Mendocino County Today: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018

• Jackpot Winner
• Toxic Coverup
• Mild Temps
• Misty Hawkins
• Old Pickup
• Jini Interview
• Little Dog
• Ed Notes
• Yogaween
• Trustee Recommendations
• Nighttime Photos
• Garden Thieves
• Yesterday's Catch
• Waiting
• Underground Utilities
• Nice Hat
• Flaming Chemists
• Ghostly Staircase
• Kaep Solidarity
• Van o'lantern
• Public/Private
• Mental Events
• Voter Recommendations
• MCBG Events
• Timberwolf Boosters
• Top Fears
• Latin Dance
• Contempt
• Energy Rebates
• Lottery Advice
• Pygmy Walk
• Great Mueller
• Commuting Craig
• AVA Founder

A SINGLE TICKET IN SOUTH CAROLINA has won a world record-breaking $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot, officials said Wednesday. South Carolina authorities said one person in the state had hit all six of the winning numbers to claim the prize. The jackpot is the largest prize so far in U.S. history, and if there had been no winner in Tuesday night’s drawing, it would have ballooned to $2 billion. South Carolina is one of eight states where the lottery winner can remain anonymous so we may never know the name of America's newest billionaire.

FROM FORT BRAGG; THE CASE OF THE MISSING FILES

by Rex Gressett

When DTSC (the State Department of Toxic Substances Control) backed out of their deal with Marie Jones/Georgia Pacific to fence off the toxic the GP Mill Site wetlands in perpetuity, they reopened a discussion near and dear to the hearts of the people of the City of Fort Bragg. A thankful City was surprised to hear that a permanent toxic zone is out and the cleanup of the Mill Ponds is back on the drawing board.

Broad state policy addressing the likelihood of rising ocean levels trumped the deal for a quick fix “containment” dam that would have left the toxic sludge where it is.

Earlier in the year, the City Council had passed a brave resolution demanding a full cleanup of the mill ponds. A full cleanup was the explicit Council preference.

That resolution went nowhere.

Instead, in a series of behind the scenes negotiations involving a broad array of state agencies, Marie Jones, the City’s Director of Development, signed Fort Bragg on to a deal for no further cleanup of the toxic waste nestled in the Mill Pond mud. In transcripts of the Stakeholder Agency meetings obtained by the AVA, it is clear that Ms. Jones barely mentioned the City Council resolution for a full cleanup and certainly did not insist on it. Instead, she complacently signed on to the Georgia-Pacific-backed compromise.

(If you just arrived yesterday, Georgia-Pacific owns the mill site, and the Koch Brothers own Georgia-Pacific.)

Rather than cleaning the mill ponds at a cost of many millions of dollars, GP agreed to construct a dam to “contain” the toxins.

The State Department of Toxic Substances Control was delighted to end 20 years of dithering on again/off again cleanup, and GP must have celebrated.

The Fort Bragg City Council was not informed of the meetings and received no reports about them. The Development Director insisted that she went to lots of meetings and generally was not obligated to inform the Council about all of them.

In a private letter to Mayor Lindy Peters leaked to the AVA, victorious suits at G-P reminded the Mayor that Fort Bragg had already made a deal to contain the polluted area, and that the ill-considered City Council resolution for a cleanup would sink the City financially. G-P asserted that in a dimly remembered and partially sealed “stipulation settlement” between G-P and the City, Fort Bragg was required to pay for half of any cleanup of the Mill Ponds. If that is true the City Council resolution for a thorough Mill Pond cleanup was either an outright misrepresentation or a massive City Council financial blunder.

Mayor Lindy Peters, at his Monday morning meeting, made it clear that G-P had it wrong. The Mayor said the corporate giant was incorrect, that the City was not on the hook. The Mayor said he had not been aware of the Development Director’s negotiations. Development Director Jones, however, making an unprecedented, spontaneous appearance at the Monday meeting, insisted that she was under no obligation to inform the Council about the Agency Stakeholder meetings or any other meetings.

“I go to lots of meetings,” Ms. Jones said, “I don't have to report on them to the Council.”

If the City has been liable for half the mill pond cleanup all along, the new state mandate to clean it up rather than dam it will obligate the City to pay millions of dollars for its share of the work.

The financially fragile city is already cutting our police force to the bone in order to remain solvent. The millions of dollars that a mill pond clean up would require would bankrupt the city. If G-P is telling us the truth, the City Council has either deliberately lied to the people of the City, or the Development Director has seriously misled the City Council.

If there is a secret agreement for a 50-50 division of liability for the mill pond clean up between the City and G-P it is not in any part of the Stipulation Agreement that is available to the public. But there are five files that are sealed from the public.

Why would our Development Director agree to a permanent toxic zone in the very center of her grand plans for massive development at the mill site? Why would the City pass a resolution making itself liable for half of a multi-million dollar project? There are only a few players left in office from those long-ago days when the City and G-P made their original arrangements. Marie Jones is one of them.

One thing is clear: The negotiations in which Marie Jones arranged for no further cleanup and dumped the Council resolution were not reported to the City Council. If the Development Director covered up an agreement that she knew obligated the City to millions of dollars of liability, it might have been done to save Fort Bragg from the multi-million dollar liability GP claims we owe.

If there is a deal here it is sealed in the never to be made public part of the Stipulation Agreement. The smoking gun is hidden in the sealed files. Fort Bragg and the Department of Toxics will now have to address the cleanup of the mill ponds. Only the unsealing of the stipulation files can answer the huge question if the City is on the hook for half the clean-up cost.

MILD DAYTIME TEMPERATURES and occasional cloud cover are expected through Saturday. A cold front will bring a chance for rain on Sunday. (National Weather Service)

THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE

CHP Press Release:

On the clear, dry evening of Oct. 7, 2018, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Misty Lee Hawkins, 36, of Covelo, and a companion were walking southbound on Highway 162, just west of Biggar Lane, in Covelo. At the same time, Judith Maxine Jamison, 74, of Covelo, was driving her 2006 Scion XB southbound on Highway 162, west of Biggar Lane. For reasons still under investigation, Jamison’s vehicle struck Hawkins. Jamison was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and hit and run causing injury, and booked into the Mendocino County Jail.

Hawkins was flown via helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries but passed away due to her injuries on Oct. 10. Since Hawkins’ death, Jamison’s charge has been upgraded to hit and run causing death.

This incident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol Garberville Area.

* * *

Shereen Rosales writes:

Eric Lincoln wanted this to get to your paper. Misty Hawkins is my sister. She was killed by a drunk driver named Judith Jamison of Covelo. My sister Misty and Eric were walking to the store in Covelo when Judith struck my sister throwing her body 40-some feet. My sister was on life support from October 7, 2018 to October 10, 2018 when doctors told us she wouldn’t recover from her injuries. My sister’s respirator was turned off. My sister leaves behind 3 sisters, 8 children, and 2 granddaughters, and our grandmother. We want justice for my sister Misty Hawkins. She didn’t deserve this. Judith Jamison knew right from wrong when she decided to get behind the wheel of her car under the influence, the night she hit my sister that changed my family’s lives forever.

Sincerely, Shareen Rosales

* * *

Editor,

My name is Eric Lincoln. On October 7, 2018 something really tragic happened here in Covelo, again.

A good friend of mine stopped by my place to visit. After a while we both started to get hungry. So we decided to walk to town to get some hamburger meat to make some bomb-ass spaghetti for our supper.

Out of my gate on the road I asked Misty Hawkins which way did she want to go. She said, Let's take the long way. So we did. She was pulling her little black shopping basket thing. On the way we were talking and laughing, just enjoying each other's company as we always seem to do.

It was just barely getting twilight so we were clearly visible to any cars coming or going either way.

We came to the end of Bigger Lane. So we flipped a right towards town on Highway 162. Misty had me walk ahead of her while she pulled her little cart basket.

We were making pretty good time. We were walking on the white painted line on the right side of the road and any cars that came from behind us veered well enough away from us as we continued our journey to town.

We were a little past the Calfire complex on our left. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere came this huge explosion sound. It scared the living hell out of me. It was so loud! I quickly turned around to ask Misty, "What the fuck was that?" As I turned around I saw her little black cart basket was all smashed up and there were pieces of broken glass all around. The few things she had in it were laying in the ditch!

I was wondering, "Where the fuck is Misty? At that time I began to panic when I realized that she had been hit! I looked around in the road but she wasn't there! Then I looked down the road and no car had stopped or even tried to slow down! So I started hollering at the top of my lungs, "Misty!,” and said to her that everything would be okay. I hope she recognized me.

With that I went back to the road and tried to flag a car down. The first three cars just zoomed by. But the next one stopped. It was a lady who said she had been over at the Calfire building and heard the loud impact when Misty was hit. I thought it must have been pretty loud for her to hear it from that distance! Dang! She then called 911.

I decided to flag down another car. This one stopped right away. It was a friend of Misty and mine named Colleen Downey. She asked what happened. I explained to her that Misty had been seriously hit by a car that didn't even bother to stop! Colleen also called 911.

Just then came a couple firetrucks from the Calfire place. About seven or eight people got out and checked Misty's vitals and put an oxygen mask on her while strapping her down to put her in the ambulance. Oh yes, the ambulance people came too. I overheard an EMT guy calling dispatch for helicopter to transport! I suddenly thought to myself, "Son of a bitch, this is not looking good!”

Before they put Misty in the ambulance Geno Jamison* came up to them and told them that it was his sister Judy who "accidentally" plowed down Misty! "Plowed down" is my words because that's what it looked like to me. But honestly, I didn't see what had happened. All I saw was a black truck leaving the area. Her truck must have been further up the road. But still, why didn't the black truck stop if they had seen that something bad happened?

Anyway, Geno told the EMT crew that his sister Judy was in shock and very devastated from what had just happened.

Whoa! I mean give me a fucking break! How in the living hell does she think that Misty isn't feeling the same emotion — but much worse! Misty was lying in a damn ditch after being plowed down and flung 85 feet lying there unable to move, unable to talk, and bleeding all over the place! Huh?

God damn the nerve of some people!

Where was I? Oh yes, so on their way to the emergency room they had lost Misty a couple of times. It's a small wonder from all that horror she had been through!

At the hospital the doctors put her on life support because the initial impact she had suffered when she was hit was so severe. The damage done to her head as well as the internal damage had been too extensive.

A friend of mine who had been at the hospital told me that the doctors let the family know that the injuries were irreversible! That's basically saying she was too far gone. In other words, there was nothing that could be done for her..

On October 7, 2018 my best friend was on life support with no sign of improvement.

On October 10 2018 Misty Hawkins had to be disconnected from the life support machine.

But get this crazy stuff! Honestly, for the life of me I don't know why or how this came about. October 10, 2018 was the exact same day that my niece Deborah found that Tina had passed away at some time during the early morning. I could not believe all this shit was happening!

Tina was Deborah’s mom and Tina was also my sister. This is something I will never ever really understand.

So the same day the plug had to be pulled on my best friend Misty Hawkins had to be the exact same day my sister Tina died.

October 10, 2018 — I hate that day!

Even though all this heartache and confusion has happened, I started thinking about how Misty's death could have somehow been avoided. Maybe the Mendocino County Road Commission or whatever the hell they call themselves would kindly get their thumbs out of their asses and make the time and money available that it takes to make this road safe. Especially take the effort to add a much-needed bicycle lane in Covelo on this small stretch of Highway 162.

But I have come to understand that this discussion about adding a bike lane on Highway 162 has been an ongoing problem for years with no positive outcome!

Damn it! For the love of Christ! How many more people walking on this small part of Highway 162 here in Covelo face the possibility of being struck by an uncaring driver? Maybe even killed before this need is answered or even addressed?

