Mendocino County Today: Friday, Sep. 7, 2018

• Complex Suppression
• Wildfire Relief
• Janice Blue
• Co-Conspirators
• Laytonville Langenderfer
• Foodshed News
• Murder Attempt
• MendoCare
• Church Service
• Goop Settles
• Remembrance Day
• Crop Report
• Retroactive Items
• 253 History
• Incense Cedar
• Little Dog
• Caltrans Meetings
• Rescue/Capture
• Inappropriate Embrace
• Trump Culture
• Look Loyal
• Yesterday's Catch
• Massive Disruption
• Tourism Curse
• Pain Specialist
• Reamed
• Sanctuary Love
• Comptche Art
• Beached Birds
• Mister Smooth
• F&G Meeting
• California Power
• iMuzzled
• Pension Costs

MENDOCINO COMPLEX UPDATE: The Ranch Fire remains at 410,203 acres and 98 percent contained. The anticipated date for full containment is September 9, 2018. The last section of uncontained fireline is west of Stonyford near Bonnie View and Happy Camp. Firefighters continue to monitor interior burning west of Stonyford and patrol firelines in this area. Suppression repair work consists of removing dirt berms, spreading cut vegetation and building water bars to reduce soil erosion. Suppression repair is complete on the River Fire.

* * *

MENDOCINO COMPLEX WILDFIRES CAUSE $56 MILLION OF INSURED LOSSES

Combined with Carr fire in Shasta and Trinity counties, insured losses from July fires total $845 million so far.

pressdemocrat.com/news/8712651-181/mendocino-complex-wildfires-cause-56

NCO WILDFIRE RELIEF FUND APPLICATION DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 14TH

Applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Friday, September 14^th.

[Date]The application deadline for the North Coast Opportunities, Inc. (NCO) 2018 Wildfire Relief Fund is September 14, 2018.

NCO has collected nearly 1000 applications from those who suffered a range of hardships, including total home losses, partial home losses, or evacuation losses from the Pawnee Fire, Eel Fire, or Mendocino Complex Fire. Applications may be requested by calling 707-467-3200 ext. 236 or by emailing recoveryresponse@ncoinc.org.

“We just disbursed our first batch of checks, in the amount of $1000.00, to those who experienced a total loss,“ says NCO Chief Financial Officer Carolyn Welch. “We’ve assembled an excellent Disaster Response Team this year and we’re processing applications as swiftly as possible.” The Disaster Response Team will continue prioritizing total loss fire survivors, after which they will shift focus to those who experienced a partial loss. If funds remain, those who suffered a evacuation loss will be considered. Donations will be accepted throughout the year and will be reserved for long-term recovery needs.

NCO is now in its fifth year of responding to fires and remains devoted to supporting Lake and Mendocino Counties rebuild. Multiple fires impacting the same regions has created layers of trauma, environmental devastation, and compounding financial hardship.

“We know the impacts of this year’s fire season are tremendous,” says Patty Bruder, Executive Director. “We wish we could help everyone. We know the thousands of residents who experienced evacuations are suffering financially too. The emotional trauma and loss have hit our communities hard.”

To support those who were evacuated, NCO has established two distribution centers open to all fire survivors. “We have food, clothing, household and hygiene items, and baby items,” adds Bruder. “These distribution centers are intended to help those impacted by providing replacement items quickly.” The Lakeport Distribution Center is located at 785 Bevins Street and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2 and Sundays from 10-2. Call 707-972-0519 for more information. The Mendocino County Distribution Center is open daily at 8465 East Road in Redwood Valley. Call 707-489-3970 for hours.

In addition, NCO Disaster Case Managers may be able to assist fire survivors by providing information, resources, and support with the rebuilding process. Contact a Lake County Disaster Case Manager directly at 707-994-2910, or a Mendocino County Disaster Case Manager at 707-621-8817.

NCO is the Community Action Agency that serves Lake and Mendocino Counties, as well as parts of Humboldt, Sonoma, Del Norte, and Solano Counties. NCO reacts to community needs, including disaster response. This year NCO celebrates 50 years of community action and was named the 2018 nonprofit of the year.

For more information visit www.ncoinc.org or call 707-467-3200.

IN MEMORIAM, JANICE BLUE, 1942-2017

by William Ray

I take this opportunity to add a few words of remembrance concerning Janice Blue. It was only last night I sought information by internet server as to what became of her, itself an interesting coincidence. I was also at the 2009 reading referenced in the article today by Sharon Doubiago, who like her subject, Janice “Blue” Adams Duff, has become an inhabitant of both North Beach and the Mendocino coast.

In 2009 Janice was anxious to meet Mary Norbert Korte and travel with us to the gathering outside Mendocino City. As the driver, I arrived at her apartment building and called at the back apartment. She had designed, painted, and decorated the flat in blue, the color of spirituality. It appeared she was aiming for an artistic and heightened level while there was time, even as she receded from material life. It was a labor for her to breathe. (A dove has just landed at the tin feeder outside my North window, the direction we follow rising from death.) She asked me if Mary would come and look at her work arranging the apartment. I went out and asked but Mary was also short on energy and stayed in the car. We went South to the poets' convention.

On the supper break a group of us ate together at a restaurant in town. Leaving the car I noticed Janice could barely walk. I told her to take my arm and buoyed her going down the sidewalk. "I can't breathe,” she gasped. "Do you want to stop and rest?" I asked. "No, let's keep going," she said. "You need an oxygen tank," I said. "My oxygen level has to get a little worse, then I will qualify," she answered. Such is the cruel Catch-22 of institutional health. We did get to the restaurant.

I had only $6 in cash. The management did not accept checks. I made a side-order, French fries to share. When the orders arrived, Janice wanted salt for the French fries. There was none on our table. I pointed out salt and pepper shakers on a distant table, and ruth weiss, who had been looking, brought them back. Janice thanked her. "I didn't do it," ruth said, "BILL did it," in a taunting tone. She repeated the phrase.

"Haw-Haw-Haw," Janice answered back in rebuke. Some subterranean joke and repudiation had passed between them. It provided an instance of why poets rarely get along, since a persistent human weakness, pettiness, undercuts essential humanity, only to be grist for Karma in future. Janice knew it.

