukiah High School, or one of its ancillary revenue-generating programs, same as her 14-year-old, which would give any parent pause.

I REMEMBER VISITING the Ukiah PD several years ago where a whole wall was dedicated to tracking gangbangers, complete with photos and addresses. It was obvious that the police were making gangs a high priority. Which is as it should be, because wherever they get established they make life a perfect misery for other young people. (We're in the process of putting together a story on the gang situation throughout the County.)

* * *

106 IN THE SHADE in Boomsville at 2pm this afternoon (Wednesday). Our thermometer is a Big Lots $2.99 job, probably created to make talking points for geezers like us. "It's 106 out here under the eaves." What? Speak up! "It's 106 out here in the shade!" Bullshit. It's never that hot in Boonville. If it's 106 here it's 160 in Ukiah. Etc on a slow news afternoon.

* * *

WHILE I'M VIOLATING the PC catechism here today, I hope that Mendo doesn't set up needle exchanges or medically supervised shooting galleries for hard drug users. San Francisco, of course, is actively considering storefront "clinics" where drug addicts can inject themselves with har de har illegal drugs. The starting point for any discussion of hard drugs ought to be strategies for stopping people from using them, not making it easier for people to destroy themselves.

THE DA IN FORT BRAGG — “After handling all the prosecution's morning and afternoon legal matters Tuesday in Fort Bragg (and enjoying the bonus of the cooling coastal fog), it was eventually time for dinner. Where to go? What to have? Decided on Jenny's Giant Burger on the north end of Fort Bragg. Double regular cheeseburger (mayo and lettuce only), order of fries, chocolate shake, and glass of water. Yum! Also picked up another Jenny's t-shirt … the old one is past ready for the rag bin.” (David Eyster)

CANNABIS HOUR: Cannabis Sales Taxes, Winner And Losers

This year, California cities that approved legal cannabis sales will net hundreds of millions of dollars in combined local sales tax revenues. Meanwhile, most of the state, which banned cannabis sales, will forfeit their millions to local street dealers. Tune in to the KZYX Cannabis Hour, Thursday, August 9, at 9 a.m. when freelance journalist David Downs will explore this and many other cannabis industry trends with host Jane Futcher. Stream it live or hear the archived version at jukebox.kzyx.org

BRAIN EXERCISES resume tonight, Thursday, July 26th. Yes, it's the 4th Thursday of the month which means that there will be a General Knowledge and Trivia Quiz beginning at 7pm at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville. Beer, wine, delicious food, banter, and prizes. Hosted again by Assistant Quizmaster Mark Scaramella. Cheers, Steve Sparks, Quizmaster

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “Gave these guys this pop quiz today. I won't embarrass them by telling their results, but needless to say I aced it."

How logical are YOU? Infuriating riddles put your brainpower to the test - and only one in 200 will solve all 10

A tricky new quiz from Playbuzz aims to put your logic to the test.

dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5987081/Infuriating-new-quiz-puts-logic-test.html

BLOOD MOON 'TO BRING END OF THE WORLD' ON FRIDAY

Biblical prophecy suggests the end of the world is just days away.

mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/blood-moon-to-bring-end-12961472

ARE THE WORMS FINALLY BEGINNING TO TURN?

ED NOTE: And Supervisor Gjerde was critical of the way consulting contracts are let and supervised and how much staff time they require. We really need to hire someone to tell us we're short on housing and a lot of what we do have isn't in good shape?

JAMES MARMON NOTES: I enjoyed the little back and forth between Supervisor McCowen and Darth Molgaard yesterday. John was upset that along with the Youth Project, he and someone from the Sheriff’s Office were not given an invitation to attend and participate in the newly formed Countywide Homeless Coalition. (I noted in the AVA comment section when the story first broke on July 17th that Plowshares was also excluded from membership as well).

Molgaard responded by telling McCowen that she left him and the Sheriff’s Office out “intentionally” because she didn’t want to “pack the room” with folks from the County and overpower or interfere with Coalition building and disrupt decision making among by the agencies.