I know the Mendocino County Highway Commission could care less about us here in Covelo. But this serious road hazard needs to be responsibly dealt with. Now, DAMN IT!

Eric Lincoln

Covelo

PS. I hope this letter reaches someone who could make a much-needed positive change because this problem is serious.

PPS. Tina & Misty, miss you guys and luv you always.

OLD TRUCK on Marin Coast

MENDOCINO TALKING: JINI REYNOLDS

by Dave Smith

Jini started college when she was 12 years old, has flown rescue helicopters, is on the Executive Committee of the Redwood Valley Grange, has counseled professional Hockey, Football and Basketball players on anger management, acted as a mediator at Standing Rock, is part owner of Down To Earth Landscaping Company and helped get her neighbors through the devastating fires in 2017. She has lived in the same house in Redwood Valley for 43 years and has 2 sons and 7 grandchildren.

* * *

I grew up in South San Francisco. My father never finished the 8th grade and was a Police Officer. He was also a draft evader by gaining so much weight on purpose that they could not take him into the Army. My mother had graduated from High School and went right into the Police Force. So my parents met during World War II when they were both Police Officers. My mother was the first woman on the Police Force to have her own beat at Hunter’s Point which was a Shipyard. When the war was over, my dad bought a Trucking company.

I started taking dance classes when I was 3 years old. When I got to 1st grade they skipped me to 4th grade because I was reading, like, Life On The Mississippi by Mark Twain… and that didn’t really work. I cried a lot and was very uncomfortable. So my father and friends started a school called the Sunshine School which was what was called a Free School back then. It’s now called Nueva Day School and is in Millbrae. So I studied dance, and I had a horse so I studied Animal Husbandry, Science, and Cooking. My parents always believed in me and left me lots of space to be who I wanted to be.

When I was 7 years old I got really sick with Scarlet Fever. I was confined to a dark room with only candle light. My grandmother took care of me and knowing that I loved plants and animals she went to the bookstore and found this book Herbal For Farm and Stable by Juliette de Bairacli Levy and read it to me by candlelight. I was in the darkness for 6 weeks and recovered. At that point I was obsessed with plants and animals.

While taking dance classes still at 7 years of age I was discovered by visitors and signed 2 contracts. One was with the San Francisco Opera House and the other was to become a model for J C Penney catalog. The Opera House wanted me to do Hawaiian and Flamingo dancing. My parents took all the money I made and put it into an account for me.

In our backyard I started what I called the NAA… the Northwood Animal Association with my next door neighbors Mellanie and took in all stray animals. I documented where we found them, how they got turned into us.

As I grew older I started attending a regular Junior High School part-time. By 7th grade I had finished Chemistry and Trigonometry, and could play the Saxophone. At 12 and a half years old I was told I could take a College Entrance Exam. I took it and was accepted at San Francisco State College in 1967. Some students left the classes I was in because they didn’t like that I was this little girl there. So I transferred to San Jose State. There I listened to a Stanford teacher named Vi Huerta who gave a lecture about becoming a Development Specialist To Make Aware Your Body, Mind and Spirit. I knew that was what I wanted to study with her and I transferred to Stanford. I was 13 years old.

At 15 years old in 1970 I bought my first house in Menlo Park. I was also a teacher’s aide for an Aphashic children program for the San Mateo County Board of Education in Burlingame, was going to school at Stanford, scooped Ice Cream at Swenson’s, modeled, and played Sax in a garage band called AUM that opened for a lot of bands at Winterland.

I eventually met, worked with, and married Don Howe, a counsellor and therapist who had a group home for children in Sacramento. In 1976 we decided to move our group home to Redwood Valley. We bought a home from the People’s Temple. It was called Awake Home For Children: to make awake and aware the body mind and spirit. Don later died in a canoe accident, the children’s home was closed, and my home is now a 1 acre Permaculture farm with goats.

I opened, as the manager, the first Planned Parenthood in Mendocino County. I have also worked for Trinity School, the Mendocino County Office of Education, Mayacama, Real Goods, and the Rural Health Aid program at Mendocino College. Then I started working for the Mendocino Transit Authority as a mechanic which I had learned being around my father’s trucking company growing up. Meanwhile I met Peter, my next door neighbor, and we’ve been married now for 37 years… and I feel that my biggest accomplishment in life is being a mother and grandma.

The fires of Summer 2017 devastated Redwood Valley. The electricity was turned off and no one living around there could go to the valley floor for 6 days where the stores are and where our Grange is. When we were allowed in, I went to the Grange to check that everything was okay, that the refrigerators were ok and leave a note on the door to call me when PG&E arrived so I could open it and light all the pilots. But as I was closing and locking the door I just broke down in tears. I could not do it. Many homes had been lost and people were driving up and down the road out of their minds. I thought… we all need a place to meet. A lot of people were in shelters, out at the Fairgrounds, the High School, in motels. I had been communicating with friends, family, community members and everyone was in upheaval. Peter was with me and I said I cannot close this door. I have to leave the Grange open. People need a place to come. I said I was going to call the rest of the Grange Executive Committee and ask if I, Jini, can use the Grange. If the Grange or other non-profit opened it up, all the food would have to be from a code kitchen, any money changing hands would have to correctly recorded, any child care would have to be licensed… I just wanted to open it up for what it is. It’s our community hall.

So I called the Executive Committee and said I wanted to leave the doors open. I want to call all young people who have children and had lost their homes and they can go to my shop at my house and gather up all the clothing, easels, books, tables, craft stuff that I had collected from various projects I was involved with, and ask them to set up a children’s area in the foyer because those are the people that need help the most. Then they will know that their kids are happy, and they can come into the kitchen, get some food, get some counseling, find out what paperwork they need to fill out and we will see what we can do in the Hall. I’m going to make some brownies, make some coffee, put some sandwich boards out front that say come on in for support, and we will see what the community needs.

We put flip chart paper on the walls where people could write what they needed, and what they had to offer. You would put your phone number or contact. So if you needed a battery for your car, or you lost all your tools and needed to get back to work. And people posted what they had to offer. This one guy’s wife was a quilter who busied her mind when she was nervous with sewing. They were in a motel and he said that if he just had a sewing machine and some fabric she could calm down. We had a sewing machine there in 2 hours. Everyone took care of one another. We had from 100 to 300 people a day come through there. A massage therapist came in give massages, others gave haircuts. We had games for people to play. One young man lost his truck in the fire and another man said he had an extra truck and gave it to him. Another guy wrote out a $5,000 check and gave it to the young man. We had FEMA and Red Cross there. There was food available all day. I opened it every morning at 8am and closed it at 11pm.

I had a gallon glass jar sitting there in the kitchen. People would come in and put money in it. Other people would come in and take money out of it. No questions asked. No one ever cleaned it out completely. When it got down under $200, I had money in the back I would put in to keep it between $200 and $300.

A lot of people who lost their homes still needed to go to work everyday. People would come in for breakfast and make their lunch to take with them. We had a spread for them every morning. CK gave us free internet so people could set up business meetings there. We were able to do that for 17 days before the Grange needed it back for events that had been scheduled.

After Channel 2 showed an interview I did with them, a man called up and asked if we could use a refrigerator/freezer trailer and said he would bring it right up. Surprisingly, it came chock full of food. Sandwich meats like you would not believe. Corn Beef, Turkey, Amy’s meals… and 5,000, 2 foot-long salamis.

It really restored my faith in people. Our community is really strong and really beautiful.

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “Took a rest yesterday. The night before all kinds of critters came creeping up out of the creek. I didn't sleep a wink.”

ED NOTES

SHERIFF ALLMAN called Tuesday afternoon. He said he was standing on a street corner in the nation's capitol flying Mendo's colors — in uniform, that is. "I hope no one asks me for directions," the Sheriff joked. He said his delegation got a White House tour that included an appearance by President Trump who addressed the rural contingent's concerns. The Sheriff said Trump spoke off the cuff "as he does but only took a few shots at California officials." Allman said he has a Wednesday meeting with the chief of the Forest Service to talk about fire management and law enforcement concerns related to cartel drug projects plaguing Mendocino County's million acres of public land. The Sheriff said he was pleased that federal officials "have actually returned my phone calls," and said he had arranged four appointments with agency directors to discuss specific local concerns with federal implications. Allman pointed out that the Measure B meeting scheduled for this week was postponed for a week "so everyone can be there." He said more than thirty mentally ill persons "in the first week of October alone" have caused much tumult in the County's emergency rooms, suggesting that an in-County psych unit is more urgently needed than ever, not that he necessarily expected unanimity of opinion among the Measure B advisory committee but at least an imminent consensus on how to proceed.

WE'VE ALWAYS AGREED with the Sheriff that the Willits site for a psych unit is not only the most viable — it's there for starters, and would be less expensive to revise to state specs. Howard's opponents do not have rational reasons to oppose it, apparently convincing Willits city officials that the unit would present a hazard to the neighborhood. For years there was a far more problematical emergency room at the old Howard Hospital where the unconfined deranged were a daily presence. A dozen sedated mental cases hardly represent a neighborhood menace. And conversion of the abandoned hospital — presently occupied by non-sanctioned transients — would also be an economic boost to perennially strapped Willits. Building a new facility somewhere else, presumably Ukiah, also a community of neighborhoods, would see this project spinning its wheels indefinitely.

TAICHI’S END RESULT (…or a Yoga Halloween)

MENDO COLLEGE TRUSTEE RACE

SEIU endorsements for Mendocino College Trustee candidates (as seen in the Lake County news): I don't usually get involved in politics, but I am making an exception this year. We need some new trustees at Mendocino College! SEIU interviewed the candidates, and we are endorsing three individuals that will listen to the faculty and staff, and will have the leadership skills to work for positive change. Please vote on Nov. 6, and please remember these names: Jerry Eaton, Ukiah; Bill Daniel, Ukiah-Hopland-Fort Bragg; Andy Anderson, Lake County.

NIGHT LIGHTS OF THE NORTH COAST: COOKS VALLEY BRIDGE

Humboldt-Mendocino County Line on Highway 271 over the South Fork Eel River. October 14, 2018.

(Photos & Text by David Wilson)

In 1993 I spent a year in Chicago. Even then I loved photographing at night; I have always been drawn to it. I would use either available light or introduce light of my own, painting it into a scene much as I do now. I wasn’t comfortable photographing with models then, confining myself mostly to scenes without people and making them interesting with unusual angles and lighting. I had a couple of photography shows while I was there, both in small galleries. After those two shows, I was charged up, and submitted my portfolio to a larger gallery. But I found a curious thing.

“They’re interesting,” the curator said, “but you need figures in them. Figures lend a human element and a story to an image.”

I was abashed, and somewhat offended, I have to admit. But as time passed, I realized she was right. Photography is a visual language that can convey feelings, messages, and stories. But there is only so much story you can get out of a sunset, or a flower, or interesting lighting when there are no people present. A pretty picture can be very attractive, no doubt, and I was proud of my photographs, but when you put a person in there, tales will pop out.

Each person viewing an image will have a different experience, which will sometimes make it difficult for the photographer to convey specific ideas or messages. Someone might chuckle where another gasps. Individual experiences people have in their lives shape how they view the world, and one person’s reaction to an image may be very different from the reaction of another person. At one show I had, a woman simply could not look at a photograph of my young son’s face that I had blended with leaves. To me it was a soothing image. But she had to turn away from it, and told me it was painful to see. I don’t know what experience she had had that could give her that reaction to the peaceful image of my little “Forest Spirit,” but it was very real to her.