Mary and I left early after the readings. I was sure Janice would get a ride home to Fort Bragg because others were driving North. She didn't have a license. That was the last time I saw her. It was only later, reading her unwelcome obituary recently, that I learned she died last November, 2017, to be reborn a Scorpio, a wise astrological sign. She was born January 1, 1942, and, from the obituary, as Kentucky blood. This origin might explain her frontier-like violence in North Beach in 1997, shooting a brute in his apartment who had beaten his wife repeatedly in front of her and another witness. The power of her passion can be traced back to the laws of Talon, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, which was still family vengeance law in late medieval England, before the emigrant migrations in waves West to the Mississippi. Her maiden name was Adams, an old English name. She lived the life of a poet.

May she live again.

WJ Ray

Willits, California

WHY ARE THESE WOMEN LAUGHING?

(Because they make a lot of money providing invisible and/or failed services and never have to account for how many people "served" and how much money is spent "serving" them?)

LANGENDERFER TRIPLE-TEAMED

On 09-04-2018 at about 11:37 AM, Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputies were investigating reported thefts in the area of the 39200 block of Old Sherwood Road in Laytonville. While in the area Deputies contacted Brandon Langenderfer, 25, of Laytonville in a cabin on a piece of property.

A warrants check was conducted through Sheriff's Office dispatch and Deputies discovered Langenderfer had an outstanding Felony warrant for his arrest (Violation of community supervision - PRCS). Langenderfer attempted to flee out the back of the cabin and as he did he encountered two Deputies at the rear of the cabin. Langenderfer turned to go back into the cabin and encountered another Deputy inside of the cabin at which time Langenderfer gave up and was taken into custody without further incident. Langenderfer was placed under arrest and transported to the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held without bail.

FOODSHED NEWS

Velma's Farm Stand at Filigreen Farm
Certified Organic - Certified Biodynamic
11750 Anderson Valley Way,
Boonville, CA 95415
Open Friday-Monday from 10am till 4pm

• Apples: Red Gravenstein, Swiss Gourmet, Gravenstein, Holstein, Freyburg, Ribston Pippin, Gala, Pink Sparkle
• Asian Pears
• Cherry and Early Girl Tomatoes
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Lemon Cucumbers
• Melons
• Watermelons
• Hot Peppers: $3lb
• Olive Oil: 500ml, 750ml, 1/2 Gallon, Gallon

* * *

The Foodshed Apple Press

We've been getting calls about using the apple press, which is now being stored in the Foodshed shed in Boonville. We have a group of people who are qualified to oversee the use of the press and have volunteered to make themselves available to help those who have fruit to press this year. Those who have fruit to press can email avfoodshed@gmail.com to find out when someone will be available to meet them at the shed location. Happy Pressing!

* * *

FREE Apple Press

It worked a few years ago and has been under cover since but will need a bit of fixing up. Also, if one had energy to put into it it could be made even more efficient at pressing out as much juice as possible. Call Charlie for details at 707-367-3874.

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Looking for Guinea Fowl

Does anyone know where I could get some guinea fowl? If so, please call Barbara Lamb at (707) 894-9459.

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A Fundraiser for Anderson Valley Land Trust

Please join us for a special farm tour and food presentation at beautiful Filigreen Farm. Please click here to buy your tickets.

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Happenings at the Buckhorn

Come enjoy our garden cocktails while the weather is still hot! However, the Buckhorn will be closed this Friday, September 7th, due to a wedding in the family! We also will not have our usual Live Music First Friday of the month. Instead, we will have live music Friday September 21. Stay tuned!

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Beef For Sale

Grass Fed Murray Grey/Angus cross Beef, 1/4’s

October/November Delivery

4 Bar K Ranch in Boonville, CA is offering premium grass fed beef for sale. This is local grass fed beef, raised in rural Anderson Valley, in Mendocino County, with no shots or hormones, just excellent, lean, grass finished beef. We raise our beef free range, organically, in a humane, safe, and stress free way. This insures your beef is the best quality and safest meat, that is raised and sold in the right way.

Please contact me and I will send our information flyer. It should answer most of your questions, but feel free to call me anytime if you're interested.

If interested please contact Dave Kooyers at dkooyers@gmail.com (707) 895-2325.

THE BOSS

To the Editor:

A few weeks ago as reported in the AVA, Mental Health Consultant Lee Kemper summarized his recently completed $40k indictment of the County’s badly broken mental health “continuum” for the Measure B Advisory Committee meeting in Ukiah:

Kemper flatly declared, “There are two continuums of care for mental health and for substance abuse disorders. Both of them are incomplete."

Allow me to comment.

In the absence of real care, perhaps HHSA management and mental health contractor/manager Camille Schrader would like to know what really happens to our county’s “dually diagnosed” patients — those who are both seriously mentally ill people and who are also addicts or alcoholics.

They get incarcerated in the county jail.

They get jailed in solitary confinement in the Administrative-Segregation (Ad-Seg) Unit for 23 1/2 hours a day.

Then they get loaded up on Seroquel or Zyprexa, so they can sleep in a deep coma for most of those 23 1/2 hours.

“Seroquel and Zyprexa are the drugs of choice among the mentally ill and substance abusers behind bars,” said researchers at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law in 2011.

“An atypical antipsychotic with potent sedative and anxiolytic properties, Seroquel, is, along with Zyprexa, one of only two agents in its class to have a ‘street value',” said Dr. Amanda Pearce Roper and Dr. Leonard Mulbry Jr., from the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.

“In any given institution where Seroquel is available, there will be hundreds of guys trying to get it,” Dr. Mulbry said in an interview.

And jailers are happy to have it prescribed. Why? Because Seroquel and Zyprexa make troublesome inmates “compliant” — they sleep in a deep coma for most of those 23 1/2 hours they’re locked down alone and miserable in their tiny cells.

Inmates loaded up on Seroquel or Zyprexa don’t have to get a higher level of care (too expensive), don’t need constant suicide watch (too labor-intensive), and don’t get written up on disciplinary charges for assaults on other inmates or staff (too dangerous).

Seroquel and Zyprexa are the perfect solution.

I’m sure HHSA’s Chief Operations Office, Ann Molgaard, and the Schrader Gang agree. It’s a good business decision for them.

Here’s how their thinking goes: 1.) Incarcerate your clients. 2.) Reclassify them as inmates. 3.) Make them Sheriff Allman’s problem. 4.) Load them up on powerful anti-psychotics and make them compliant. 5.) Pocket most of the many millions of dollars the county has budgeted for caring for our seriously mentally ill. 6.) Retire.

How do I know?

I worked for four years as a corrections deputy in the County Jail’s Ad-Seg Unit.