McCowen counterpunched Molgaard with a left uppercut when he told her that her reasoning contradicted one of Marbut’s primary principles that there be a “system’s approach” rather than an “agency approach” to addressing the problem and that leaving folks from other key County agencies and/or someone from the Board of Supervisors was not accomplishing that.

John’s assessment was right on as evidence by the Coalition’s action step 4 compared to Marbut’s action step 4.

Coalition step 4:

Utilizes diverse approaches

Marbut Step 4:

Move from Agency-Centric to System-Centric Decision Making (Need More Collaboration and Less Silos)

“Coalition members include Project Sanctuary, Ford Street Program, Redwood Community Services, Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center, the City of Fort Bragg, Manzanita Services, the Mendocino County Office of Education, the City of Willits, MCHC Health Centers, the Veteran’s Administration, the City of Ukiah, the Mendocino County Community Development Commission, North Coast Opportunities, and the Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency.”

https://www.theava.com/archives/84854#11

Molgaard ended the little spat by telling McCowen he would be invited to the next meeting. LOL

James Marmon MSW

LAWMAKERS TAKE UP DEBATE ON UTILITY LIABILITY FOR WILDFIRE DAMAGES

State legislators face an Aug. 31 deadline for dealing with wildfire liability as Gov. Brown proposes easing the rules for PG&E and other utilities.

pressdemocrat.com/news/8553170-181/california-panel-begins-deliberations-over

PETALUMA’S DADA BATHTUBS

Editor:

The Petaluma Public Art Committee chose neo-Dadaist art for downtown — 20 17-foot poles supporting five Victorian bathtubs. The majority of City Council members voted to accept the committee’s decision in order to honor the members’ time, rather than honoring the majority of Petalumans who don’t want Dadaist tubs. The council should be concerned about the effect on the Riverwalk and the community.

What is Dadaism? Art books and online sources say Dadaism is a nihilistic (destructive) and anti-aesthetic European art movement whose purpose was to criticize everyday people and mock beautiful artistic creations. One famous Dadaism piece is the ceramic urinal that Marcel Duchamp declared “art” in 1917.

Although there are many important issues facing us, art speaks to the essence of humanity. Water Street is the heart of downtown Petaluma — a place to walk and watch the egrets or the sunset, not poles and derivative common tubs. The Riverwalk is an exceptional place that needs beautification, amenities and art to enhance it, not diminish it.

A few people believe this narrow vision should become the icon of Petaluma. Does the City Council understand what Dadaism represents? Is this the new spirit of Petaluma?

Cheryl Coldiron

Petaluma

BLACK PANTHER PARTY CO-FOUNDER ELBERT ‘BIG MAN’ HOWARD, 80, DIES IN SANTA ROSA

by Chris Smith

Elbert “Big Man” Howard, a founding member of the Black Panther Party in Oakland and for the past decade a Sonoma County human rights activist and jazz/blues radio host, died Monday in Santa Rosa.

Howard was a military veteran who helped teach fellow Black Panthers to handle guns, but in the company of armed revolutionaries was most strongly drawn to community organizing and outreach to disenfranchised and impoverished people. He was 80 and died after a lengthy illness.

In 1966, he was one of six original Black Panthers co-founders, among them Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. He was international spokesman for the group and editor of their newspaper, which at its peak distributed more than 200,000 copies per week.

In and around Oakland in the latter half of the 1960s and first half of the 70s, Howard took part in shadowing law-enforcement officers to discourage them from abusing blacks and others. And he traveled the world as an emissary for the Black Panthers, seeking support and alliances.

His work with impoverished East Bay residents included the founding of a free medical clinic for sickle cell anemia and a work-study program for jail inmates. He was a driving force, too, for a program that provided free breakfast to thousands of Oakland school kids.

“He was a beloved member,” friend and Black Panther Party archivist Billy X Jennings said of Howard. He added that people might have harbored resentment against the party’s Bobby Seale or Eldridge Cleaver, “but nobody got a grudge against Big Man.”