On Saturday, October 13, 2018, model Lula May Williams and I met to make images at the county line that we knew would resonate with people in one way or another. The setting was Cooks Valley Bridge on Highway 271, which crosses the South Fork Eel River at the southern border of Humboldt County, parallel to Highway 101 just a couple miles south of Richardson Grove.

A photograph is worth a thousand words, they say. Some photos show, some describe, and some tell stories. Consider the stories forming in your mind as you study these images. What thoughts do you find surfacing? Whatever I may have been thinking when I photographed these moments, whatever Lula thought as she planned her outfits and props and poses, the stories forming in your mind are your own. I made these photographs knowing that the figures would tell powerful stories for some people. Though there are times when I want to send a message, this isn’t one of them, and these photographs aren’t messages from me. They are catalysts for your own thoughts. The thoughts you are experiencing are from you. My own role is to provide food for your thoughts.

What I am trying to say is that I’m not trying to express a message here. Yet I know these images will generate some powerful thoughts in some of you. We shot from several angles, with various lighting, and she wore different clothes and struck different poses, creating opportunities for narratives to develop in the viewer. One of the poses was whimsical, a dancer in the twirling glow of a whirling scarf.

As Lula and I photographed the dancing scene, a car’s headlights down the road approached and pulled in alongside my truck. The lights went out, and a car door slammed shut. Uh, oh, I thought. Miscreants?

“Is one of you David Wilson?” Called a woman’s friendly voice.

What?!

I laughed. “Yes! Who is it?”

“It’s Talia!” She cried. Far out! It was Talia Rose, famous around here for her wonderful wildlife photography down near the county line. She had just passed by us a few minutes before, and returned to see if it were me. And it was.

The headlights of Talia Rose’s car became part of this photograph as she approached to see what we were doing.

We laughed some more. She pointed out where she’d seen some of the critters she photographs. A couple days later, within spitting distance of where we were on the bridge, she saw and photographed a mountain lion stalking an otter. The cat may have been nearby while we were out there.

The light on the hillside in the distance is from passing cars on Highway 101, and the light in the foreground is my own. The model, Lula May Williams, is also known as “LulaMay The Model” on Facebook, and @lula_may_no_lula_will on Instagram.

To see previous entries of “Night Light of the North Coast,” click on my name above the article. If you’d like to keep abreast of my most current photography or peer into its past, you can follow me on Instagram at @david_wilson_mfx . I update my website mindscapefx.com less frequently, but you can contact me there.

SUSPECTS IN MARIJUANA RIPOFF FLED SOUTH ON 101 AND ACROSS HWY 20 FOLLOWED BY DEPUTIES

by Kym Kemp

About 2:45 p.m. yesterday, a permitted cannabis farmer in the Laytonville area discovered thieves in his garden. A subsequent chase by law enforcement included attempts to place spike strips, high rates of speed, and stolen marijuana being jettisoned from the suspects’ vehicle.

According to the farmer who wished to remain anonymous, “I had just been in my garden five minutes before…I had broke the cord to my scale so I decided to head to town…I saw there were people in my garden.” He said he stopped to confront them.

“There were three or four black males wearing hoodies with these biker style face wraps,” he explained. “One had a white hoodie with white fabric across his face with a skull print on it. One may have been a female.” He described seeing a white SUV (“2015 or newer”) with black rims and no license plate. (Law enforcement later added that it had a white sticker in the rear window.)

The farmer called law enforcement requesting assistance as the thieves fled with plants sticking out of their vehicle. “I chased them out onto 101 towards Willits,” the farmer said. “I called the police as I was still on my property.”

The farmer followed until he lost sight of them.

The deputies and officers with the California Highway Patrol caught sight of the vehicle and attempted to stop it. The suspects continued fleeing at a high rate of speed.

“Apparently they are throwing marijuana out the window,” said one officer just before 3 p.m. over the scanner as the suspect vehicle took the Willits Bypass.

A spike strip was ordered to be set up on Hwy 101 near the Hwy 20 exit but the suspect vehicle managed to get off 101 and onto Hwy 20. The driver continued to speed up to 100 miles per hour, according to officers’ reports over the scanner. Officers repeatedly lost sight of the vehicle.

The driver continued at speeds of up to 100 mph and traveled into Lake County where the suspect driver went through oncoming traffic in the construction zone at Blue Lakes, according to traffic over the scanner. The CHP and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office discontinued pursuit.

Meanwhile, the farmer reports when he examined his garden he found that the thieves appeared to have been unprepared for and uneducated about their task. They didn’t just top plants going for the more lucrative colas but, instead, they attempted to take the entire thing. The farmer explained. “They ripped a couple rootballs out.”

The few plants they got were small. The farmer said that as the thieves were fleeing, he could see they had at least one plant sticking out of the back of their vehicle. He said, “I thought, ‘Oh man, they took that one?'”

We’ve attempted to reach the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office to gather more information but they have not yet responded.

The farmer told us that he was told by a friend who was on Hwy 20 that the suspect vehicle may have sideswiped a car and almost ran over the flagger in the construction zone on Hwy 20. However, that hasn’t been confirmed to us by a witness or official reports.

(Courtesy, KymKemp.com/Redheaded Blackbelt.)

CATCH OF THE DAY, October 23, 2018

PEGGY AULLMAN, Ukiah. Vehicle theft.

SCOTT FABER, Ukiah. Controlled substance.

FREDERICK FITCH, Ukiah. Failure to appear, probation revocation.

MANUEL FREASE, Covelo. Community supervision violation.

NICHOLAS HALVORSEN, Fort Bragg. Disorderly conduct-alcohol, probation revocation. (Frequent flyer.)

CHARLES HENSLEY, Ukiah. Disorderly conduct-alcohol. (Frequent flyer.)

GEORGIE HOAGLIN, Covelo. Grand theft firearm, burglary, conspiracy, probation revocation.

SHAWN MCGLASSON, Ukiah. DUI.

JASON MCGUIRE, Fort Bragg. DUI-drugs&alcohol.

DELANEY PING-MEDVIGY, Hopland. Assault with deadly weapon not a gun, battery on peace officer. (Booking photo not available. Black female, 25, 5’9, 130 lbs. Background: Brattleboro Vermont Reformer, January 19, 2013: “On Jan. 11, Vermont State Police responded to a residence in an attempt to locate an escapee from the Vermont Department of Corrections. Members of the State Police located Delaney Alyn Ping Medvigy, 19, of Putney, at her boyfriend’s home on Stockwell Drive. She was taken into custody without incident for escaping custody.”

JOSUE SANCHEZ-AGUILAR, Calpella. First degree robbery.

JASON SANDERS, Willits. Disobeying court order, failure to appear.

DONOVAN WILLIAMS, Ukiah. Controlled substance, failure to appear, evasion.

DON WILTSE JR., Willits. Parole violation.

FRANCISCO ZAMORA, Ukiah. Causing a property fire, probation revocation.

Waiting For...

BURY ’EM

Editor:

PG&E cut off our utilities as a fire precaution in areas when strong winds were predicted. That’s all very well in established, built-up areas that weren’t affected by the October 2017 firestorm.

But, seriously, PG&E has a blank slate in the fire-damaged areas to put in underground utilities. Now is the time. It could be done faster, cheaper and without disruption of traffic, businesses and the public.

Instead, PG&E is resorting to the dark ages with telephone pole installations, making those areas as fragile as before to storms and high winds.

Then, it put the onus on all of us, the public at large, saddling us with the loss of hundreds of dollars from the loss of food in our refrigerators and freezers. PG&E also put at risk families dependent on medical devices and sensitive medications needing refrigeration.

It leaves one speechless to see a large utility company putting up telephone poles rather than the obvious — underground utilities — so all future storms and high winds cannot create a “perfect storm” by sparking that kind of fire again.

Bonnie Lind

Santa Rosa

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I guess I am a complete asshole, but I laugh out loud every time a honey oil lab blows up. Not because someone is hurt, but because I can just perfectly visualize the situation as the flaming guy comes running out of the flaming mess he just created while the Benny Hill song plays.

GHOSTS

by Juan José Millás

(Translated by Louis S. Bedrock)

The hotel room has, in the far right corner, a seven step staircase that goes nowhere. At first, I found it amusing. Later, observing it from the bed in which I had dropped after unpacking my suitcase, it provoked a certain discomfort. I got up, went toward it, and walked up to the top where it acquired the shape of a landing. I moved my hand gently across the surface of the wall in search of some irregularity that would reveal the existence of an old door that had been sealed over without finding anything.

Looking at the room from this vantage point, I noticed a disproportion that perhaps the stairway attempted to offset. Indeed, if the stairway didn’t exist, one would notice a disturbing void between the bed and this corner that would be hard to ignore. The ceiling light would have been off center.

I guess that the room felt irregular to the architect and that the stairway functioned as a prosthesis for achieving an equilibrium. End of story.

But “end of story” doesn’t cut it. Every time I go near that stairway, I can’t help going up the stairs, believing that this time they’ll take me to another dimension. Immediately afterwards, I go down the stairs feeling defeated and attempt to focus my attention on reviewing the lecture that I’ve come here to deliver. The problem is that the desk, upon which I am working, is situated in such a way that I’m obliged to sit with my back to the stairs.

As soon as I begin to reread the text, I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. I turn around and there’s no one there. Obviously, pure suggestion. I leave, give the speech, and come back to the hotel. I brush my teeth and I get in bed. All night, somewhere between sleep and consciousness, I see all the ghosts of my life going up and down the false staircase. All of my dead.

COLIN KAEPERNICK’S CELEBRITY ALLIES

by Dave Zirin

Just a year ago, the NFL hoped that Colin Kaepernick would become a something of a ghost, reminding players that protest, dissent, or any kind of free thought would be punished. But of course he hasn’t become a cautionary tale. Instead, he’s morphed into a folk hero for a new generation of activist athletes. Despite remaining unsigned, he’s even now the spokesperson for a ubiquitous shoe company that also happens to be a primary brand for the league.

The NFL’s response has been to step back from punishing players for protesting racial inequity and police violence during the national anthem and instead hope that all the tumult fades away. This strategy has included assistance from a compliant media choosing to step back from airing the national anthem or covering the handful of players who still protest.

Now the access merchants that cover the NFL are praising the league for its “handling” of the players, and putting this period of protest in the league’s rearview mirror. But the elephant in the room remains: Colin Kaepernick — still training every day, still unsigned as an NFL quarterback, while all kinds of less-qualified floating pieces of football extract are being signed by NFL teams. There is noticeable fatigue even among his supporters, weary of having to continue to point out the various Tom Savages who get signed and released, only to be signed again, while Kaepernick spends his prime on the sidelines.

But now the issue of his banishment is back in the news, and it’s coming from a place of solidarity outside the NFL. Megastar Rihanna, with 230 million records sold and closet full of Grammy awards, has turned down the prime opportunity to perform at the halftime of the Super Bowl. In the words of an insider, “They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance.”

Her decision immediately went viral and put Kaepernick’s name back on the pop-cultural front burner. It is also already having a ripple effect, influencing other celebrities, including comedian Amy Schumer, who posted on Instagram that this year she wouldn’t be taking part in any Super Bowl ads for the same reason. She also wrote at length in a thoughtful post:

"Friday thought. I wonder why more white players aren’t kneeling. Once you witness the truly deep inequality and endless racism people of color face in our country, not to mention the police brutality and murders. Why not kneel next to your brothers? Otherwise how are you not complicit? I think it would be cool if @maroon5 backed out of super bowl like @badgalriri Did. I personally told my reps I wouldn’t do a Super Bowl commercial this year. I know it must sound like a privilege ass sacrifice but it’s all i got. Hitting the nfl with the advertisers is the only way to really hurt them. I know opposing the nfl is like opposing the nra. Very tough, but don’t you want to be proud of how you’re living? Stand up for your brothers and sisters of color."