And I was a grand juror for three terms.

If elected as the 1st District County Supervisor next year, I’ll work with my friend, presumptive 3rd District Supervisor, Johnny Pinches, to fire the bums, and rebuild from scratch our county’s broken mental health system.

The first to get fired should be County CEO Carmel Angelo.

As the county’s head honcho — the Board of Supervisors work for Angelo, not the other way around — the county’s mental health crisis should be laid right at Angelo’s feet.

But Angelo never takes blame. Never. That's what subordinates are for.

Angelo threw her former HHSA Director, Stacey Cryer, and former Mendocino County Mental Health Director, Tom Pinizzotto, under the bus to protect her own job. Also HHSA Assistant Director Brian Lowery got thrown under the bus.

She disappeared Cryer, Pinizzotto, and Lowery. All of them. Without a trace.

Disappeared! Has anyone heard anything from any of them?

Anything?

It’s why they call Angelo the “Tony Soprano of Mendocino County”.

Angelo is not just the boss. She is "The Boss".

Nothing will change at county mental health until Angelo goes. Maybe she can take her big county pension and buy into the Ortner Management Group.

John Sakowicz

Ukiah

BOONVILLE FAIR SUNDAY COMMUNITY CHURCH SERVICE

September 16th 2018, 8:30 AM

Apple Hall Auditorium, next to the Fair Office

Pastor Dave Kooyers from Valley Bible Fellowship will present:

“What Is Man?”

“Made in whose image?”

Free admission/Everyone Welcome

Please come and worship with us, and then enjoy the fair for the rest of the day.

For additional information please feel free to call Pastor Dave Kooyers (707) 895-2325, or the Fair Office at (707) 895-3011, or visit their website at: http://www.mendocountyfair.com/

10:00 am Sheep Dog Trials, Finals - Rodeo Arena

2:00 pm CCPRA Rodeo Finals - Rodeo Arena

GOOP SETTLES

by Mark Scaramella

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat featured a story Thursday called “Gwyneth Paltrow’s company settles over claims its vaginal eggs have health perks. Prosecutors in ten California counties announced the settlement after an investigation found some of the company’s health claims were unfounded.”

According to CBS News, “A task force settlement announced Wednesday focused on three products sold by Goop. The jade and rose quartz vaginal eggs were promoted as a way to ‘balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles... and increase bladder control.’ The mix of essential oils was advertised as a way to ‘help prevent depression.’ ‘It's important to hold companies accountable for unsubstantiated claims, especially when the claims have the potential to affect women’s health,’ said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Most amusing words in this item: “Prosecutors,” “an investigation,” “settlement,” and “task force.”

Ms. Paltrow’s silly albeit slick catalog does not require any “investigation,” especially not one by “prosecutors.” The whole operation is a transparent fraud and rip-off and anyone who pays Ms. Paltrow’s outrageous prices deserves to be ripped off.

businessinsider.com/gwyneth-paltrow-goop-bad-health-advice-2015-10

“Inner Judge Flower Essence Blend also drew the Task Force's [sic] attention. Prosecutors say Goop advertised the product as a dietary supplement that ‘could help prevent depression.’ The blend of essential oils costs $22 and is currently sold out on the site. Users are advised to apply drops on the tongue every five to 15 minutes, add it to ‘spring water’ to sip on, or apply it externally to ‘acupuncture or marma points,’ according to the goop website.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Goop website described the Essence Blend as "a purifying organic floral blend that assists in the clearing of guilt, shame, self-criticism and blame" that can "help prevent 'shame spirals' downward toward depressive states."

“Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Goop is guilty of false advertising, reports CBS News correspondent Anna Werner.”

Thank god we have “prosecutors” capable of keeping us free of such false advertising claims.

“The products in question are still on Goop's website but with altered descriptions. As part of the settlement, Goop also said it will offer refunds to customers who request them.”

Surprisingly, Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster was not one of the ten “prosecutors” who joined in the lawsuit to protect women from Goop’s false claims — like this: “The strictly guarded secret of Chinese royalty in antiquity—queens and concubines used them to stay in shape for emperors — jade eggs were said to harness the power of energy work and crystal healing,” the Goop site article said as of Wednesday afternoon. "Jade eggs’ power to cleanse and clear make them ideal for spiritual detox."

See, that’s not true. Because there’s no “scientific evidence” to back up that claim. Fortunately, “Prosecutor” Rackauckas, an Orange County Republican with family connections to Mendocino County, is doing his part to keep people safe from these oh-so clever claims that apparently lots of people wrongly believe and are willing to pay $55 or $65 for, basically, a few glorified marbles.

Under the terms of the settlement, Goop did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed not to make any claims regarding its products "without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence, and from manufacturing or selling any misbranded, unapproved, or falsely-advertised medical devices," the Orange County District Attorney's Office wrote.

Goop added, “While the company has not received any complaints regarding these product claims, it is happy to fully refund any Goop customer who has purchased any of the challenged products.”

Goop still considers itself to be “an established wellness authority.”

No complaints? So it must work! A few drops and away go “guilt, shame, self-criticism and blame." Pretty soon we’ll see HHSA Assistant Director Ann Molgaard handing out free Inner Judge Flower Essence Blend to her staff as part of the County’s Wellness program.

PROCLAMATION OF THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 17, 2018, AS REMEMBRANCE DAY IN MENDOCINO COUNTY

WHEREAS, since the first state institutions opened in 1852, individuals with mental and developmental disabilities were separated from their communities and committed to these institutions for a variety of reasons, many of which would not be considered acceptable today; and

WHEREAS, more than 45,000 people who died while confined in these state institutions were not claimed by family or friends and were buried by the state, often in mass or unmarked graves; and

WHEREAS, more than 1,600 people who died while confined at the Mendocino State Hospital during its years of operation from 1892 to 1972 were buried locally in unmarked graves; and

WHEREAS, the California Memorial Project was formed to honor and restore dignity to those individuals who lived and died in confinement at state hospitals and development centers; and,

WHEREAS, the local committee of the California Memorial Project, in cooperation with the Russian River Cemetery District, has installed plaques honoring those who died while confined locally; and,

WHEREAS, the California Memorial Project seeks to restore all cemeteries or graves where individuals from State institutions are buried; document the history of the client and consumer movement in California; and preserve the history of the individuals who lived in state institutions; and,

WHEREAS, the California Memorial Project also coordinates a Remembrance Day to honor and show respect to all people who lived or died in California state mental institutions and development centers.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Mendocino, hereby proclaims September 17, 2018, as:

“REMEMBRANCE DAY IN MENDOCINO COUNTY”

Dated: September 11, 2018

Dan Hamburg, Chair

MENDO’S 2016 CROP REPORT IS OUT, only 20 months after the end of 2016. The report is trimmed down to a bare minimum compared to earlier reports. And the numbers themselves are of essentially no value being as dated as they. PS. The word “cannabis” or similar terms does not appear in the report.)

