IT BREACHED, Marshall Newman tells us: The river gage suggests the sandbar at the mouth of the Navarro River breached early Saturday morning about 2am. A sudden 1.5+ feet drop in level while it is raining is a bit unusual.
ANDERSON VALLEY LAND TRUST vs C.T. Rowe is in Judge Nadel's court on Monday, December 17th. We hope to provide full coverage, and state right here our bias is for C.T.
WHEN POSTMISTRESS COLLETTE called late Monday afternoon we feared bad news. Well, some version of bad news anyway. Government, even the Post Office seldom brings good news, does it? Sure 'nuff. Our Postmistress said the Post Office would be closed Wednesday. "Why?" I asked, genuinely puzzled. "Somebody died," Collette replied. "No!" I exclaimed. "It can't be! Bush? For this guy our paper will be a day late? What's next, mandatory mass mournings with jail terms for not showing up?
A LOCAL WONDERS: “Who lives on Mountain View or owns property bordering Mountain View and is interested in helping build single track from Downtown to Faulkner Park? I think it would be super cool to have a walking/biking/hiking trail that could serve as a pedestrian path for residents off MVR to get to town without a car and others who want a nice trail for multi-purpose use. If you’re keen on something like this please reach out! Thanks and happy holidays.”
EARLY RISERS Monday fell to their knees in awe and gratitude at the splendor of the sun’s rise. These rare occasions are less rare at this time of year as Old King Sol announces himself in a scattering of rain clouds he turns to waves of golden grays as he makes his glorious way to the heavens. Sheriff Allman posted a photo of this morning’s wondrous sunrise, and name another lawman who casts his eyes to the heavens as his first act of the new day?
THE FUTURE OF THE NAVARRO River Watershed: Stream Flows and Water Security Strategies for Farms, People and Fish, Thursday December 6th--To safeguard the health and well-being of the Navarro River watershed now and into the future, the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District is stepping up its efforts working with the community to implement projects and strategies to improve water supply security that also benefit the health of our rivers and fish. To turn the tide of increasing vulnerability and diminishing stream flows, we are enlisting the help of landowners, farmers and vineyards and leveraging partnerships with the Nature Conservancy (TNC), Trout Unlimited (TU), Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of California Cooperative Extension and Shippensburg University. But success will depend on broad support and active participation of the Navarro watershed community. This Thursday, December 6th, the partners mentioned above will be kicking-off with a public meeting to share useful information and water management strategies and to encourage local participation. The meeting will be held at the Anderson Valley Grange from 6-9 pm., beginning with a potluck supper from 6-7, and then presentations will start promptly at 7:00 pm.
VISIT WATER STORAGE and reliability projects for farms, people and fish this Friday, December 7th: The day after the community meeting, on Friday Dec. 7th, from 9am-12:30pm, the Navarro watershed community is invited to tour some recent water storage and water conservation projects in the lower watershed. We’ll meet at Anderson Valley Grange in Philo, tour begins at 9:00am—please carpool! The tour will happen, rain or shine! Both events are hosted by the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Shippensburg University—through funding provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
For more information you can email or phone Linda.macelwee@mcrcd.org, (707)895-3230; patty.madigan@mcrcd.org, (707) 462-3664 ext. 102; or go to www.mcrcd.org.
ANDERSON VALLEY 2018 DIVISION 3 SOCCER CHAMPS! In a hard-fought game played on a drenched Tom Smith Memorial Field, #1 seed Anderson Valley converted two penalty kicks (Juan Reynosa & Alex Tovar) to earn the Division 3 Boys Championship Tuesday afternoon in Boonville. Miraculously, it didn’t rain. #2 seed Jewish Community played the Panthers to a 0-0 stalemate in the first half and took a quick 1-0 lead early in the second half thanks to a header by junior Ethan Finestone. A handball in the box gave Juan Reynosa his opportunity at a penalty shot - and he blasted one home past JCHS goalie Johnny Felder to tie the game 1-1. Later in the second half - a half we might add that seemed to go awfully quick - a trip from behind in the box saw Alex Tovar get his chance at a penalty shot - and he quickly found the back of the net to nail what turned out to be the game winning goal. Anderson Valley is no stranger to the winner’s circle - they won Division 3 Championships in: 2012 2013 2014 2015 and now 2018. They were runner up to Roseland College last year.
— MendocinoSportsPlus reporting
THE REDWOOD CLASSIC basketball tournament, the Redwood Empire’s oldest tourney, came and went last weekend in Boonville. The Boonville boy's team was down by the baseball score of 8-1 after the first quarter against a comparably enfeebled, Tule Lake. A fan was overheard muttering, "I better leave. If I watch any more of this I'm going to cry." Final score: Tule Lake 56, Anderson Valley 28.
STUART HALL HIGH SCHOOL, a private Catholic School in San Francisco, which always does well in their Boonville appearances, easily ran the table at the 2018 Redwood Classic with high-scoring, one-sided victories over every team they played. SH easily beat a decent high school team from the tiny town of Jackson (Amador County, northeast of Stockton called “Argonaut,” 77-48 in the Saturday night finals, coasting to the Redwood Classic championship.
THE ANDERSON VALLEY VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS in conjunction with the AV Food Bank and the Unity Club are conducting their annual Toy Drive. Drop off your new, unwrapped toys (ages 0-12, about $10-$12 value) or a donation at: Yorkville Post Office, Lemons’ Philo Market, or the Boonville Fire Station. Toys will be picked up on December 15 and distributed at the Food Bank on December 17. For more info: 895-2017.