Schumer ended her note by putting down a challenge to the band that is currently headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, writing, “I think it would be cool if @maroon5 backed out of [the] super bowl like @badgalriri Did,”

This all demonstrates that one of the fundamental issues that still animates the handful of players who continue to kneel during the anthem is that Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed. The NFL and Roger Goodell can speak elliptically all they want about “listening” to players, but as long as Kaepernick is sidelined, the NFL’s cowardice will be on display.

PS. Latest @EdgeOfSportsPOD is UP! We talk to Andy Schwarz about "how the NCAA is gaslighting America". Great explanation of the FBI trial, and the history of how the NCAA defines "student-athletes." Check it out.

soundcloud.com/edgeofsports/how-the-ncaa-gaslights-america

THE GENERAL LACK OF INTEREST in political affairs corresponds to the general disaffection for anything and everything modified by the adjective “public.” For 20 years the drum majors of the Republican parade band have been beating time to the same ideological refrain — private schools, private prisons, private suburbs, private roads, private money, private police — and by now even the crippled remnant of the Democratic Party has come to acknowledge the sovereignty of private means over public ends. All things bright and beautiful flow forth from the clear mountain streams of the private sector; all things vicious and ugly rise from the swamp of the public sector. Power derives its legitimacy and authority from the mints of private wealth, not from the coinage of public thought and people who once might have thought of themselves as citizens now tend to think of themselves as the vassals of a commercial overlord.

—Lewis Lapham "Waiting for the Barbarians" (1997)

NAMI OPEN HOUSE

As a follow-up to the notice of the cancellation of tomorrow's Measure B Committee meeting, attached please find an announcement of the upcoming National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) open house.

Grand Opening
Thursday, November 1, 2018
2 pm to 7 pm
564 South Dora Street Suite E

* * *

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (BHAB) SPECIAL MEETING, October 29, 2018 from 1:15 pm to 4:15 pm. This meeting will be held at the Dora Street building located at 1120 S. Dora Street, Ukiah in Conference Room 1 and live video conferenced to the Avila Center located at 778 S. Franklin Street, Fort Bragg in the Seaside Room. The purpose of this special meeting is to review and discuss recommendations for the Mendocino County Behavioral Health System Program Gap Analysis & Recommendations for Allocation of Measure B Revenues Report from the Kemper Consulting Group

MENDOCINO COUNTY BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING

AGENDA

October 29, 2018 1:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

1120 S. Dora St., Conference Room 1, Ukiah and by live video conferencing at:

778 S. Franklin St., Seaside Room, Fort Bragg

Only item on the agenda: Kemper Report Review

WHO TO VOTE FOR ON NOVEMBER 6: A PROGRESSIVE’S OPINION

October 21, 2018

by Eric Kirk (Redway)

Proposition 1 – Affordable Housing Bonds – Yes

Would allow the state to sell 4 billion dollars in bonds for several affordable multi-family housing programs. About half of it goes for low interest loans to construct housing near public transportation – “in-fill” housing (so no requirements for building parking to accommodate increased residency – I have a problem with this, but not enough of one to oppose the measure) with assistance to public and private projects for which the housing must remain low income for 55 years. The measure allocates money for home loan/down payment assistance, for construction of infrastructure (again near public transportation, and some money for farm worker housing both rental and owner-occupied (I’m really skeptical that much of the latter would be generated).

Its what bonds are for. The opposition is all about the problems with bond-indebtedness and taxes.

It won’t solve the problem by a long shot. It’ll benefit about 50 thousand families, but it could also have some derivative positive effects for others in terms of stimulus and keeping home prices and rents down in a state in which homes are 2.5 times the national average in price and rent is about 50 percent higher than average.

But yes.

Proposition 2 – Bonds to fund housing program for mentally ill homeless – Yes

Apparently, the science says that the best way to combat homelessness is to provide homes. Seems obvious, but really getting someone off the street and into a safe place has apparently worked wonders for the long term. It doesn’t solve all problems, but is effective as a game changer in the lives of mentally ill and it’s not just a liberal pipe dream. The data says it’s effective.

2 billion in bonds would be sold to go into the “No Place Like Home Program” which arose out of Proposition 63 which allocated money for mental health programs. Currently there is a court decision pending as to whether the program is what voters had in mind when they funded mental health programs. This measure would decide the matter for the courts.

It is supported by Mental Health America of California. It is opposed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness which argues that it will divert money from actual treatment and fails to address systemic problems of zoning restrictions against such housing. It also argues that counties are already required to provide housing and (by implication) that it should be covered by the general fund.

These points are well taken, but it’s one thing to argue that counties are required to provide housing. It’s another to bring the housing into existence. This should have been instituted years ago, but an attorney has hogtied it all in courts. We need the housing. We can fight for funding for the accompanying treatment.

Proposition 3 – yet another bond measure for water – No

This is a bond measure which was unfortunately cooked up behind closed doors by a coalition of lobbyists who ensured that the bulk of the money goes to very specific projects in what was basically a “pay to play” process. The almond industry was heavily represented. The Sierra Club is opposed.

California would sell about 9 billion in bonds for a long list of water related projects – all of which are needed. Yes, we just passed one in June. And we’ve passed a bunch of them – almost reminiscent of the never-ending prison bonds we passed in the 80s and 90s when the voting public was more reactionary. But that’s the new reality. We will probably have to pass a bunch more as climate continues to change, population here continues to grow, and as long as we continue to indulge water-intensive crops like rice, alfalfa, and almonds. It’s the new reality, and even with these bond measures we are probably going to experience water crisis for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, the opposition ballot statement was submitted by tax posse types who want more dams. Proposition 3 is supported by conservative environmental groups like the California Wildlife Federation and Ducks Unlimited (hunting organizations – they do some good, but they have very specific agendas and earmarked Prop 3 projects support these jurisdictions). The projects are concentrated in the Central Valley and it takes money from the Cap and Trade revenues for these limited purposes.

On the positive side, about a fourth of the money would be allocated for watershed restoration, and this is where the opposition, which doesn’t understand the science, misses the point when it says that the measure won’t add a drop of water. Restoration would involve prevention of “sheeting” which happens after decades of clearcutting where the soil hardens at the surface for lack of trees and the water runs into the river and straight to the ocean instead of the “sponge effect” with the presence of trees in which the water is held and released more slowly throughout the year. It would also help restore habitat and forest health to lessen risk and intensity of forest fires.

There are about 50 categories of grants with geographic specificity. The Proposition was not generated in transparency. It bypasses spending oversight processes. It all but eliminates the “beneficiary pays” principle. And very little of the money would be spent in coastal regions or the mountains – fixated on agricultural and other special interests.

Another 2 billion goes to conservation, rainwater retrieval, water recycling, etc. It would include assistance with installation of low flow toilets and replacement of lawns with more water saving landscaping. And there would be money for habitat restoration (particularly fish in the central valley), infrastructure upgrade (including the Oroville Dam, which almost came apart a few years ago), groundwater protection, and flood protection. Yes, it probably tries to do too much, but it’s all necessary.

Yes, it would add to the bonded debt, and we just went to the well in June, but honestly if the provisions were more balanced and not so invested in the benefit of Central Valley special interests, I could get behind it. I can’t.

Proposition 4 – bonds for children’s hospitals – Yes

Authorizes 1.5 billion in bonds for improvements and upgrades to a specific list of mostly nonprofit children’s hospitals with specific goals in mind as to expansion of services for underprivileged kids and with some money dedicated to education and research facilities. Yes, much of the money will go to private non-profit hospitals, but it will expand services for underprivileged children – net effect.

It’s how building construction gets done.

Proposition 5 – Allows elderly to transfer their home tax rate to a purchased home – No

For anyone over 55 this would allow you to carry your current tax rate with you from your current home to your next. So let’s say your home is assessed at $200,000.00 (reassessment is almost always lags behind market rate increases the way it’s calculated) and you manage to sell your house for $400,000 and you purchase a new home for $400,000. You would carry your old assessment rate of $200,000 with you and only be taxed for that amount.

It makes sense to make it easier to move, but this was written by Realtors with profit motive and isn’t thought through in terms of fiscal impact or whether we really want to increase speculation and moving into larger homes at retirement. And it contains no caps on applicable home values. Elderly shouldn’t be trapped in a home which may be far away from family, adequate medical care, etc., but the answer is to press for policies generating affordable housing for everyone. This is basically regressive and it’s kind of a new Prop 13 focusing most of its benefit towards rich baby-boomers.

Also, I don’t really like passing Constitutional amendments by ballot. Sometimes we have to, but it’s too easy to change California’s Constitution. It should be done sparingly.

Proposition 6 – Repeals gas tax – No

Would essentially repeal SB1 which puts a 12 cent tax per gallon on gasoline, 4 cents on diesel, and establishes a fee for non-emission vehicles (varies according to model – I have mixed feelings about it as I think we should have policies which facilitate the proliferation of non-emission vehicles, however, as it stands only wealthy people can afford them so it seems unfair that they don’t contribute to transportation costs and the imposition of the fees makes the gas tax just a little less regressive).

The proponents have made Prop 6 the anti-tax rallying call for Republicans struggling as they are losing any grip on California politics. They are crying fowl over the recently passed Prop 69 which ensured that all gas taxes be devoted to transportation costs (makes common sense but I oppose earmarked funds as I believe the legislature should determine spending priorities), which deprived them of a key talking point.

I’m not generally in favor of sales taxes. Unless they’re on luxury items they tend to be regressive. But the 5 billion which the tax raised is essential, and it’s not all about roads, but also for public transportation development and improvement. It encourages reduction in driving and therefor emissions, and promotes fuel efficiency purchases.

Prop 6 would also make it more difficult to raise revenues in the future, which is the “prop 13 element” selling point for the proponents in the red counties. I think they make a mistake by evoking that association given the carnage of the extreme elements voters passed way back in 1978.

I also want to discuss economics here. Both left and right do this. They adopt simplistic economic views when it’s in their interests, and gloss over the complexities. The proponents, some of whom should know better and probably do, imply that if the tax is repealed there will be a 12-cent reduction in gas prices and 4-cent reduction in diesel. But suppliers will charge “what the market will bear.” The market currently bears prices which include the tax. If suppliers can take that amount and convert it to dividends, they will. This is not to accuse them of greed per se. This is what they do.

On the demand side, “passing the tax on to the consumers” doesn’t work when the supply-demand curve is flexible. In the 1990s when Californian’s passed a 25-cent cigarette tax it was assumed that addiction would render the demand curve almost entirely inflexible. But the tax did lower consumption of cigarettes, and according to one study about 17 cents was absorbed by consumers while the shareholders had to accept 8 cents per pack less in dividends. Gas consumption is actually more flexible. Yes, everyone has to commute, but price increases do lead to more use of public transportation and fewer unessential drives.

Humboldt County traditionally has some of the highest fuel prices in the state, probably due to our remoteness. Years ago when a local radio station aired complaints about the ridiculous prices, when local station owners were contacted about perceived price gauging, a prominent fuel distributor stated, “It’s what the market will bear.” One gas station owner had promised to lower prices, it didn’t happen and he refused all further media calls. Reporters and others suspected that he had been contacted by the larger distributor and everyone suspected collusion, but it couldn’t be proven for lack of direct evidence. Assuming this was a natural occurrence, and there are other examples, it suggests that competition is not a huge factor in prices. Therefore, one gas station will not take advantage of the 12-cent difference to undercut the competition – partly because it’s set by the supplier, and we have decades of evidence that suppliers do not compete with each other. Collusion is one theory, but there are other very complex factors in fuel pricing. Assuming they haven’t colluded, then consumers have nothing to gain by repealing the tax. If they have colluded, they will continue to collude.