2016 Crop Report

SEVERAL “RETROACTIVE” Consent Calendar Items are on next Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors agenda. The Board of Supervisors (lead Supervisor John McCowen) have complained several times about retroactive contract add-ons — after all they basically send a message to the Board from the CEO and staff that the Board is irrelevant except for “retroactively” approving things that are already done.

For example, Item 4g: Approval of Retroactive Third Amendment to Board of Supervisors Agreement No. 17-098 with Mitchell, Brisso, Delaney & Vrieze Increasing the Amount from $250,000 to $275,000 for Litigation Services in Linda Morales v. County of Mendocino, et al. and Extension of Termination Date From June 30, 2018 to June 30, 2019. This is a child custody case filed in federal district court.

Background:

files.acrobat.com/a/preview/bd8ebdad-b662-4215-ace7-cc29c3b0d9d4

Last May James Marmon wrote:

MENDO LOSES IN FEDERAL COURT

“On my last day of work as a Social Worker V for Mendocino County Family and Children's Services (CPS) I refused to follow a directive from Bryan Lowery and A.J. Barrett that I lie and exclude exculpatory evidence in a case where 4 children were unlawfully taken from their mother, I argued not only did the act violate the mother’s constitutional rights, but I could be personally sued. A.J. Barrett informed me that in all his years as a child welfare worker, he had never heard of social worker being personally sued. They even argued that issue at my State Personnel Board hearing, but the board suspended judgment on the matter and gave no ruling claiming in was a moot point due to another allegation. They testified that I had an angry outburst regarding the situation and scared them. Last month, Mendocino County social workers found out the hard way, yes, two of them were sued personally, and Mendocino County is on the hook for $350,000.00 in attorney fees on top of the $250,000.00 they paid their attorney to fight it.”

* * *

Now Mendo wants to extend their contract with the outside lawyers who have so far lost the case to June of 2019 for an additional $25k. On the consent calendar. No discussion needed.

(BLAST FROM THE PAST)

$1,540,000 APPROVED FOR BOONVILLE UKIAH ROAD AS SUPERVISORS SPLIT VOTE 3-2.

by Homer Mannix/Anderson Valley Advertiser Exclusive

Anderson Valley Advertiser, Tuesday, September 17, 1963

The Boonville/Ukiah Road (Highway 253), recently accepted into the state highway system, will cost the County of Mendocino another $1,540,000, the Board of Supervisors learned last Tuesday.

This was the second increase in cost quoted to the Board in a month, the last being $1,004,000 and quite different from the original $600,000 allocated by the County for the construction and repair work that was originally planned.

Road Commissioner Kempe Richardson recommended last week that the Board “cut the job down to size to our original $600,000 allocation.”

But the Board, by a 3-2 vote, decided to earmark all Federal Aid Secondary monies to be received by the County for the next four years towards the completion of the full project.

The problem arose from what was termed as an "apparent misunderstanding" between the county and the state at the time the bill taking the road into the state system was introduced into the legislature.

Sam Helwer, district engineer for the division of highways, who was present at Tuesday's board meeting, informed the board that the road had to be brought up to the minimum standards before the Highway Commission would accept it for maintenance.

He said, "The road does not have a surface on it and it would require a surface to come up to the minimum standard."

"We understood," Mr. Helwer continued, "that the project would be completed and surfaced and brought up to standard."

Mr. Helwer stated that it would cost an additional $300,000 for the required 2 inch asphalt plant mix surface on the full 19 miles of roadway and another $200,000 for a part of the road that is not up to standard in construction.

Board chairman Joseph Scaramella told Mr. Helwer that the resurfacing of the entire road was never authorized by the Board and "should not have been contemplated" by anyone when the bill was introduced into the legislature.

Mr. Helwer answered, "Our position on the bill was, yes, if they built this and surfaced it, it would be acceptable."

Supervisor Martin Wener said, "This adds tremendously to the cost of the completion of the road."

Mr. Helwer told him that the minimum standards had changed since construction of the road was started in 1951 and that the original cost allocation was made before a soil survey had been made. Once the survey was made, he said, it was determined the full cost would be more because of the necessity of having the 2 inch plant mix instead of the present seal coat surface.

Supervisor Joseph Hartley said, "It is alarming to me that these facts were not brought up out to the board before it was taken into the state system. I understood it would only be brought up to county standards."

"I think sometimes we are taken for a ride," Mr. Hartley said.

Supervisor Harvey Sawyer said, "Beggars can't be choosers and we are kind of in the beggar’s shoes. We should work on our legislators to try to get this changed. We should invite our legislators in and have a discussion with them."

State Senator Frank S. Peterson, who was also present at the meeting, told the board, "I'm sure there was some misconception. I was under the impression that when the $600,000 was spent it would be up to state standards."

"I never heard mentioned," he continued, "the actual surfacing of the road. If the legislature can somehow help I'm sure we will do so."

Supervisor Wener said, "I feel that in spite of the additional cost I still believe that as far as the state is concerned the Boonville Road is the most important road in the county and should be completed to state standards. We should not deviate from this road in spite of the fact it will take about five years to do it or it."

Mr. Hartley commented, "I do feel it is the most important road. It has the highest traffic count in the county."

But Mr. Sawyer disagreed, saying, "I can't say I think it is the most important road and has the most traffic. I believe there is more heavy traffic on the Covelo Road and even would be more traffic from Laytonville to Westport."

"And I feel it would be an injustice to the other people in the county to put all the money on…

(continued on page 6 — the Anderson Valley Advertiser of September 17, 1963 had four pages.)

ODD TREE OUT, YET AGAIN

by Marshall Newman

Readers of the Anderson Valley Advertiser may remember my “Odd Tree Out” articles from earlier this year, chronicling my rediscovery – after 20 years – of California nutmeg in an area west of Philo.

