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Posts published in “Essays”

Mendocino County’s Last Real Supervisor

Joe Scaramella explained the moment in his life when he got the inspiration to get into politics: “I've been on the receiving end of injustice many times. But the most significant thing that affected my…

Forrest and the Hermit

Forrest was born along the Albion in spring time, when the river and its gulch tributaries were still swollen enough for fishing. He arrived in 1909, the last of his mother and father's six children.…

But I Can’t Remember What I Had For Lunch

I bought my first house in 1983, a 2BR 1BA baby on North Oak Street that cost $46,000, roughly $30,000 more than I could afford considering interest rates. Ripped out the green shag living room…

Ten Commandments for ‘Pro-Lifers’

Thou shalt not seek to insert anti-abortion words into the Bible or any other scriptures where it is never once mentioned, nor seek to breach America’s hallowed separation of church and state, recalling that the…

In Support of Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins, 26, the Golden State Warriors smooth small forward, had a rational reason to fear getting vaccinated. He’d once had an allergic reaction to Tylenol so severe that he started carrying an Epipen. Presumably…

Looking for Answers

In response to my recent column on the continuing chaos of marijuana cultivation in this county, a number of folks sent along their thoughts on possible solutions. Kirk Vodopals had this to say: “Good luck…

In Thieves We Trust

My close friend Sally’s health took a nosedive after her second stroke. And like many old people – and candor demands that we ourselves could well choose this path for ourselves one day – Sally…

Our Times: The Importance of the Hed

The Power of the Hed Back in the day, newsroom wisdom had it that approximately 1/4 of readers would glance at the headline and not read the story, 1/4 would read only the lede (first…

The College Kid Runs the Auction, Part 2

Last week I recounted how, with  a mere half dozen years of sheep farming experience, I undertook the job of managing the weekly sheep sale at the Ukiah Livestock Auction. The time of year I…

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