By the way, don’t be fooled by the names of the organizations listed in support of Prop 6. The Latino American Political Association and California Women’s Leadership Association are conservative political organizations.

Proposition 7 – Permanent Daylight Savings – No

It would make Pacific Daylight Time official California time and I’m amazed that it’s taken so many decades before anyone bothered to do this. It would not automatically make Daylight Savings Time permanent – it would be contingent upon federal action and require a two-thirds legislative vote. But it would probably happen.

In my social circles I seem to be in the minority, but I like the switch twice a year. I find the stroke and heart risks studies questionable. I find the loss of productivity studies even more questionable. There are studies which differ with both.

Right now my daughter has to be in Arcata at 7:00 am. Getting her up when it’s dark is a chore.

I think it would be silly to be out of synch with the rest of the states (excepting Arizona and half of Indiana). Will it take root in other states as California’s “right on red” policy did?

I don’t know. Maybe. But I remember walking to my baby-sitter’s home in the dark in the 4th grade to watch Jack LaLane until school time in November, and I was relieved when I could walk in daylight. I honestly don’t remember Nixon’s energy crisis-inspired experiment a year later, but according to my fellow Prop 7 opponents, people didn’t like it.

I would rather deal with an early sunset than a late sunrise. And I like getting the extra hour on the switchover weekend. I don’t care as much about losing it in the spring, although it did stress me out in high school when I had less time to get my homework done as I invariably procrastinated until Sunday evening…

Point of information – if we were to simply do away with daylight savings time that would not violate federal law. We need to wait for federal law to change in order to have year-round daylight savings.

Proposition 8 – Kidney Dialysis Price Control – Yes

Limits dialysis treatment prices to 115 percent of costs (includes costs of education, training, etc.). Requires refunds and fines for violations. Mandates reporting to confirm costs. Prohibits refusal of treatment based upon source of payment including Medi-Cal and Medicare.

Endorsed by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, senior/retirement organizations, and veterans organizations, but opposed by the American Nurses Association (though notably the very progressive California Nurses Association is silent as of the date I’m typing) and CMA. I don’t take this lightly. They argue that it will result in clinic closures, in the absence of additional funding, and could increase drive lengths for patients. But we cannot have a system where dialysis patients can be refused treatment. We just cannot do that. So if the clinics need more money, then pols are going to have to figure out some funding. Patients cannot be expected to pay 350 percent of costs, assuming that’s necessary. Patients have died for the lack of ability to pay for care.

I mean, we should have similar regs for other life-threatening conditions, but we have to start somewhere until we have socialized medicine. Not single payer which is merely socialized insurance, but socialized medicine.

Somebody forwarded an article to me claiming that the measure is intended punish non-union entities. I don’t agree, but there’s nothing wrong with punishing entities which resist collective bargaining – sorry.

Proposition 9 – no longer on the ballot

It was a silly attempt to divide California into three states, and had it been allowed and passed, it wasn’t even the proper path to accomplish something like that. California would have to cede two of the states (whichever two do not contain Sacramento I assume) which would become territories. Congress would then decide the fate of those territories. They may keep them as territories or make both into one state.

So it was going to be a waste of time no matter what the outcome.

Proposition 10 – Repeal of statewide anti-rent control law – Yes!!

I’ve just about had it with biased documents/wording coming out of government, but the official Election Guide describes the proposition as “expands local government’s enact rent control…” Technically speaking this is true, but anyone who doesn’t know the history or read the analysis carefully will fail to understand that was this does is to dial back overreach from Sacramento in the horrific Costa-Hawkins law passed by developer and Realtor lobby-pressured pols to impose statewide restrictions on rent control. Costa-Hawkins prohibits rent control for single-family homes. It prohibits vacancy rent control. And most egregiously it prohibits rent control of anything built from 1995 on – which was purely a gift to developers.

This is exactly the kind of legislation conservatives claim to hate – that which saps local control. It puts a premium on tearing down older homes. For the lack of vacancy rent control it assures gentrification and the destruction of working class communities.

It’s backed by a slew of progressive organizations (Including California Nurses Association, curiously not silent on this one). But there is opposition from Alice Huffman of the NAACP who insists that the restriction is necessary to guarantee choices and encourage the construction of low-cost housing. I’m not clear if she’s speaking for the organization, or simply noting her affiliation for identification. But the rest of the opponents are conservative organizations (yes, including United Latinos Vote) and the tax posse.

Proposition 11 – Exempts Private EMTs/Paramedics from Labor Code pertaining to Meal Breaks; Some Benefits for Employees – Sure, with reluctance

Prop 11 has no organized opposition, but I’m a little put off by the privatization of ambulance/paramedic services. Isn’t the whole point to privatization premised on the notion that the private sector delivers certain services with more economic efficiency? Then why are we being asked to provide special exemptions to make their industry more profitable?

Basically, the Labor Code requires uninterrupted meal breaks. A lawsuit filed on behalf of employees established that it’s a violation to force employees to give up their meal break for an emergency. The businesses lament that they are forced to serve anyone regardless of ability to pay and that Medicare and Medi-Cal patients generate compensation at below cost. 75 percent of all ambulances in California are private. They are complaining about having to pay for extra employees to be on call while others are on their meal breaks. Apparently, this is very expensive since you can’t just call someone in for a half hour to sit around waiting for someone else to eat. It does seem like this requirement is a bit onerous since unlike most other industries they have no control over when their services will be of use.

But the proponents have thrown in some benefits which are intended to off-set the potential loss of breaktime, and the unions appear to be okay with it. The benefits include crisis training (dealing with violence at emergency sites, etc.) and mental health treatment. Some of it could be offset by charging private insurance companies more for their patients.

Proposition 12 – Increases Living Space for Chickens, Pigs, and Veal Cows – Yes

Humane Society proposal to increase the living space of the three types of livestock – laying hens, pigs, and cows to be killed as calves. Currently all livestock in the state must have the space to “lie down, stand up, turn around, and fully extend limbs.” Prop 12 would increase the space for egg hens from .8 of a foot to a full square foot per hen until 2022. The cows would get 43 square feet which is about 7 by 6 feet. As of 2022 the hens and pigs would be cage free – which can still be confined to indoors and I think hen space would be increased to 1.5 square feet, which is more than it seems – does allow for space between birds. Pigs would get 24 square feet which is about 5 by 5 feet. They would be “cage free” in that they could freely move about in a large building, but no guarantee of sunlight.

It’s something.

The opposition comes primarily from an organization entitled “Californians against Cages, Cruelty, and Fraud,” which the HSUS claims is a front group for farmers who have found loopholes around the existing anti-cage laws. That’s pretty cynical if true, especially since in their ballot argument they fault the Humane Society for failing to negate those loopholes. And over half of the rebuttal to the yes argument is dedicated to attacking HSUS for some sexual harassment issues which are probably true (quoting the National Organization for Women and creating the impression that maybe NOW also opposes Prop 12), but also wholly irrelevant to Proposition 12. The opposition statements are really bizarre actually, reading more like Internet forum trolling than ballot statements.

In the meantime, it’s a step – backed not just by HSUS but also veterinarian organizations. It’s opposed by corporate farm interests which curiously stood back and let CCCF write the opposition.

Did some research and apparently PETA is involved with CCCF.

CANDIDATES

US Senator – Kevin De León

I’m just going to drop my thoughts from the June primary. The two main Democrats made it to the runoff. Nothing in my opinions have changed since June.

First, I want to say that I find the argument against Feinstein that she should retire on the bases of her 84-year age to be ageist and sexist. There is no indication that she is losing cognition and this kind of pressure was never put on segregationist Strom Thurmond who persisted as Senator past 100 years old. It’s a double standard applied to older women.

But my choice of De Leon as the standard bearer of more progressive politics has more to do with her politics. She is a military hawk, a consummate moderate on domestic issues, and a party functionary. I blame the current Manhattanization of the SF skyline on her opposition to growth control in the 1980s when as Mayor of the City she never met a high rise she didn’t like.

De León is far from perfect. His press conference for gun control in which he demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge of the weapon in his hand is an embarrassment which will follow him around for his entire career. It also appears that the company behind the Cadiz Water Project (diverting water from San Bernadino to Orange County against many environmentalist and other concerns) bought his support with large donations. And he is a bit of a suit.

But he supports single payer, has pledged to vote for Bernie’s Medicare for All bill, and has taken stands against aggressive foreign policy and for Palestinian rights which distinguishes him from the incumbent. And he relies on grassroots support which makes him vulnerable to grassroots pressure.

Comparisons have been made to the HRC/Bernie race, but De León is no Bernie.

I expect that Feinstein will collect the bulk of the Republican vote and win, but I wonder if she will take the majority of Democrats.

Governor – Gavin the Suit

Gavin Newsom will probably be President someday. He’s basically Bill Clinton, complete with charm and third way vagueness to is politics. I’m not enthralled.

But Cox is a Trumpster complaining about rivers being allowed to run into the ocean and the gas tax.

Both are clichés. One is much worse than the other.

Lt. Governor – Ed Hernandez

Neither of the Democrats was my first choice for this largely useless office, but Elen Kounalakis is endorsed by the mainstream of the Democratic Party, the National Organization for Women and the California Federation of Teachers, while Ed Hernandez is endorsed by the California Teacher’s Association, Planned Parenthood, and a slew of unions. She’s not as centrist as HRC, but Hernandez is not as progressive as Bernie. But he is more progressive than she.

Secretary of State – Alex Padilla

Padilla is a boring semi-progressive technocrat, but his Republican opponent’s big issue is “bloated voter rolls” with veiled accusations of voter fraud committed by them. I’m not for bloated voter rolls, but enfranchisement doesn’t even appear to be in his vocabulary. Padilla will probably win and run laterally next time around – maybe for Attorney General. He’ll be just as boring then.

Controller – Betty Yee

Betty Yee is another of those names you will only see every four years as she runs for statewide office for a living. She’s boring too, benefitting from her Republican opponent, who is, surprise, for the gas tax repeal and against high speed rail. Oh, and he’s also against rivers reaching the ocean. None of this has anything to do with the Controller’s job of course. She’s for… I’m not sure what she’s for. Does anybody know what she’s for? I guess she’s against climate change, although even that’s not completely clear in her statement. She’s “managed your cash” well, or so she says, and I guess that’s what a controller is supposed to do. I guess maybe she’s supposed to be boring.

Treasurer – Fiona Ma

You know I actually kind of like the Republican Greg Conlon. He talks about his qualifications, which are substantial. His backing from former Secretary of State George Schultz who was ecumenical enough to join the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the unveiling of the Herman Plaza VALB monument. He’s the only statewide Republican candidate not ranting about the gas tax or the rivers. If he manages to win, it won’t be the end of the world, as moderate Republicans are kind of a dying breed.

But Fiona Ma, though fairly conservative by SF standards when she was on the Board of Supervisors, is a bona fide progressive for the most part once she was no longer representing old SF Sunset District culture. She worked hard to detoxify children’s toys. Who wants toxic children’s toys?

Attorney General – Xavier Beccera

First, the Republican Steve Bailey comes right out as “dangerous experiments” against Props 47 and 57, and AB 109 – all attempts at criminal justice reform with mixed success. His answer is, of course, to reclaim California’s status among the highest incarceration rates in the country and world which has done so well for us over the past few decades.