Howard left the Black Panthers in 1974 as it unraveled from internal conflict, deadly shootouts and disruption tactics by the FBI, whose director at the time, J. Edgar Hoover, called the Black Panthers “the single greatest threat to the internal security of the United States.”

Howard four decades ago packed away his radical past, returned to his home state of Tennessee and went to work in retail, becoming a Kmart manager.

He was a divorced father and grandfather when, in 2005, he heard from Carole Hyams, a nurse in Forestville he’d been close to for a time in 1969. The two of them married a decade ago and Howard moved into his wife’s home.

“He loved his time here in Sonoma County,” Hyams said. “He thrived.”

The couple moved from Forestville to Santa Rosa five years ago.

Throughout the last 10 years of his life, Howard wrote and lectured about his life and activism, and about the need for sustained vigilance against racism and other abuses.

“He just really liked young people and being able to talk about the work he’d done. And he never really stopped,” said friend and fellow activist Mary Moore of Camp Meeker.

Howard was outspoken about a Sonoma County deputy sheriff’s 2013 killing of Santa Rosa teenager Andy Lopez and was active with his wife in the now defunct Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline, or PACH.

“We need community control of police and community involvement,” Howard said at a 2015 luncheon in Santa Rosa at which the regional American Civil Liberties Union presented him and Hyams that year’s Jack Green Civil Liberties Award.

“Unless the community gets involved, they are going to be affected by what goes on with the behavior of the police,” he told the banquet’s guests.

All his life, Howard found refuge and joy in music. In recent years, the North Bay people most familiar with his voice were listeners of his jazz and blues programs on Sonoma County radio stations KRCB, KWTF, KGGF, KOWS and KBBF.

He said in 2016 that while growing up Chattanooga, Tennessee, music was ever present in the house.

“Gospel, the blues, the country blues, it was always part of life,” he told Gabe Meline of KQED. “Even had the preachers that preached sermons on the street, and they were great musicians, playing guitar and singing. All of that stuff just stayed with me.”

Howard was a teenager when he enlisted in the Air Force for an escape from the oppression of segregated Tennessee. As a kid, he’d witnessed the horsewhipping of a relative by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 260 pounds, the recruit served as firefighter, mostly in France.

At the end of his term he was honorably discharged at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and decided to try out life in nearby Oakland.

In 1966, he was 28 and studying at Oakland’s Merritt College when he met Seale and Newton. The three of them explored a common interest in resistance to police abuse of African-Americans, politics, black history and social revolution.

The previous year, minister and human rights activist Malcolm X was assassinated in New York.

Earlier in 1966, the Rev. Martin Luther King carried the civil rights movement and its message of nonviolent civil disobedience north to Chicago.

Following the June, 1966, shooting of black activist James Meredith in Mississippi early on in his March Against Fear, Stokely Carmichael told fellow marchers, “This is the 27th time I have been arrested and I ain’t going to jail no more! The only way we gonna stop them white men from whuppin’ us is to take over.

“What we gonna start sayin’ now is Black Power.”

That October, in Oakland, Seale and Newton founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Howard and three others — Sherwin Forte, Reggie Forte and Little Bobby Hutton — signed on as founding members.

Howard told The Press Democrat in March of 2017 he’d had enough of police brutality committed with impunity on African-Americans.

“No results came of it, and no one came to the people’s rescue,” he said.

Initially, he and the other Black Panthers wore berets and black leather jackets as they stood in armed defiance and patrolled the streets in vigilance against police brutality.

“In the beginning,” Howard said 2002, “the police would patrol our community, and almost every week somebody would get killed, and so a show of arms was a necessary move at the time. Extreme actions required extreme measures.”

Howard had much to do with the growth of the party to more than 40 chapters and several thousand members. But the group was besieged and in disarray when Howard left in 1974 and returned to his native Tennessee.

In 2002, he wrote and self-published a book, “Panther on the Prowl.” While still in Tennessee, he resumed an active role in community efforts to assist ex-offenders and provide educational opportunities for African-Americans.

(Courtesy, Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

CATCH OF THE DAY, July 25, 2018

PETER ANDERSON, Venus/Ukiah. Probation revocation.