With more than 60 years of rambling through various corners of Anderson Valley, finding that tree was an eye-opener. After a few years in a place, we think we know that place fully. We think we have seen everything there is to see. To discover something new is to know with certainty the place still holds mysteries.

Apparently, I still haven’t seen everything in Anderson Valley. Two months ago, I discovered another odd tree, one so obscure I had to seek out an expert to identify it.

Again the location was west of Philo. I was walking cross country up a hellishly steep (40% grade) slope when I encountered an unfamiliar bush. Perhaps three feet tall, it had an open form and thin, branched foliage that was neither leaves nor needles, but more like a flat string with scales. While unusual, it was a bush so unremarkable as to be easily missed. I looked around for additional examples, but saw none. Before continuing up the slope, I cut off a piece of foliage and put it in my daypack.

A day or two after I returned home, I got out my two California native plants books to identify my find. Nothing. In my defense, the drawings and photos in my books aren’t the best, and their keys for identifying plants were either non-existent or so technical as to be useless (at least to a laymen). I also shot photographs of the foliage.

As I had been in contact with a staffer at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on another matter, I asked her to take a look at one of the photos and pass it along to experts she knew. The answer came back a day later. My mystery bush was actually a young incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens.

The incense cedar – like the California nutmeg – is not a common tree in Anderson Valley (though it is prevalent in Humboldt County, Trinity County, Siskiyou County and along the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada). The Calflora website records five sightings in Anderson Valley, the earliest in 1909, the last in 1994. Also like the first California nutmeg I saw, this tree was young.

After my first article about the California nutmeg appeared, several Anderson Valley Advertiser readers provided information on where additional trees were located in Anderson Valley. I hope reader will do the same regarding incense cedar, as I would like to see a mature specimen. I may yet run into a mature tree where I found the little one west of Philo, but I think the odds are not in my favor. The landscape is so steep as to discourage a systematic search, or even a casual walk.

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “All this Adi Da Hari Krishna blah-blah came in with the hippies. Me? I'm spiritually serious. Yes sir, I'm a Catholic, Ten Commandants, every day go to mass kinda dawg.”

SALMON CREEK BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS

In order for everyone who's interested in these plans to hear THE SAME THINGS, I suggest that all interested parties attend ONLY the September 20 meeting. Some brief background: Caltrans has scheduled this second meeting because some members of the local Jewish community objected to a public meeting being held on one of the most significant Jewish holidays of the year, Rosh Hashanah, which ends the evening of September 11. Strict observance of this holiday prohibits driving, so a September 11 meeting would effectively discriminate against a segment of the population. It’s worth pointing out that the Coastal Act (section 30006) states (bracketed text mine): "the public [ not just certain religious denominations of it ] has a right to fully participate in decisions affecting coastal planning, conservation, and development". Scheduling two supposedly identical meetings strikes me as an attempt to dilute the public’s opportunity to hear and weigh in on Caltrans’ plans. Caltrans should cancel the September 11 meeting and proceed with only the September 20 one.

Best,

Jim Heid

Albion

LAYTONVILLE TOUGH GUY TREADS WATER

On 08-08-2018 at approximately 1:50 P.M., Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to contact an adult female in regards to a domestic violence incident in Laytonville, California. Upon their arrival, the Deputies learned a 54-year old adult female was involved in physical assault perpetrated by her boyfriend the night prior. The boyfriend was identified as Craig Phipps, 30, of Laytonville.

Deputies learned Phipps attempted to suffocate and strangle the adult female numerous times during the incident. Deputies noticed the adult female had numerous injuries on her face, neck, and chest as a result of the incident. The Deputies searched the Laytonville area for Phipps with negative results. The Deputies issued an order to arrest Phipps for Felony Domestic Violence Battery. After handling another call in the same area, Deputies were driving in downtown Laytonville and saw a male subject who matched Phipps' description. One of the Deputies exited the patrol vehicle and asked the subject for his name. The subject identified himself as Phipps and immediately fled the area on foot. Phipps ran eastbound across Highway 101, continued onto Harmon Drive, through a creek bed, and into a wooded area east of Harmon Drive. The Deputies lost sight of Phipps at that time and established a perimeter around the area of Harmon Drive and Laytonville Dos Rios Road. Multiple officers from the California Highway Patrol and additional Deputies responded to assist with searching the area for Phipps. After approximately 3 hours, search efforts were discontinued due to low-light conditions. One of the Deputies decided to remain in the area of Laytonville Dos Rios Road for multiple hours in case Phipps exited the wooded area. After approximately 4 additional hours, CHP officers and the Deputy heard a male subject yelling from the area where Phipps was last seen. At approximately midnight on 08-09-18, Deputies and CHP officers began searching the wooded area where the male was heard yelling. After approximately 30 minutes, they were able to locate Phipps who was hiding inside a large water tank and treading water. Phipps told the Deputies and officers that he was in distress after treading water for multiple hours. Phipps stated he was exhausted and unable to swim any longer. Fire department personnel were summoned to assist with rescuing Phipps from the 15 foot tall water tank. A Deputy began releasing water from the large tank, which allowed Phipps to stand inside the water tank while awaiting the arrival of fire personnel. Fire personnel were able to cut a hole in the water tank to safely remove Phipps, who was taken into custody at that time for Felony Domestic Violence Battery and Resist/Delay/Obstruct Peace Officer. Phipps was examined by medical personnel at the scene and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Phipps was subsequently booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

UKIAH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MOLESTING TEEN

(An inappropriate embrace a year ago)

pressdemocrat.com/news/8708961-181/ukiah-high-school-teacher-arrested

GOTTA GO with Orange Man on this one, or go this far anyway — it is gutless for an anonymous Team Trumper to write anonymously the truth about the chaos inside the White House. And it is gutless for the self-certified newspaper of record to print it simply because they loathe Trump, a fact they've made clear on a daily basis since Trump was only a candidate. For all anyone knows, the NYT wrote it. If this insider cabal is so fearful that Trump will go totally bonkers, they should all resign and make their fear public. Or poison his Big Mac. (Nixon was a lot crazier throughout his presidency, and Cheney ran the Bush government, facts that the NYT managed to mostly ignore even after it became public knowledge.)

OF COURSE Trump is crazy as hell, or an Alzheimer's case, and totally out of his depth even if had all his marbles. But he's likely to go full-Queeg now. It's already hilarious watching his top aides claim that they aren't the leakers, that they remain loyal, that they never said what they reportedly said about Orange Man's obvious incapacity.

