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Posts published in “Essays”

Melburne History

A hundred years ago, in 1918, the Melburne Post Office closed, signaling a dwindling end for a once prosperous community along the Comptche Road, about ten miles east of the coast. Melburne's height of prosperity…

Real ID Runaround

As you may recall from my earlier blathering, my (WY) driver license is up for renewal in early January. Now the instructions in the letter sent me by the equivalent of your DMV stated that…

Cathleen Micheaels, Local Art Champion

Local art educator Cathleen Micheaels — dear to the hearts of many Anderson Valley students who have studied with her — was honored by the Board of Supervisors on December 4th. She was commended by…

Tom Bell’s Flat

Along the Comptche-Ukiah Road, east of the nearly forgotten town of Melburne, is a spot known to locals as Tom Bell's Flat (or Tom Bell Flats). Tom Bell settled there in the 1860s. He made…

Fire on High Greenwood

At 5:50 in the early morning of Friday, November 16, 2018, my wife woke me up to say the house was on fire and we had to get out quickly or we would die. We…

What? Another AV Newspaper?

Don’t panic. We’re talking almost ancient history here. As I sorted through research materials acquired while writing a 150-year history of Mendocino County I look at some of it and think “Where the heck did…

KZYX GM to Resign

KZYX general manager Jeffrey Parker offered his resignation to the KZYX Board of Directors at the Board’s November 28th meeting. Parker has served as the public radio station’s general manager for two years.

Fixing DeepEnd Water Probs

As a relatively dry fall gives way to winter, local residents are hoping for a good rain year while still worried that it will be another dry year and possibly the start of another drought. The alarming trajectory we’ve seen in recent years of low rainfall in the Navarro and throughout northern California threaten the security of our water supply as well as the health of our rivers and fisheries.

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