STEPHEN BENBOW, Fort Bragg. Parole violation.

BRET BENGSTON, Ukiah. Parole violation. (Frequent flyer.)

MAURILIO CASAREZ, Fort Bragg. DUI, commercial dumping, possession of pot on school grounds, suspended license, probation revocation.

THOMAS COOK, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

SCOTT FABER, Ukiah. Trespassing, county parole violation.

JONATHAN HOPPNER, Willits. Parole violation.

BRYAN LOCKWOOD, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

MICHAEL MCCORMICK, Fort Bragg. Assault with deadly weapon not a gun.

JACKIE MONTIETH, Fort Bragg. Trespassing, failure to appear, probation revocation.

AARON PARKS, Branscomb. DUI, controlled substance, possession of a substance similar to toluene.

CYNTHIA PHILLIBER, Ukiah. Parole violation, probation revocation.

PEDRO REYNAGA, Calpella. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, probation revocation.

ASHTON STONE, Point Arena. Failure to appear.

VOTING FOR REGRESS

Editor,

By now, it should be painfully obvious that the GOP cares little to nothing but satisfying the greedy interests of its ultra-rich donors, forcing us ordinary people to finally ask ourselves if we are going to continue to be politically suicidal and vote for anyone in the GOP in the next election. Oh, scratch that, I almost forgot: the GOP is really the Party Of God, and morality is firmly in its corner, as evidenced by: No taxing and spending in its agenda, especially for social programs.

Ken Ellis, New Bedford, Mass.

IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE THE CRANK IS COMING FROM…

On Monday July 23rd, at around 9 am, the Clearlake Police Department received a report of 37 year old, Julio Zaragoza brandishing a handgun at a person, in the 15900 block of 21st Avenue. Zaragoza then left the scene, driving a silver Mazda sedan. While officers were headed to the call, Zaragoza passed by Officer Mike Perreault heading the other way. Perreault tuned around and conducted a traffic stop on Zaragoza’s vehicle. Zaragoza and the only passenger, 45 year old, Shanti Gallon were detained. The victim responded to the location of the stop and identified Zaragoza as the one who had brandished the firearm. Zaragoza was arrested for brandishing a firearm.

During a search of the vehicle, a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun was located. Once the handgun was located Gallon stated the handgun belonged to her and Zaragoza had never seen it before. Gallon was arrested for possession of a loaded firearm in public and possession of a concealed firearm.

Zaragoza is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Zaragoza was additionally charged with, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a concealed firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm in public.

Zaragoza and Gallon were transported to the Lake County Jail.

Perreault obtained a bail enhancement raising Zaragoza’s bail to $150,000 and a source of bail order, requiring proof be shown money used for his bail was lawfully obtained.

At the time of this arrest, Zaragoza was out on bail for an arrest on June 27th 2018. In that case Zaragoza was arrested for felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a concealed firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm in public, possession of controlled substances for sales, felony resisting arrest and others charges. These charges were a result of Zaragoza running and violently resting, Officer Hobb during a traffic stop in which Zaragoza was found to be in possession of a loaded 10 mm semiautomatic handgun and over one pound of methamphetamine.

(Lake County Magazine)

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

The primary problem is that the youth care nothing for the past. I’ve taught high school history. 95% of (vocal) students make the claim that it simply does not matter to understand anything about the past. The 20th century was such an acceleration of change that it seems too far away to them to realize that human nature does not move at nearly the same pace. History is fogged over for them. When the boomers pass away and I’m left alone with them, it will be frightening.

FORT BRAGG FARMERS' MARKET

Wanna get away from the heat? Check out the Fort Bragg Farmers' Market every Wednesday!

"The Fort Bragg Certified Farmers Market is a year round market located at North Franklin and Laurel every Wednesday 3-6 p.m.  We offer the best in local produce, meats, fish, eggs, & cheese. We also have a variety of Bakeries offering sweet and savory products, Vendors with Jams, Olive Oil, Wine, and hot ready to eat foods including Mexican, Raw Vegan, Ethiopian, and Argentinean delights. Our Community section includes activities for the young people, Master Gardeners and the Library, to name a few. Come and buy directly from the growers and producers, meet your friends, and go home with the best ingredients for your meals for the week."