STILL, as the Boonville weekly has said from the beginning of the Trump ascendency, and as you can verify for yourself by simply driving through Willits or Ukiah, or watching Good Morning America, Trump perfectly reflects and embodies our culture as it now exists — loud, stupid, relentlessly vulgar, unjust and unfair. There isn't a working person under the age of fifty who isn't totally screwed every which way, millions of people with absolutely no hope of a life without the wolf forever at their door. And almost zero political representation at either the state or federal level.

“He’s coming! Everybody look loyal!”

CATCH OF THE DAY, September 6, 2018

JAMES BROWN SR., Redwood Valley. Disorderly conduct-alcohol. (Frequent flyer.)

SEBASTIAN CEJA, Ukiah. Domestic battery, protective order violation, probation revocation.

GREGORY COBB, Laytonville. Under influence.

JACOB DELOSSANTOS, Redwood Valley. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

CESAR GONZALEZ-TREJO, Ukiah. Controlled substance, suspended license, failure to appear, probation revocation.

BRANDON LANGENDERFER, Laytonville. Community Supervision violation.

HEATHER MARSH-HAAS, Fort Bragg. Domestic abuse, assault with deadly weapon not a gun, suspended license, parole violation.

SHANE PORTER, Fort Bragg. Failure to appear.

JASON RUPPRECHT, Rohnert Park/Ukiah. DUI.

JAQUELINE SHEPHERD, Fort Bragg. DUI-alcohol&drugs.

TERESA SIMPSON, Ukiah. DUI-alcohol&drugs.

GABE SMITH, Willits. Attempted murder.

ARNANDO VILLAFAN, Vallejo/Ukiah. Failure to appear.

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I fear we are in a snooze, losing track of the ball, much like Trump disrupting scrutiny with a constant barrage of distracting offensiveness. Meanwhile, the environment is in the toilet, wages are stagnant, Unions decimated, and people are arguing about mind numbing options, from Pot to Twitter. The 1% are running away with the spoils, and a whole lot of heartache, misery, and blatant threats are hovering just out of sight.

We were that close.

I’m 63 with the hobby farm, woodlot, tools, stores guns/ammo, and know how (carpenter, welder, and I fix things). But we’re not going to make it when ‘it’ goes down the toilet. Oh, we’ll get by….most likely because we always have. But it is going to be so ugly. At age 63 working land is brutal, and I’m in shape. When people talk about mass migration to the land I think of Cambodia and Pol Pot. I look for my truck, winch, and chainsaw.

In this time of plenty and so much, the idea of a regular wage earning worker owning a home, being able to rise from his/her station, send their children to post secondary without massive debt, access healthcare, and prepare for retirement, is a pipedream. When the economy tanks, be it from Trade War or a shooting war, the weight of debt and insolvency, whatever, it will remind us of the ’30s. My parents were children of the thirties and later served overseas. They were not good times to live in.

Apparently, we were that close. (so I’ve been told). Hang on. I sense massive disruption. This farce is not likely to continue. How can it?

MENDO TOO

Editor,

There are plenty of tourists in Sonoma County, especially on weekends. Just try to drive to the coast or through Guerneville on a weekend. Beaches and reservations are usually always filled at the Russian River. Every time I go wine tasting, there are plenty of people. If the county oversells itself, it will ruin the area, not only for the locals but also for future visitors. I have seen this happen on Maui, and now it’s happening on the island of Kauai. Don’t kill the goose that has laid the golden egg.

R.R. Harper

Occidental

MENDOCINO COAST DISTRICT HOSPITAL ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL OF INTERVENTIONAL PAIN SPECIALIST

Fort Bragg, CA – September 6, 2018 – Officials at Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) are excited to announce the arrival of Quan Le, MD, the new Interventional Pain Specialist at North Coast Family Health Center (NCFHC). Starting September 11, 2018, Dr. Le will begin seeing patients for office visits at NCFHC, and will be able to schedule procedures starting on September 20, 2018.

Dr. Le received his Medical Degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, TX. He completed his Internship in 2008 and his Residency in 2011 at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA. He also completed a comprehensive Pain Fellowship at Louisiana State University’s School of Medicine in 2014.

Dr. Le is double board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation since July of 2012, and in Pain Medicine since 2014. He has maintained a private practice in Arlington, TX since 2014 at DFW Pain, Sports and Spine Center.

Dr. Le has published many articles about pain such as “Right Anterior Hip Pain” in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2012), and “Blood Cancer Pain vs. Solid Tumor Pain” (2014). He has given over 40 lectures and presentations at national conferences about pain and pain management.

“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Le to our team here at MCDH. It is great to see that our hard work and focus on finding a Pain Specialist for our community has paid off,” commented Will Lee, MCDH Medical Staff Services Director. “Dr. Le is anxious to get started and we are excited to get this resource for those in need of Interventional Pain Management here in our community.”

If you would like to schedule an appointment to see Dr. Le, please call 707-961-4631.

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

'PS WE LOVE YOU!' RETURNS OCTOBER 7TH!

Project Sanctuary will be holding their 8^th annual fundraising event, ‘P.S. We Love You!’, on Sunday, October 7^th, from 4:30-7:30 pm at ‘The Barn’ at Nelson Family Vineyards. This highly anticipated celebration kicks off October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and will feature a live auction emceed by Sheriff Allman and Rachel Britton, an Autumn country dinner by Black Dog Farm, and a piano concert with Spencer Brewer & Wendy DeWitt.

This once a year event will feature a rare performance by local pianist Spencer Brewer playing selections from his 17 records as well as fiery honky-tonk with boogie-woogie queen Wendy De Witt. Hold onto your seats when they both take to the piano together and tear up the golden 88’s! Not to be missed!

Project Sanctuary offers a many services for Mendocino County survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Iris Padgett, a Project Sanctuary board member and the ‘PS We Love You!’ Planning Committee Chair, speaks about the work of Project Sanctuary and how the community can become involved. "For over three decades Project Sanctuary has been providing an array of services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, all free of charge. We are not a 100% grant-funded endeavor so fundraisers like ‘PS We Love YOU!’ creates an opportunity for community members to have a hand in supporting these survivors, many of whom seek services for their small children too – these are very often entire families in crisis”

This year’s ‘PS We Love YOU!’ sponsors are Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, Nelson Family Vineyards, Community First Credit Union, MCHC Medical Center, District 2 Assembly Member Jim Wood, KWNE Radio, and Savings Bank of Mendocino County. Individual sponsors include Paul Conrado, Kathleen Brigham & James P Lohr, Mathew Alaniz and the Law offices of Sergio Fuentes.