But Beccera isn’t all that much better when it comes to “law and order.” He defeated his primary Democratic challenger David Jones by pressing on Jones’s opposition to the death penalty, suggesting that a prosecutor who takes that position is unfit for the office. On the positive side, Beccera has taken on white collar crime more aggressively than his predecessors and he has taken legal actions against Trump initiatives, and on behalf of the Dreamers. He has so far defeated Trump with regard to the latter’s attempts to weaken air quality standards and restrict access to birth control. He is aggressively defending SB 54.

The choice seems pretty clear.

Insurance Commissioner – Ricardo Lara

One of the few candidates I endorsed who made it into the runoff. Again, these are my comments from June.

Lara is the son of undocumented immigrant parents who is a bona fide progressive. Supports single payer. Authored the Super Pollutant Reduction Act which enacted the nation’s toughest restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions. He passed legislation aimed at restorative justice and protecting children from abuses in the criminal justice system. Helped pass the bill ensuring medical care to undocumented children. Introduced a bill which would prohibit state contracts with companies helping to build Trump’s border wall. Seems like a good advocate for consumers and possibly a future contender for Governor, Senator, or the Presidency.

I will just note that his opponent Steve Poisner does warrant an honorable mention. He did a decent job as Insurance Commissioner a decade ago, when he was Republican. And his reasons for leaving the GOP seem honorable.

But Lara is the real thing, and may be more willing to buck the insurance industry on key issues.

Superintendent of Public Instruction – Tony Thurmond

Again, I’m just going to recycle my June thoughts.

Progressive in all the right ways, though a bit of a suit when it comes to politics. He was part of the progressive coalition in Richmond, but didn’t get support from the Richmond Progressive Alliance because he took corporate donations. Still he’s done well by at-risk students, immigrants, the environment, and other progressive constituencies. Known for establishing funds for effective needle-exchange program and HIV prevention. Also, he’s black, Latino, and Jewish which I think gives him an exceptionally broad range of experience and perspective.

Board of Equalization District 1 – Malia Cohen

Malia Cohen seems cool enough. Her Republican opponent rides with the tax posse. I’ll vote for her, but I really don’t care because the Board of Equalization is a zombie body.

I wish I could vote for the Democrat in District 2 – Tom Hallinan. He has one platform pledge – to close the Board of Equalization down.

There’s a guy running in District 4 who say he’s worked for Bob Hope, Frank Zappa, and Debbie Reynolds. I’m assuming as a lawyer. He’s a Democrat, but also a member of the tax posse. Weird.

Okay, I guess I have to explain – the Howard Jarvis (prop 13) group is the tax posse and they vote against everything tax. They seem to want to take over the Board of Equalization. Whatever.

Associate Supreme Court Justices

The way this works is that each Supreme Court seat has to be confirmed every 12 years. If a resignation and replacement takes place before such a term expires, there is an initial confirmation at the next election for a Governor which will confirm for the remainder of that term (either 4 or 8 years). There are eight up for confirmation this election.

Leondra Kruger – yes to confirm – the second youngest Supreme Court Justice in California history – she came on and I think threw the balance in favor of a decision which was decisive in my appellate win! And yes, progressive consumer issues were involved. It turned around a bunch of cases in which personal injury plaintiffs against health care providers were caught unwary of landmines in the law – I’ll be happy to tell the story to any who wants to hear. She was appointed by Brown in 2015 and I certainly appreciate most of her decisions given my legal and political philosophies. She has made a couple of law and order decisions which concern me, but she’s mostly progressive. Example – she sided with conservatives on the court who upheld a law which make it difficult for arrestees who were not convicted to have their DNA removed from the database. I did look more closely at the decision and her decision was based more on procedure than substance. But she did side with the conservatives against the liberals. It happens sometimes.

Carol Corrigan – yes to confirm – Not the worst Justice I’ve seen. She was appointed to the Appellate Court by Governor Pete Wilson in the 90s and later to the Supreme Court by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but passed through Democratic Party run legislatures with ease. She upheld a plastic bag ban, and wrote a decision which held that emails with public officials are subject to sunshine laws. But a couple of decisions have irked me. In one, a kid threw some fireworks into some dried vegetation which led to a fire which burned a home. But instead of merely being charged with criminal negligence, he was charged with arson, and the Supreme Court, with Corrigan’s vote, upheld the arson conviction on the basis of “intent.” Federally, “intent” actually means to start a fire. The Supreme Court ruled that “intent” means to intend to do the act which starts the fire, even if you didn’t mean to start a fire. I see that as result-oriented activism. Another decision she was a part of reduced equitable relief by eliminating quantum meruit (unjust enrichment) as a cause of action. It runs against centuries of common law eliminating a major tool of justice when a formal contract wasn’t reached. She also dissented against the Supreme Court decision which ruled sexual orientation a suspect class for discrimination.

However, it’s considered bad form to oppose confirmation on the basis of disagreement on particular cases. So I had to consider whether these disagreements amount to an opinion that she is unfit for her position as Justice. Although there are other people I would prefer to have in her place, I just can’t say that she’s unfit to serve.

We also have two Associate Judges of the First District Appellate Court to confirm.

Justice Sandra Margulies – Yes

I’m in receipt of a progressive activist’s recommendation of “no” based upon the expansion of warrantless blood draws, and although I find the decision problematic, it’s not really an “expansion.” It simply allows a cop to testify to meet an “expert” threshold of admissibility so that they don’t have to call the drawing techs themselves, and I don’t know that it’s going to make a huge difference. Plus, a defense attorney can still raise doubt. It’s really a technical issue.

But her decisions are consistently pro-consumer, and the First District with her decisions have upheld progressive Insurance Commissioner decisions and liberalized the interpretation of the five-year statute of limitations to prevent unjust dismissals of consumer cases.

In any case, I find no evidence of incompetence.

Justice James Humes – Yes

Doesn’t seem to be any controversy from a progressive point of view.

Justice James A. Richman – Yes

Nobody has written anything about this guy. I had to include the “A” to have him come up on my google search. He was appointed by Schwarzenegger in 2006. So no reason not to confirm him. I guess.

Something called “progressive California” says he ruled against protecting public pension plans, but I can’t find the case.

Justice Marla Miller – Yes

“Progressive California” is also advising a “no” vote on her for protecting the governor in the CPUC corruption issue – so I researched and it does appear that she was involved in trying to reverse a Superior Court order granting a document production request, but the Judge had retired and nobody else at the Superior Court wanted to follow the order or buck the retired judge’s order and it looks like it was a mess. There is no rational for her order, but it was an extraordinary writ and it’s really impossible to judge based on the media accounts.

She did, along with Richman, uphold a major fine against PG&E for reporting failures.

She was appointed by the Governor in 2014.

Justice Peter John Siggins – Yes

Progressive California likes that he was the Judge who made the ruling against the California Prison System re overcrowding – ordering the release of prisoners. He was just appointed by Brown in July, so no real record to consider.

Justice John Streeter – Yes

Apparently advocated well for immigrants while in private practice. He also signed off in my favor on my recently decided appeal – and it was a very pro-consumer decision.

He was appointed in 2014 straight from private practice – never served as a judge.

Justice Alison Tucher – Yes

Also just appointed in July of this year. Apparently did a lot of pro bono work in private practice.

Justice Barbara Jones – Yes

Is supported by Progressive California despite being appointed by Governor Pete Wilson because she made a good labor decision favoring the Raiders Cheerleaders for wage theft. Apparently, the cheerleaders were paid a fixed sum per game and she ruled that the Raiders had to pay minimum wage hourly for games, practice, and community appearances. Seems like a good decision and I find no controversy.

US Congress – Jared Huffman

Not always impressed with Huffman’s mainstream positions, and very dissatisfied with his endorsement of Ryan Sundberg over Stephen Madrone. But Madrone won in the end and Huffman is about as progressive as can be elected in our district at this time – and he only has one opponent at this time. I like Dale, but he’s not fit for Congress.

State Senate – Veronica Jacobi

Much more progressive than Mike McGuire. McGuire’s okay too. He’s done pretty well by the North Coast. Except for the Sundberg endorsement. McGuire will win, but she presents an opportunity to make him feel less secure in his office. No pol should feel secure.

Assembly – Jim Wood

Again, my thoughts for June. Add to this the Sundberg endorsement.

I really wish there was a progressive alternative as Wood was instrumental in blocking California’s chance at a single payer system. He’s basically a moderate party functionary. But there is a Republican in this race and he’s obsessed with the usual – opposes the gas tax and supports deregulation. You go to his website and the home page has a big red sign which reads “Freedom,” and it makes me think of the final scene in Braveheart with Mel Gibson raising his fist to the cry… It was a bad movie and Heath is a horrible candidate. And Wood is more vulnerable to movement pressure.

* * *

HUMCO ONLY

Eureka Mayor – Susan Seaman

She is the most progressive of the three candidates (though Heidi Messner has been good on the council). She announced in August and was at my door before I even knew who she was. I’m really impressed with her ever since.

Eureka City Council Ward 3 – Natalie Arroyo

Really smart, really passionate, and really together, and up against two very conservative opponents. I’m listing her first because I live in her ward and will actually get to vote for her.

Eureka City Council Ward 1 and Ward 5 – Leslie Castello and Kim Bergel – Normally I don’t endorse candidates or causes not on my ballot, but I’m actually working hard for a progressive sweep in Eureka. Both Leslie and Kim are phenomenal. I haven’t agreed with everything Kim has done, and probably I won’t agree with Leslie all the time.

But this is an election about realistic economic vision and how we address social problems of homelessness and drug addiction. The opposition is obsessed against needle exchange because of some rough edges which have resulted in some errors, but which are being addressed, and the fact is that the needle exchanges save lives just about everywhere it’s implemented.

The other big topic of emotion is the current plan to convert one of the three lanes on each of H and I Streets into bike lanes, slow down traffic a bit, and make it safe for the high school students to cross while improving the aesthetics and desirability of homes on both streets. As Jana said, “We don’t need boulevards through that part of town.” As we both drive the streets nearly every day we also have a stake, and we are pro-bike lanes.

And I get to vote on three local ballot measures.

Measure I – .25 percent sales tax increase

20 years unless renewed. Specifically, for roads, and the roads are a very pronounced problem right now as Public Works is years behind due to limited resources. There would be an oversight committee. Even Marion Brady voted to put it onto the ballot. I don’t like sales taxes. They’re regressive. But it’s the only revenue tool the city has other than parcel taxes which are also regressive.

Measure K – Yes.

I wrote it. Here’s one of my pieces submitted to the papers or blogs.

This November, Humboldt County voters will have the opportunity to pass Measure K, which will remove any active involvement by county authorities in federal immigration enforcement. Sanctuary is a much misunderstood and misrepresented concept. It does not interfere with immigration enforcement. It simply prohibits the dedication of local resources to unfunded mandates which serve only to prop up scapegoating national politics. The threat by ICE, the President, and other aspects of the federal government to punish Sanctuary jurisdictions violates the spirit and letter of the 10th Amendment and state sovereignty. The “voluntary” Joint Task Forces being pushed by federal statute and politics become mandatory if states and local jurisdictions are forced to participate either due to threats of funding cut-offs or claims that laws which refuse the cooperation are illegal. And to date, all attempts to mandate local involvement in immigration enforcement have been ruled unconstitutional.

It is true that the federal government has Constitutional primacy when it comes to immigration law. States and local jurisdictions cannot interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement. But as established by court case in the 19th century pertaining to the Fugitive Slave Laws, states are under no obligation to participate in the task forces. ICE has its job and local authorities have theirs.