HANDS ACROSS THE WATER: About 30 members of China’s national baseball team are part of a revolving roster for a professional team near Dallas, giving them game time and tougher opposition as they prepare for the Asian Games and 2020 Olympics. Chinese players make up about two-thirds of the expanded roster for the American Association team now formally known as the AirHogs powered by the Beijing Shougang Eagles. The Chinese Baseball Association made the arrangement with the AirHogs. The players appear to be having some trouble adjusting to the tougher U.S. leagues — the AirHogs are a league-worst 17-44 this season — but player-coach Na Chuang said the team has progressed faster than expected. Assistant Pitching Coach Kevin Joseph said: “The big need ... for China is they don’t play a lot of games. So for them to be able to come, and to learn the rhythm of a baseball lifestyle, play against better competition, has been a great experience. The players have really meshed well with the Chinese guys. They love them.” (AP)

MARCO MCCLEAN WRITES: I think you'll get a kick out of this. It looks a lot like any of the thousands of pages of the dream journal I used to keep and read on the radio on KMFB. For like 15 years, ending in November of 2011, I always had paper and pens in bed and every time I woke up, sometimes half a dozen times in a sleep period, I'd scribble what I'd been dreaming about.

Imagine having to follow his instructions on this sort of thing: twitter.com/pickover/status/815673815309099009

IT'S A FINE DAY OUTSIDE, and I want to get away from this tarbaby-computer, but first, just one little thing:

Whenever I'm getting too big for my britches, I check in with Chomsky. He's at it again today, giving interview, telling truth. Chomsky's cerebral, and that disinclines people to read what he says, but it's too important--it.is.too.bleedin' important--to not read. Put your thinking-cap on and dig in! I reread sentences and paragraphs twice, thrice--as many times as it takes to penetrate my thick head, and I ALWAYS am glad I did, because i always end up knowing more than I did at the start, important stuff.

In today's interview he uses the word "rapporteur" which I didn't know. It means somebody whose job is to report on meetings and such. It means "reporter," but it gets the French spelling to distinguish it from "member of the news media." Everything else he says is in plain language, and you don't have to own a PhD to read it. Just be persistent and patient, because what he tells us is so basic to today's situation, you can't really have a rounded picture without absorbing and internalizing it, so--PLEASE--do. This is the kind of truth that has to be disseminated. For the half of human society with below-average IQs, it needs to be spelled out in easier language, but the message is not really difficult. Please please please, friends, read this--several times, if necessary.

There could come a turning point, something as momentous as the Big Bang, when enough people get enough smarts that suddenly--SUDDENLY!--all the bullshit is revealed, and people connect the dots, and the world will change as if a howling midnight blizzard in Antarctica magically became a spring morning in Pleasantville!

truthout.org/articles/resurgence-of-political-authoritarianism-interview-with-noam-chomsky/

(Mitch Clogg)

MENDOCINO COAST DISTRICT HOSPITAL SCHEDULES MEETING FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Fort Bragg, CA - July 25, 2018 - Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) has announced they will conduct an informational meeting for members of the public interested in running for one of the open Board of Director positions. The meeting will be held on August 8, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the Redwoods Room at MCDH, which is located at 700 River Drive in Fort Bragg, CA.

The focus of the meeting will be to educate potential board members and constituents about the roles and responsibilities of a Hospital District Board member, and to outline resources available to help prepare candidates and future board members for what lies ahead. Chairman of the Board, Steve Lund and Bob Edwards, MCDH CEO will present information about MCDH and the role of a board member. The guest speaker will be Heidi Dickerson, Leadership Mendocino's Program Manager. Questions and discussion will be encouraged.

According to the California Special District Association (CSDA), "...as a board member or trustee for a special district, you have committed to serve the best interests of the community, provide services that are essential to the community and represent the people who placed you into office. Being a special district board member is an important job and one that should be taken seriously. Clearly, the position requires that elected or appointed officials wear numerous hats and be knowledgeable in a wide range of areas."