Tickets are $65 and are available at the Mendocino Book Company and Project Sanctuary at 564 S Dora St in Ukiah. For more information contact Project Sanctuary at 462-9196.

Project Sanctuary, Inc is a private, not-for-profit organization with the mission is to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault in Mendocino County through advocacy, crisis response, community collaboration, education, and shelter. Founded in 1977, Project Sanctuary assists over 2,000 clients annually and is supported by state and local funds and contributions from individual donors.

COMPTCHE CELEBRATES THE ARTS!

On September 22, From 2:00-6:00, The Comptche Community Organization will host an Art & Wine Event at the Comptche Community Hall, 1/4 Mile East of the Store on the C/U Road. 40 Artists will be present to share, show & sell their work in diverse Media, including Painting, Ceramics, Woodwork, Metal & 3D materials, as visitors enjoy tasting local wines from nearby Wineries. Entrance is free, food & wine tasting costs are minimal. Come & join us for this year’s Autumn gathering of fun & frolic at the Hall!

Contact Lynne Zickerman, lynnezi2@mcn.org (707)937-3362 for questions

COASST BEACHED BIRD TRAININGS IN CASPAR AND ARCATA

Beach Watchers Wanted For Coastal Observation And Seabird Survey Team (COASST)

On October 5th from 10:00am to 4:00pm, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) will deliver a free training session in Caspar, CA. COASST participants help make a difference for the environment by collecting data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches.

Through an interactive, hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted the custom COASST field guide, Beached Birds, and have a chance to try out their newly acquired identification skills on seabird species common to the North Pacific. The COASST training provides participants with the tools to monitor for potential changes in the marine environment and promote stewardship of local marine resources.

COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal, and federal agencies, environmental organizations, and community groups. COASST believes citizens of coastal communities are essential scientific partners in monitoring marine ecosystem health. By collaborating with citizens, natural resource management agencies and environmental organizations, COASST works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions. Currently, nearly 1000 volunteers survey beaches in Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.

The training session will be held at Caspar Community Center (15051 Caspar Rd, Caspar, CA 98520). There will be a short break in the middle of the session for lunch, so please bring your own sack lunch. Volunteers need NO prior experience with scientific data collection, just a commitment to survey a specific beach at least once a month.

Reserve your training spot by calling COASST at 206-221-6893 or by emailing coasst@uw.edu. For more information on COASST visit coasst.org

University of Washington
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
Box 355020
Seattle, WA 98195
Phone: 206-221-6893
Email: coasst@uw.edu

COUNTY FISH & GAME COMMISSION MEETING, Sept 11, 2018

DATE & TIME: Tuesday, September 11, 2018 6:00pm

LOCATION: Mendocino County Farm Advisor Building/

Ukiah UC Davis Extension Building Conference Room

890 North Bush Street, Ukiah, CA 95482

Note: All items are considered for action unless otherwise noted.

1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Commissioner Appointments
2. Public Expression on Non-Agenda Items (No Action)

The Commission welcomes participation in the Commission meetings. Comments shall be limited to matters under the jurisdiction of the Commission which are not on the posted agenda and which may have not already been considered by the Commission. The Commission limits testimony to matters not on the agenda to the three (3) minutes per person, and not more than ten (10) minutes for a particular subject. No action will be taken.

3. Approval of Minutes of July 10, 2018 Regular Meeting
4. Reports

CA Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries, Other Cooperative Agencies, and Grant Awardees are invited to speak.

o Chris Brennan, Wildlife Services- animal control issues in Mendocino County (Vann)

5. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding 2018-19 Grant Cycle (Madigan, Neumann)

An update on the proposal to consider options for the Commission grant cycle procedures.

6. Discussion and Possible Action on Commission Administration and Accounting Reports

o Coastal meeting location for November

7. Commissioner Comments, Reports, Announcements
8. Future Agenda Items
9. Adjournment

Next Meeting Scheduled: Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 6:00pm

(Possible location: Abalone Room at The Little River Inn, 7751

CALIFORNIA SENATE DEFEATS BILL THAT WOULD HAND OVER ELECTRIC GRID TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

by Dan Bacher

A press conference and rally on the south steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento Wednesday featured actors playing Governor Jerry Brown and President Donald Trump laying together in a bed full of oil and coal in front of a large banner that proclaimed, “Jerry Brown: Don’t Submit to Trump, No More Coal, No More Drilling.”

The skit, accompanied by speeches from representatives of a coalition of environmental and consumer groups, underlined the threat of a Trump takeover of the California electricity grid by means of a controversial bill, Assembly Bill 813, now making its way through the California Legislature. Speakers also voiced their opposition to Trump’s plans to frack and drill California, both offshore and onshore.

Speakers from Food & Water Watch, Consumer Watchdog, Mothers Out Front, Rootskeeper, Greenpower, and the California Alliance for Community Energy challenged Brown to drop his support for AB 813.

“A western regional electricity market would subject Californians to increased power imports from coal-heavy states and higher bills from speculation on power contracts, in a regional grid under the oversight of the Trump administration,” said Adam Scow, California Director for Food and Water Watch. “The California Senate appropriations committee has until Friday to take action on a bill, AB 813, to fold California into a western market, or let the bill die.”

Scow emphasized the dire consequences to Brown’s credibility and to people and the environment that will result if the legislation is passed.

“If Brown hands over control of California’s electric grid to the Trump administration, he will lose all credibility as a leader on climate change,” explained Scow. “Instead of keeping us dependent on fossil fuels, the Governor should begin to phase them out, starting by stopping all new oil drilling permits in California.”

Scow noted that Brown’s oil and gas regulators have approved over 20,000 new oil and gas drilling permits since 2011 when Brown began his third term as governor.

A review of state permitting records in Oil Change International’s report “The Sky’s The Limit: California,” shows that more than 20,000 drilling permits, including permits for 12,000 new wells, have been issued during the Brown administration. These wells include 238 new offshore wells approved between 2012 and 2016 alone, according to Department of Conservation data analyzed by the Fractracker Alliance.

Liza Tucker, Consumer Advocate for Consumer Watchdog, said creating a regional western power market out of California’s grid, now under the control of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), “means coal, natural gas and oil-friendly Trump appointees at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will be in charge of a regional power market under which California would fall.”