Moreover, the very federal statutes which establish the Voluntary Task Forces explicitly state that no reimbursement shall be made to local jurisdictions which expend local resources to those efforts. The price tag is often significant. The conservatives of our communities have often lamented the centralization of political power in Washington DC (and Sacramento) which requires actions of local governments sans funding. Nothing in a Sanctuary ordinance prevents local law enforcement from consulting with ICE if separate crime is involved.

But Measure K offers much more than most Sanctuary ordinances. There are numerous families which include non-citizen parents with naturally born citizen children. Among other things, the Sanctuary Measure would mandate parental decision-making rights for those parents separated from their children by arrest and/or deportation. Whatever feelings one may have about the parents’ choices in entry to the country, these families are now integral to local communities and the welfare and successful upbringing of the children are of paramount importance. Preventing the break-up of families is essential as a matter of values, but also community interest.

The media and certain political figures have placed ridiculous emphasis on “criminals, drug dealers, and rapists” to quote one famous politician. But this refers to an extremely small subset of the undocumented immigrant population as statistically speaking a foreign-born non-citizen resident, whether documented or undocumented, is less likely to commit any crime – probably because they have much more to lose than a citizen. Most undocumented residents are here to work. You do business with them directly or indirectly every day. They are your coworkers. Your neighbors. They may be your friends. Their children attend school with yours. You have cheered at school and youth sport events alongside undocumented parents of your children’s teammates. Some of your friends may be undocumented – it’s not something people talk about. They may be Latino, Asian, European, or Canadian. They each have an individual story which accounts for their undocumented status, and their explanations may change hearts as to whether they are people who disrespect the law. Necessity, dreams, children, and other individual circumstances often generate difficult choices.

In the meantime, it is important to your own interests that every member of a community feel safe to contact the police to report a crime, fire, or other emergency. It is important to your health that everyone obtain medical evaluation and treatment when ill. It is important that the millions who live here undocumented obtain education, job training, and feel they have a stake in the communities of which they are a part.

Conservatives locally have objected to local regulations and general plans because they do not pertain to “the reality on the ground.” Whether you support the choices these millions of individuals have made, the “reality on the ground” is that they are here and integral to your community. If they were to disappear tomorrow, you would feel the consequences of the loss – to economy, society, and community.

And they are part of your community. When one part of a community is compromised, the whole community is compromised. Please vote yes on Measure K as an affirmation of community.

Measure O – Half-cent sales tax renewal – Yes

Renews a sales tax which raises about 12 million a year for general purposes and is essential. Yes it comes without a sunset clause and I’m not a fan of the way the Measure Z advisory committee was stacked with stakeholders, but we need the money – bottom line.

PUMPKIN NIGHT PARTY

Saturday, October 27, 2018

4:00PM to 7:00PM

Come dressed in your Halloween best and light up the night with some creatively carved gourds and painted pumpkins. Vote for your favorite pumpkins, enjoy spooky games, haunting music by DJ Nutrishious, and fall treats.

PUMPKIN CONTEST

Entry Drop-off: OCT 27 between 11:00AM and 3:00PM

To enter your carved or designed pumpkin simply complete an entry form and deliver your creation(s) to the Gardens between 11:00AM and 3:00PM on Saturday, October 27. No cost to enter the contest! Entry forms are available at The Garden Store and online: Pumpkin Contest Entry Form. Prizes will be awarded in four categories: Adult (age 18 and up), Teen (ages 13–17), Junior (ages 7–12), Kid (ages 6 and under). One entry form per pumpkin, multiple entries accepted. Please bring your own flameless light source for carved pumpkins. If you would like, you may pick up your pumpkin(s) on Sunday, October 28 between 9:00AM and 5:00PM.

Mushroom, harvest, food, wine - NOV 3

COASTAL CORNUCOPIA

Saturday, November 3

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is hosting an abundant celebration in the organic demonstration Vegetable Garden and new Education Center located in the restored historic farmhouse. "Coastal Cornucopia” will be held Saturday, November 3 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM. Join us for an afternoon brimming with knowledge and nourishment focused on mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, fermentation, and all things autumn. Enjoy wine and olive oil tastings with Terra Savia Winery, identification walks with local Mycologist Mario Abreu, a guest lecture by Eric Schramm of Mendocino Mushrooms, fresh pressed apple juice straight from our orchard, Shroom Snack mushroom jerky samples, and much more:

Mario Abreu - Mushroom ID walks; Eric Schramm - Lecture at 3:00PM; Mendocino Coast Mushroom Club - Booth; Mendocino County Herb Guild - Booth and demonstrations; Mycolab Solutions - Create your own grow at home oyster mushroom kit; Terra Savia Winery - Wine and olive oil tastings; Bee Hunter Wines - Wine tastings; Local craft brews - Beer tastings; Fresh pressed apple juice tastings; MCBG Gardener booth - Info and tastings of edible weeds and seed planting for fall cover crops; Rhody's Garden Cafe - Mushroom Barley soup tasting; Seaside String Sisters - American folk music; Jacquelyn Cisper - Handcrafted mushroom cards and artwork

Cost is $25 per person; $15 for Gardens Members. Educational demonstrations, fall bites, brews, wine, and beer tastings included! Sign up in advance or pay at the door. If you choose to sign up in advance (space is limited), you will be added to the will call list at the front entrance on Saturday, November 3. This purchase allows you admission to the Gardens for the day and admission to the Coastal Cornucopia event.

Sign up to attend Coastal Cornucopia: gardenbythesea.org/calendar/coastal-cornucopia/

FORT BRAGG BOOSTER CLUB DINNER

A Night at David's Deli: Dine-out

Fundraiser-Timberwolf Boosters Dinner 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Silent Auction 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Tickets Available Now at FBHS Front Office, David's Deli and MCOE Coast Office

All Dinner Plates are $25. Choices of Entrees are: Creamy Veggie Pasta Primavera, Tri Tip, Chicken Cordon BleuWine and North Coast Brewery beer will be sold separately. A portion of all dinner ticket sales will be donated to Timberwolf Boosters organization. The Timberwolf Boosters is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that supports Fort Bragg High School clubs and sports. Enjoy your choice of entree and support the Timberwolf Boosters, OR simply stop by the Silent Auction room and view the many outstanding student driven auction items.

For Information: timberwolf501c3@gmail.com

PURA VIDA 'LIVE' at the Mendocino Hotel in the Garden Room Saturday Night! Time to dance our cares away, costumes encouraged! Mendocino County's original Latin inspired dance band, has brought eclectic Latin rhythms to the North Coast dancers for over 20 years. In addition to their signature Cuban Sones, Pura Vida performs Cumbia, Merengue, Flamenco, & Brazilian Bossa & Samba rhythms, with a sprinkling of Rock, Jazz & Funk. Pura Vida's spicy. Latin mix is diverse, energetic, & always danceable, bringing PURE LIFE to every celebration.

At the Mendocino Hotel, Garden Room, 45080 Main Street Mendocino, Sat Oct 27, hope to see you there! Admission $12 or 2/$20 Front Desk Mendocino Hotel (707) 937-0511 (800) 548-0513

http://www.mendocinohotel.com

THE CONTEMPT with which American leaders treat American blacks is very obvious; what is not so obvious is that they treat the bulk of the American people with the same contempt. But it will be sub-zero weather in a very distant August when the American people find the guts to recognize this fact.

— James Baldwin

ENERGY REBATES Can Boost the Value of a Rebuilt Redwood Fire Complex Home

Want to improve the home you’re rebuilding at low or no cost?

Energy efficiency rebates for upgrades are available.

by Suzanne Pletcher

When Ukiah building contractor Howie Hawkes of Hawkes Construction learned at a workshop last week about a significant energy efficiency rebate available to property owners who are rebuilding after the Redwood Complex fires, he thought of client Renee Vinyard.

Vinyard is rebuilding her Redwood Valley home that was destroyed in the fires. Hawkes met with her and they discussed the state rebates of $7,500 to $17,500 that are offered specifically to help fire victims rebuild, called the state Advanced Energy Rebuild (AER) program.

“We were super interested,” said Vinyard. “At this stage, we can make changes in the house design that would qualify us for the rebates. Building an energy efficient house makes us feel really good about the future and being able to do something about climate change. We’ll be more comfortable, particularly during tremendously hot summer days.”

Hawkes and Vinyard set an appointment to meet with Chandra Apperson of Apperson Energy Management, a certified energy analyst based in Redwood Valley. Apperson will walk them through their options, explain terminology such as high-performance attic and wall, and what’s a heat-pump water heater. If hired, she’ll complete most inspections and paperwork.

“Basically, the incentive program is designed to be fairly close to cost neutral for the customer,” said Apperson, meaning that design changes and upgraded equipment required to qualify for AER shouldn’t cost too much more than the rebate.

“But the home that is built as a result,” Apperson added, “is more energy efficient, is designed to last longer, is more comfortable and has better indoor air quality. These are things you should try to do as you are building a new home anyway.”

California’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2045 means the state is supporting home rebuilds that are tops in energy efficiency.

That’s obvious when you gather up the details and rebates available through AER. New homes qualify for up to $12,500 in rebates and include an electric vehicle charging station that is provided, free, from Sonoma Clean Power company. An additional $5,000 for up to $17,500 in rebates is available if solar panels and a storage battery are installed.

The clincher, Apperson added, is that in order to qualify for AER rebates, a certified home energy (HERS) rater must sign off on the insulation installation before the walls of the new home are sealed. Other than that, it’s simple.

People who are rebuilding homes destroyed in the fire have two options with AER: Build a new home that is 20% more energy efficient than the state energy code or select from a checklist of energy and water saving items to be installed in the home. Apperson usually suggests the 20% over code option because it offers more flexibility.

Hawkes said Vinyard’s home already was designed to be six per cent more energy efficient than the state code. With some tweaks, he and Vineyard will try to qualify for the energy efficiency rebate.

Apperson was one of two speakers at a workshop on home energy efficiency and solar energy offered at Mendocino College by the Sustainable Construction and Energy Technology Program. Hawkes was one of about 15 energy efficiency professionals, contractors and building owners who attended. Moderator was Rose Bell, project manager for the Community Foundation of Mendocino County’s Rebuilding Our Community (M-ROC) team.

Bell said that Firewood Complex fire survivors who are rebuilding using M-ROC housing grants should consider energy efficiency rebate programs in order to maximize the impact of their rebuild dollars.

There are 132 building permits issued and 42 more in the queue at Mendocino County’s planning and building department as of an Oct. 1 update issued by Nash Gonzalez, Mendocino County Disaster Recovery Director.

A very energy efficient home with solar panels and storage battery could be net zero energy, said the second workshop speaker, Richard Silsbee of Radiant Solar Technology, Inc. That means that, even though the home may use power from the grid during a series of rainy days, it feeds enough solar power into the grid on sunny days to zero out consumption.

Silsbee said prices of solar panels have dropped dramatically. “Now anyone can live off-grid and have the same lifestyle as someone in town,” he said. Silsbee noted that today’s solar systems often are sized to support air conditioning in summer.

Though AER prompted the most discussion at the workshop, Apperson covered energy efficiency rebates that are available to all homeowners to help offset the cost of higher-end energy efficient products. Rebates are available through Dec. 31 and then could change.

City of Ukiah residents can apply to the city for rebates of up to $1,000 per item on a wide variety of efficient windows, air conditioners, ceiling fans, attic and wall insulation, Energy Star appliances and even holiday and LED lights. Here’s a checklist: http://www.cityofukiah.com/NewWeb/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Residential-Rebates-Chart.pdf

PG&E electric and gas customers can get rebates of $50 on smart thermostats and $300 on high efficiency water heaters. With more paperwork and a PG&E energy audit, customers can earn rebates of $1,500 to $5,500 on added insulation, efficient hot water heaters and other measures that reduce energy consumption by at least 10%.