For more information about the meeting, please call (707) 961-4610 or email gmoon@mcdh.net

Doug Shald, Director PR & Marketing Communications, Mendocino Coast District Hospital, 707.961.4961

NEWS FROM CANCER RESOURCE CENTERS

Brrr! I am shivering in Mendocino! It is 52 degrees here on the coast, but in Ukiah today, 104 is the predicted high. I continue to be in awe of this amazing place on the planet that I am so lucky to call home.

We are now more than half way through the year, and already the Cancer Resource Centers has provided over 3,000 units of service to 272 separate clients, 163 of those newly diagnosed or first-time clients of CRC. We are honored to be part of every single one of these journeys. CRC is here to provide information, advocacy and support to every person in Mendocino County who is facing cancer, but we need your help. Our biggest fundraiser of the year, Pure Mendocino, is coming up August 25. There are still tickets and tables available.

Please reserve your seat today by visiting puremendocino.org or calling 937-3833. If you can’t attend this important fundraiser, please consider making a donation through our website, crcmendocino.org, or mail a check to CRC, P.O. Box 50, Mendocino, CA 95460.

Your support is valued and appreciated!

--Karen Oslund

Executive Director

Reading Recommendation

“Cancer’s Invasion Equation,” a New Yorker article by Pulitzer prize winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee, provides much food for thought. He uses powerful biological analogies to explain why some cancers thrive in their host and some can live dormant and harmless for years. This was a new way of thinking about the biology of cancer, for me—the “soil vs. seed” conundrum, and I highly recommend it:

Time is money, but is it also health?

We have all heard the saying, “time is money,” but is time also health? How can busy working people find the time to exercise and eat right? Read more here.

CRC's Cancer Awareness series is sponsored by CRC and Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency.

Pure Mendocino is August 25 -- Please join us!

Pure Mendocino is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County. You are warmly invited! Enjoy superb food and wine and the beauty of a summer evening at Dark Horse Ranch. Our musical guests are The Back Porch Project. Tickets often sell out, and there are about 50 left at this time. For more information, visit puremendocino.org or phone 937-3833.

New Coastal Support Group to start in September

A new cancer support group for women will begin meeting in Mendocino in September--exact date to be announced. This group will meet in CRC's Mendocino office, and in order to create an appealing, cozy meeting place, there is a little work to be done. If you love to paint or can do light handywork, have a knack with window covering or can make a donation in support of any of the above, please call our Mendocino office, 937-3833 or e-mail karen@crcmendocino.org

CELEBRATING THE POMO FISH BASKET

A special First Friday at the Grace Hudson Museum on August 3rd celebrates the installation of a commissioned Pomo Fish Basket sculpture in the Museum’s Wild Gardens. Dry Creek Pomo/Bodega Miwok artist Bruce Smith will be on hand to discuss the inspiration and process that went into making this six-foot long sculpture out of steel, intricately simulating traditional weaving techniques of Pomo basket makers. The sculpture is not only a beautiful work of art, but will be a key element in the Wild Gardens for teaching visitors about the importance of salmon habitat and the role of salmon in Pomo culture.

Brief remarks by Museum curators and by the artist will take place at 6 p.m. From 5:30 to 7:30, samples of a traditional Pomo salmon and seaweed dish will be available. The evening also includes weaving activities for youth and families. The Mendocino County Resource Conservation District will be on hand with information about protecting watershed health and stream restoration. The event is free and open to the public.

The Grace Hudson Museum is at 431 Main St. in Ukiah. For more information go to www.gracehudsonmuseum.org or call 467-2836.

MCHC HEALTH CENTERS WELCOMES PODIATRIST DR. ADERONKE OJO

Ukiah, CA — MCHC Health Centers (MCHC) is pleased to announce that board-certified podiatrist Dr. Aderonke Ojo has joined its medical staff and will be seeing patients in Ukiah, Willits and Lakeport.