“These appointees include a former executive for billionaire investor Warren Buffett who wants to extend the lives of his western coal plants by selling dirty power into our market, a Keystone Pipeline supporter who pushed for pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, and a top corporate lawyer who represented Wall Street firms and oil companies before FERC, the agency he now chairs”, said Tucker.

“I have a bridge to sell anyone who thinks that FERC wouldn’t hesitate to slap down California’s green laws if they disadvantage fossil fuels,” she quipped.

Two of the key supporters of AB 813 are the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), who believe in “market solutions” to environmental problems and issues.

Writing in support, the Natural Resources Defense Council states: “We need a fully integrated western power grid to replace our current fragmented system where 38 different grid operators move electricity to homes and businesses across California and other Western states. With greater coordination, an independent Western grid operator will be able to draw cleaner, cost-effective electricity from across the region and send it where it is needed. This approach will reduce costs and improve reliability for electricity customers across the region. A 2016 study by CAISO found that a transition to a regional grid operator with an independent board will save the state’s electricity customers $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually by 2030.”

Responding to concerns by AB 813 opponents, Lauren Navarro, Senior Policy Manager for California Clean Energy of the Environmental Defense Fund, highlighted the Fund’s desire not to defeat AB 813, but to amend the bill to “maximize its benefits and protect California’s interests” in a Letter to the Editor in the San Jose Mercury News: Legitimate concerns about opening up our energy grid: But here’s how creating access to these resources will bring more clean energy to California.

However, Tucker said that no matter what “protections” of California interests might be written in bill amendments, they “will be superseded by FERC and the courts.”

“Brown is blinded by market solutions,” emphasized Tucker. “He thinks the market is the answer, but markets are not the solution if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change.”

Tucker also noted that the action came a few weeks ahead of an international climate summit, the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS), that Brown is hosting in San Francisco, ostensibly to demonstrate American action on climate change in spite of Trump, whom Brown frequently criticizes for ignoring climate change.

In addition to issuing over 20,000 new drilling permits, including new permits for drilling in offshore state waters, the Brown administration has refused to ban the environmentally destructive of fracking, in spite of protests by thousands of Californians, including Tribal leaders, conservationists, environmental justice activists, consumer advocates, business owners, anglers and representatives of frontline communities throughout the state. In contrast, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned fracking with the stroke of his executive pen in 2014.

In 2017, Cuomo and the Governors of Delaware and Pennsylvania voted in favor of drafting up regulations to permanently ban fracking for oil and gas in the Delaware River Basin.

In California, pressure from Occidental Petroleum and their lawyer, former Governor Gray Davis, on Governor Brown led to the November 2011 firing of California’s top two oil and gas regulators, Derek Chernow and Elena Miller, who tried to impose safety standards on oil drilling, as required under federal law. The Governor replaced Chernow and Miller with oil industry-friendly appointees — and the result was the injection of drilling wastewater into thousands of federally-protected state aquifers.

No only has oil drilling expanded under Brown, but more than three-quarters of new oil wells approved during Brown’s tenure are in low-income communities and communities of color, according to state data analyzed by the Center for Biological Diversity in a ground-breaking report today.

The analysis found that 77 percent of the permits for new oil and gas wells issued since Brown took office in 2011 are in communities with a higher-than-average percentage of residents living below twice the poverty line and/or communities with a majority nonwhite population.

“The massive proliferation of dirty drilling under Governor Brown isn’t just hypocritical, it’s horribly unjust,” said Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the Center. “Because of Brown’s refusal to rein in California’s oil extraction, thousands of wells operate dangerously close to homes and schools in vulnerable communities already suffering from some of the dirtiest air in the nation.”

To read the report, go here:

Adelita Serena of Woodland, one of the participants in the rally and press conference, emphasized what is at stake if the Legislature passes AB 813.

“I’m here for our children’s future,” said Serena, a member of Mothers Out Front. “As a mother, I’m concerned about the increased risk to our kids if AB 813 passes through the Legislature. This bill would put the control of California’s electricity grid into the hands of the Trump administration and California would be at great risk. I urge folks to call their local senators to stop this bill from becoming law.”

To see the huge numbers of organizations and businesses that are opposing AB 813, go here.

Dan Bacher is an environmental journalist in Sacramento. He can be reached at: Dan Bacher danielbacher@fishsniffer.com.

THE RISING COST OF PENSIONS

Blogpost by Fort Bragg City Manager Tabatha Miller

During my interview with City Council for the City Manager position, I asked what each Councilmember thought were the most pressing issues for the City of Fort Bragg. The answers included maintaining infrastructure, housing, economic development, the Mill Site redevelopment and the rising cost of California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the City employees’ pension program.

CalPERS is the nation’s largest pension fund with over $360 billion dollars in assets and over 1.9 million members from 2,945 employers. The rising cost of pension contributions is not unique to Fort Bragg or the State of California. After losses in 2008 and 2009, most U.S. state pension plans have not recovered to the funded levels seen in the early 2000s. For example, in Arizona, the overall Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) is only 46.6% funded. In comparison, CalPERS overall funding rate is 71%, up from 68% the prior year. That is good news.

The funded status is the value of assets held today divided by the estimated future pension cost. In other words, for every dollar needed to pay CalPERS retirement benefits, there is $.71 cents available to pay it. Fort Bragg’s funds are a little better off. Together the City’s five funds have a funded ratio of 73.7%, so we have almost $.74 cents for every dollar owed.

Fort Bragg had an unfunded accrued liability (the other $.26 cents) of $8.9 million, as of June 30, 2017 (the most current Actuarial reports from CalPERS). Every year for the next 30 years, the City will pay an amortized portion of that liability. This and a reduced discount rate (expected rate of return), is what is driving the double digit increases in pension costs for the next five years and the reason that Fort Bragg’s pension expense is expected to nearly double from just under $1 million this year to close to $2 million in FY 2024-25.

Similar to a 30-year mortgage or other long-term debt, the best way to cut the cost of debt is to pay it off early. If the City commits to a 15-year amortization, it will save an estimated $3.5 to $4 million dollars. Measure H will ask the City voters in November to approve a 3/8th of a cent sales tax (.375%) which would provide the City funds it can use to pay this debt early. Measure H, if approved, would sunset after 15 years to match that repayment cycle. This is debt the City will have to pay, regardless of the funding source, and the longer we take to pay it off the more it costs.