PG&E’s promotion says “using energy more efficiently is more than simply the right thing to do—it saves customers money on their energy bills and is the fastest, most cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

For a list of certified energy analysts including Apperson, visit https://cabec.org/

NEA BIG READ and California State Park Pygmy Forest Walk November 3rd 1:00-3:00 pm

In partnership with the California State Parks we are pleased to announce a free-to-the-public guided walk in the Pygmy Forest on the Mendocino Coast. On Saturday, November 3^rd from 1:00-3:00 pm, the California State Park staff will lead a guided walk through the Pygmy Forest from Van Damme State Park. This walk is open to all ages and will provide a wonderful chance to learn about the fantastical world of the Pygmy Forest, discussing the soil, animals and plants that inhabit this magical forest.

Meet at the Pygmy Forest Parking Lot at Van Damme State Park, carpooling is recommended, and no dogs allowed on walk. Event to take place rain or shine and there will be a fun Treasure Hunt for kids.

Join us on Saturday, November 3^rd from 1-3 for this magical walk through the one of a kind Pygmy Forest as we celebrate Mendocino County’s NEA Big Read and the California State Parks.

“Forget the Great Pumpkin — I’m waiting for Robert Mueller.”

GOT HIS GROOVE BACK

Message fr. Craig Stehr in Honolulu to D.C. Radical Spiritual Participants

Good evening from Honolulu, I have just read through the DC IMC and Earth First! Newswire reportage. Looks like we are in for one wild future on the planet earth. I am willing to leave Hawaii and return to the Washington, D.C. region, and am continuing to contact others to get solidarity, particularly insofar as housing is concerned. Spiritually am not identifying with the body nor the mind, and thus am not interfering with the higher self working through this physical/mental instrument. It's that simple. If you identify with this, then please contact me. I am keen to perform group rituals, in addition to direct actions and whatever else is appropriate. I look forward to being active in responding against the visionless current situation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and on Capitol Hill. My time in Hawaii has been well spent doing spiritual practices of a Vedic-Tantra Yogic nature, plus generally benefitting from beautiful natural island living. I am rejuvenated and feeling great.

PS. THOSE MEDDLING CUCKOO CLOCKS!

Craig Stehr's Proton Mail Account is BLOCKED!

Please know that my "craiglouisstehr@protonmail.com" account has been BLOCKED. The Swiss administrators inform me that they suspect spamming, or fraud. I have sent in an appeal explaining that I am networking to find housing in the Washington, D.C. area in order to be there longer term for protesting and related radical activity. If you wish to reach me during the appeal process, please send messages to me at: craiglouisstehr@gmail.com . Otherwise, I am essentially waiting in Honolulu, Hawaii for an opportunity to go forth and crush the demonic with you. I'm packed. I have some money. I am willing.

Craig Louis Stehr, October, 23, 2018, Email: craiglouisstehr@gmail.com, Email: craiglouisstehr@protonmail.com

*A CONVERSATION WITH EUGENE ‘GENO’ JAMISON, FOUNDER OF THE ANDERSON VALLEY ADVERTISER.

Interviewed by Mark Heimann (June 1997)

MH: When did you start the Anderson Valley Advertiser?

Eugene Jamison: In 1952, we first came out with an Advertiser that covered the entire Valley. I didn't have a subscription list, it went through the Post Office, everybody got a copy. The main drive that got the Anderson Valley Advertiser started was when the fair started an ad'52. We took all the ads and everything else and put out an eight-page brochure, full newspaper size, of all the businesses that wanted to be in it. That was the first undertaking of the AVA. We did that three times between September ‘52 and January ‘53, printing 1,000 copies each time that we mailed to every resident in the Valley.

You did this completely on speculation, without really selling any ads?

We sold ads, we had to have ads to support the idea, the publication. But we were so lucky to have so many people contributing, some of them with full page ads, some with quarter pages. I don't even have a copy of that. I don't even have a copy of the AVA anymore because I moved so many times.

Did you have news as well as ads?

We had news, and of course with the fair coming on in '52, we dedicated the entire issue to the 1952 fair. After the fair we had all these advertisers still interested, so I thought this would be a good time to capitalize on this and continue the publication. Part of our gimmick to get people to read the ads was to give away a prize to the first baby born in 1953. A woman from Ukiah won that.

I think it was January 1, 1953 that we made up the first edition, volume 1, number 1. In the meantime I was gathering presses and equipment. Our first edition was printed in Boonville on a press that I brought in from Milpitas. I had an old one and a half ton truck that I brought the press to Boonville in. In those days you couldn't secure a label or a patent, what's called offical adjudication, with out printing the paper in the town it was named for. In other words the Anderson Valley Advertiser had to be printed in Anderson Valley. Nowadays you could print it anywhere in the world.

We set that first press up in a 30 by 30 woodshed in the back of the Homer Mannix building; we didn't have room for it in the shop. It was a four-page letterpress, lead type. So our first edition was printed right there in Boonville, which, from the start, made us a real home town newspaper. I think my headline was “THIS PAPER IS PRINTED IN BOONVILLE!” That was the beginning of the Anderson Valley Advertiser.

I was working for the Daily Hearld Review in the Livermore Valley at the time. I forget just what day we published the Anderson Valley Advertiser on; it must have been a Monday because of my duties at the Review. I had other interests at the time too. I was growing 40 acres of tomatoes and cucumbers and 30 acres of barley and oats in South Hayward.

It must have been Saturday and Sunday that I would gather the news, work on the page makeup and set all the type and masthead. I was able to pick up the forms and type from my job at the Review.

What made you choose Boonville?

The Anderson Valley Advertiser was to be my retirerment project. I think most press opperaters want their own newspaper. I was looking for a place to live around there because I like to hunt and fish. Boonville was going to be my retirement place. I was living in Hayward at the time. I wanted to set up the shop, print the newspaper which would take two, three days a week, then go fishing the rest of the time. I was 37, 38 years old. I wanted to retire by age 50.

Homer Mannix, who owned the building, was interested in being the publisher, editor and manager; he wanted to run the whole paper himself. I had applied for official adjudication and after about six months of operation I sold the paper to Homer for $1700.

The old man who owned the Mendocino Beacon was living back in New York and he was running short. He came down to Hayward where I was working and made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. That is why I had to sell all my interest in the Anderson Valley Advertiser to Mannix. I felt like I practically gave it to him but then $1700 was worth more in those days. I then went to work for the Mendocino Beacon. So that's how it turned out. But I always stayed interested in the Anderson Valley Advertiser because it was kind of a pet project of mine.

Did you move up to Mendocino County when you went to work for the Beacon?

To Mendocino Village. The Mendocino Beacon had the same type Cottrell press that I printed the Anderson Valley Advertiser on. One of the old time cylinder presses. Incidentally, a fellow was running one of those Cottrell presses, I think it was in Mobile Alabama, that was the originator of the offset process. One day he failed to put the sheet of paper in and the cylinder was turning round and round and the ink, instead of printing on the paper, made an impression directly onto the cylinder. That was the invention of offset printing or lithograph.

Anyhow, when I was working for the Mendocino Beacon, I flew up to Eureka one time — I had my own airplane — to see my old friend Carl Hovey. He used to be my foreman in Hayward back in '47. I flew up to see him when he was the foreman at the Eureka Times-Standard. I thought I could pick up a couple of shifts working for him. So I called him, told him to pick me up at the airport. That was quite a trip; it was real foggy, but that’s another story. I only put in a few shifts up there, I just wanted to see what the other newspapers were doing.

In the composing room of the Eureka Times-Standard was a big iron plate that covered part of the floor, it was right over the water at high tide. There was a little hole in that iron plate and one day the printer desided to go fishing. He dropped a line down and caught a great big fish but no way in the world could he pull it up through that little hole. Boy was he mad to have to let that fish go. Anyway, after about a year, I heard Carl Hovey bought a newspaper in Lakeport. The other newspapers gave him a big send-up that was out of this world; he was the greatest publisher of all times. Then he died...I wonder what happened to his newspaper over there in the Clearlake, Lakeport area? I’m sure it’s not the same without ol’ Carl.

Tell me a little bit about yourself, where you were born.

I was born right here in Covelo, April 2, 1915. I'm a Nomlackie-Concow Indian. I was raised by my paternal grandfather most of the time. My mother was also born here in Round Valley. In 1926, at the age of eleven, I was shipped off to an Indian school, the Sherman Indian Institute for Orphans in Riverside County. I was there for six years. I went through academic training, military style training. I was 17 when I finished at Sherman, graduating in '32. I wanted to go to the Marines or the Navy because of those six years under military training. You went to bed at somebody's command, you got up at somebody's command.

This was one of the Bureau of Indian Affairs schools?

Yes. I learned the basics of printing in the school's print shop. I received 10,000 hours and six years of vocational training in printing at that school. I never did make it to the Marines, going to work for the Arlington Times instead. That's where I really learned the printing trade. Old J.B. Smith owned the Arlington Times. He was from Mobile, Alabama and his wife was a schoolteacher. He had a big new 40 by 60 brick building put up about six miles south of Riverside and moved his Contrell press down there. The back third of the building was his print shop area. I was with him for five years setting type, running errands and the presses in conjunction with the six years of training at school.

So you were a bona fide printer by then?

Oh yeah, that’s how I learned my trade. J.B. Smith, he wanted to sell me his building, the name of his newspaper and all the equipment that went with it. He had a variety store in one third of his building that was the beginning of those quick market places; “Quick-Mart” I think they're called now. He wanted to sell me all of that for $6500 but I didn’t go for it. I passed by there about ten years ago and that old brick building is still standing as solid as ever.

I remember one time I was setting Linotype and the machine began to rattle and rumble as I was turning it. That was probably the first time but not the last that I sat at a machine with an earthquake rumbling. It didn't last very long but I kept running it. You don’t stop the presses unless it’s really important.

Over the years I’ve worked at a lot of newspapers. Let’s see, besides the Arlington Times there was the Oakland Tribune, the old Livermore Herald & News, the Hayward Review, San Jose Mercury News, and the Hayward Journal. I was a partner and editor-publisher of the Fort Bragg Advocate and the Mendocino Beacon. Plus I had a print shop in Livermore on Railroad Avenue for 30 some years. Oh, and of course the Anderson Valley Advertiser.

That's quite a newspaper history.

It’s been my life, and I have no regrets. I love the business. When I sold it the Anderson Valley paper was going good. I gave it all the support I could to keep it going. And I guess it's still going yet, isn't it?

It's still going today. In fact, it's developed a real national and even international reputation.

How nice! What a contribution.

We owe it to you. Bruce Anderson is the editor/publisher now, and we print up about three thousand copies a week. About half are subscribers in-county and stand sales, the other half are mailed out to subscribers to almost every state in the union and quite a few foreign countries. It’s not a big paper but it’s read in some perty unique places for a small community newspapr; in Chiapas, Mexico, Hong Kong, Germany, South Africa and Australia to name a few.

You mean I had a hand in creating a terrible mess like that? [laughs] The mess of the press.

People either love it or hate it, there's not much in-between.

Well, that's good. Sometimes if you hate something, and it bugs you enough, you have to respond to it, in one way or another.

We take our responsibility to report on the local government seriously. Most everyone in the County government reads the Anderson Valley Advertiser, the judges, law-enforcement, lawyers and department heads. They say they hate it and claim they don't read it but they read it every week. They have to see if their name's in there, see if they got beat up on this week. We take the obligation of the fourth estate seriously.

That’s as it should be. I’m proud of what my little paper’s become. Just one thing: When you write this up, spell out Anderson Valley Advertiser; none of that AVA stuff. It’s a lazy practice to get into.