A podiatrist is a foot and ankle doctor who helps patients with a variety of ailments, including nail fungus, calluses, warts, bunions, hammertoe, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, diabetic foot evaluations and care, Achilles’ tendonitis, flat feet and more. Dr. Ojo is a medical podiatrist, though she can refer patients for surgery, if necessary.

Originally from Nigeria, Dr. Ojo is a self-described “go-getter” who lets nothing get in her way when it comes to helping her patients. She not only focuses on eliminating their foot pain, but also helping them overcome shame about their feet.

As a young girl, she suffered serious burns on her feet. In addition to her pain, she was often embarrassed about how her feet looked. So when her patients don’t want to take off their shoes and socks, even for a medical evaluation, she understands. “I think it helps that I can relate,” she said. Her warm, engaging personality helps put patients at ease.

“I love what I do! I fell in love with podiatry when I saw how much we could make people better. If you can’t walk, what can you do? My mission is to get people walking comfortably again,” she said. She quipped, “When people asked me how I got here, I say, ‘My feet.’ I know it’s not what they mean, but if you think about it, it’s true.” She went on to say that at some point in every journey, it is usually our feet that get us where we need to go. “Without healthy feet it is hard to have a healthy life,” she said.

Dr. Ojo shared a story of an elderly man who had gout. He was in terrible pain and could no longer work. He visited the clinic where she was working, and she told him he could be pain-free within days. He was amazed and thrilled when that was exactly what happened.

Dr. Ojo encourages people experiencing any foot or ankle pain to come in for an evaluation. Unlike other areas of the body, the feet get very little rest, she explained, so problems usually get worse instead of better until they are treated.

“We always do conservative treatment first. With children who have flat feet, for example, we do custom-made orthotics to realign the joints and make the body function better,” she said. Once the body is properly aligned, the pain usually goes away. Children can then learn to stop pronating or supinating and spend the rest of their lives without that type of pain.

“Dr. Ojo’s medical training and experience make her a great fit for our health centers,” said MCHC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jerry Douglas. Dr. Ojo completed her undergraduate education UC Davis in 1997, then attended the New York School of Podiatry to earn her DPM. She went on to complete an internship and residency at New York Coney Island Hospital and quickly become board-certified in podiatry. She has been in practice for ten years, both in private practice and working for Indian Health.

She is joining MCHC Health Centers as part of a personal move, one that brings her closer to her fiancé, a software engineer who lives in Lakeport. When she’s not busy caring for patients, Dr. Ojo enjoys reading and writing poetry, shopping, and dancing. “I love to dance,” she said. “Oh, and I love to crack jokes. If you don’t have a sense of humor, what do you have? I love to laugh.”

If you or someone you love has foot or ankle pain, contact MCHC Health Centers and Dr. Ojo will be happy to see them. MCHC Health Centers provides comprehensive health services including primary medical care, pediatrics, dentistry, women’s health, obstetrical care, counseling, psychiatry, and specialty care, and looks forward to growing to meet the ever-expanding needs of the communities it serves. MCHC Health Centers includes Hillside Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. Learn more at www.mchcinc.org.

ORANGE JUICE

Editor,

Trumpty Dumpty sat on his wall,

Trumpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the kingpin’s forces and all the KKKlansmen

Couldn’t put Trumpty together again.

Dr. Nayvin Gordon

Oakland

“I want Answers, people!  Who am I working for and why?”

COME OUT FOR GAR!

Benefit For Gary Bluhm This Saturday

All are invited to support our Brother Gary Bluhm in his struggle with cancer at our Summer Dance Party Benefit this Saturday, July 28 at Gualala Arts Center's Redwood Grove at 5pm.

We will have great Music, Food, Beer & Wine, and much FUN, Dancing, and a BBQ and Potluck.

Advance Tickets are at Gualala Arts, The Dolphin Gallery and at BrownPaperTickets.com for $15.

Day of event, tickets will be $20 at the door.

We can use some Good Volunteers to help with this wonderful event, so please call 884-4703 if you can volunteer.

Music By J.J. Mule Kat and DJ Sister Yasmin.

Be there or be square.