BIG BAND IN BOONVILLE @LAUREN’S
The Swingin’ Boonville Big Band will perform at Lauren’s Cafe in Boonville on Saturday December 8th from 9-11PM.
Tickets are $15.
This performance is a benefit for the Adult Education Department of the Anderson Valley Unified School District.
Lauren’s beer and wine bar open late.
Last dinner order 8PM, band begins promptly at 9.
HOLIDAY COMMUNITY DINNER AT THE GRANGE
Be sure to save the date for the Holiday Community Dinner at the Grange on Sunday, December 9th at 5:30 pm. We need help putting on the feast. To learn how you can help, please call Captain Rainbow at 895-3807 or email him at captnrainbow@pacific.net.
NOTE! The Annual Community Holiday Dinner at The Grange this coming Sunday, December 9th, starts at 5.30pm and goes until the turkey runs out. (Not 4-7pm as stated in the recently distributed AV Community Bulletin. My apologies for any inconvenience or confusion. — Steve Sparks.)
PHILO PEOPLE were amazed to see a cow flop-festooned and crushed car at Starr Automotive’s lot last Tuesday morning. The unfortunate driver had run into a full-sized ruminant wandering free on 128 near the Grange. The beast went down hard, somehow managing to spray both the exterior and interior of the enemy vehicle with raw-form fertilizer. The driver, Martin Tovar-Trujillo, 32 miraculously emerged odiferous but otherwise unscathed. The cow is presumed deceased. Starr Automotive’s Bob Mackey, a man who could and should write a book at what he's seen on Mendo's highways and biways, was poised to hose down the wreck before hauling it to scrap iron heaven in Ukiah.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Bodywork office open in Boxcar Boardwalk across from Redwood Drive-in. Take Boardwalk to the "end of the line." AbraKaDebra Bodywork is in the rear car, office #6. Text 707/357-3068 for appt. See website for details about her work.
LOOKING for a drywall guy, a guy with 30 years experience, a guy who does all facets so perfectly he's an artist of the craft? A guy who's a long-time resident of this area with whole neighborhoods of satisfied customers? Call Gary at 707 843-823
MAYBE one of you mystics out there can tell me the significance of the albino squirrel I saw early this morning in a ridgetop neighborhood above San Anselmo. Quite a startling sight, it was. I've occasionally seen black squirrels, assuming they're in their winter coats. But this one was a deep blonde, and mos def a one off animal.
AV FIRE’S 2019 CALENDAR!
Hi, all you Fire and Ambulance Supporters,
The 2019 calendar, a cooperation between Tina Walter and me, is up for sale, only $12, all of the profits go directly to the Fire Department. We printed 75, so there is only a limited supply. You can go directly to the Boonville Fire Station Tuesdays, Wed. and Fridays between 10:30am and 4pm. The calendar will also be available at Mosswood when my ambulance photo show goes up on Dec 1st.
UKIAH is going ahead with the installation of parking meters in its already economically staggering downtown area. The last time Ukiah installed meters citizens justly complained so long and loud the city removed them. So why bring them back to ding downtown shoppers to shop and $65 if shoppers don’t feed the meter in time? Given the preposterously huge salaries Ukiah pays its management one would think an occasionally sensible civic decision would emerge from city hall.
HMMM. Maybe if we bury our power lines trees wouldn't knock them down and start fires. PG&E, is "testing" an underground line along a half-mile of rural road near Monte Rio. The power monopoly says a mile of buried line will cost its exploited rate payers a million-five. Some of the more coherent, aesthetically sensitive Mendo communities — Elk and Hopland for two — have buried their power lines via an existing PG&E beautification program.
A FRIEND TOLD ME THIS STORY: "We went to Patrona for lunch. Patrona is that restaurant on the corner near the Court House in Ukiah. Unusually good food. My niece and I have been there once before. Almost no one there as it was Saturday after Thanksgiving. I noticed as we walked in a round, high table near the bar with a group of three 30-40 year old somethings and one old guy. He gave me a look when we walked by. I wondered what he was looking at. Now I know. It was my young niece. As we were getting up to leave, my niece went to the bar area, right next to that table, to get two dessert boxes. When she came back, she whispered, “Auntie. I feel creepy. A man came up to me at the bar and said, 'Oh getting seconds?' Then he said, 'You sure are a pretty girl.' She told me it felt really creepy the way he looked at her. And she seemed really disturbed. I was feeling really red hot mad. When I came out of the restaurant's bathroom, he was back at his table and I took a look. Dirty ol man? Yes sireee. I’ve been approached all my life by those kind. Not a bum on the street. Just one of those dirty old men lusting after teenage girls. I had a moment of wanting to go to his table and say, “Hello. Just wanted you to know that if you had touched my niece, you would not like what would happen.” But I didn’t. Just a passing urge. But when we were outside near the car there he was, outside looking our direction on his phone. He looked at us for a long time. It made me sick. He didn’t DO anything. But if my niece, age 13, felt “creepy” he gave he a dose of predator energy. This has never happened to her before. It was good actually because we had a long talk that night about what to do with leering, stalking or creepy guys. And I spoke to her father and said, “Time for her to have a phone.” That’s my little story. She’s exactly the kind of girl they go after; sweet, open, sexy little body and oh so innocent. That innocence has been changed."
Regarding the health of the Navarro River watershed, still waiting for the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association to step up with a policy – ANY policy – to protect and enhance the water supply its members use and often abuse.
After my dad started using pesticides and herbicides on our farm, our red squirrels turned white – albino. Must have had about half a dozen of them. Around 1960-61. Genetic insult.
post hoc fallacy